New King James Version
1 Samuel 18:23
23So Saul’s servants spoke those words in the hearing of David. And David said, “Does it seem to you a light thing to be a king’s son-in-law, seeing I am a poor and lightly esteemed man?”
1 Samuel 18:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Saul’s servants spake those words in the ears of David. And David said, Seemeth it to you a light thing to be a king’s son in law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?
- New International Version (NIV)They repeated these words to David. But David said, “Do you think it is a small matter to become the king’s son-in-law? I’m only a poor man and little known.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And Saul's servants spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said, "Does it seem to you a little thing to become the king's son-in-law, since I am a poor man and have no reputation?"
- New Living Translation (NLT)When Saul’s men said these things to David, he replied, “How can a poor man from a humble family afford the bride price for the daughter of a king?”
Context of 1 Samuel 18:23
21So Saul said, “I will give her to him, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David a second time, “You shall be my son-in-law today.” 22And Saul commanded his servants, “Communicate with David secretly, and say, ‘Look, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. Now therefore, become the king’s son-in-law.’ ” So Saul’s servants spoke those words in the hearing of David. And David said, “Does it seem to you a light thing to be a king’s son-in-law, seeing I am a poor and lightly esteemed man?” 24And the servants of Saul told him, saying, “In this manner David spoke.” 25Then Saul said, “Thus you shall say to David: ‘The king does not desire any dowry but one hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to take vengeance on the king’s enemies.’ ” But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.
Read all of 1 Samuel 181 Samuel 18:23 word by word
וַֽיְדַבְּר֞וּ עַבְדֵ֤י שָׁאוּל֙ בְּאָזְנֵ֣י דָוִ֔ד אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה וַיֹּ֣אמֶר דָּוִ֗ד הַֽנְקַלָּ֤ה בְעֵֽינֵיכֶם֙ הִתְחַתֵּ֣ן בַּמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְאָנֹכִ֖י אִֽישׁ־רָ֥שׁ וְנִקְלֶֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Saul’sשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
- servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
- spakeדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- those wordsדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
- in the earsאֹ֫זֶן'ôzen · ear: to earsH241
- of Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Seemethעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: appearanceH5869
- lightקָלַלqâlal · to lightenH7043
- to be a king’sמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- son in lawחָתַןchâthan · make oneself a daughter’s husbandH2859
- a poorרוּשׁrûsh · be poorH7326
- manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- and lightly esteemedקָלָהqâlâh · to dishonorH7034
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 18:23
- 1 John 3:1Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.
- 1 Samuel 9:21And Saul answered and said, “Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak like this to me?”
- Proverbs 14:20The poor man is hated even by his own neighbor, But the rich has many friends.
- Proverbs 19:6Many entreat the favor of the nobility, And every man is a friend to one who gives gifts.
- Ecclesiastes 9:15Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that same poor man.
- Psalms 119:141I am small and despised, Yet I do not forget Your precepts.
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 18:23
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23A poor man and lightly esteemed - Compare Psalm 119:141. Poor, and therefore unable to pay a sufficient dowry. See 1 Samuel 18:25.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-30Verses 12-30 For a long time David was kept in continual apprehension of falling by the hand of Saul, yet he persevered in meek and respectful behaviour towards his persecutor. How uncommon is such prudence and discretion, especially under insults and provocations! Let us inquire if we imitate this part of the exemplary character before us. Are we behaving wisely in all our ways? Is there no sinful omission, no rashness of spirit, nothing wrong in our…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 23A future son-in-law would give a bride price (a required gift) to his bride’s father (see Genesis 34:12; Exodus 22:16–17).Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 18:23
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries