1 Samuel 18:17-30

Relax, Read and Reflect

Prayer- Lord, Open our hearts and open our minds and help us learn. Go-Fight-Win. Amen.

1 Samuel 18:17-30 (New International Version)

¹⁷ Saul said to David, "Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you in marriage; only serve me bravely and fight the battles of the LORD." For Saul said to himself, "I will not raise a hand against him. Let the Philistines do that!"

¹⁸ But David said to Saul, "Who am I, and what is my family or my father's clan in Israel, that I should become the king's son-in-law?" ¹⁹ So ^a]'>[a] when the time came for Merab, Saul's daughter, to be given to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel of Meholah.

²⁰ Now Saul's daughter Michal was in love with David, and when they told Saul about it, he was pleased. ²¹ "I will give her to him," he thought, "so that she may be a snare to him and so that the hand of the Philistines may be against him." So Saul said to David, "Now you have a second opportunity to become my son-in-law."

²² Then Saul ordered his attendants: "Speak to David privately and say, 'Look, the king is pleased with you, and his attendants all like you; now become his son-in-law.' "

²³ 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."

²⁴ When Saul's servants told him what David had said, ²⁵ Saul replied, "Say to David, 'The king wants no other price for the bride than a hundred Philistine foreskins, to take revenge on his enemies.' " Saul's plan was to have David fall by the hands of the Philistines.

²⁶ When the attendants told David these things, he was pleased to become the king's son-in-law. So before the allotted time elapsed, ²⁷ David and his men went out and killed two hundred Philistines. He brought their foreskins and presented the full number to the king so that he might become the king's son-in-law. Then Saul gave him his daughter Michal in marriage.

²⁸ When Saul realized that the LORD was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David, ²⁹ Saul became still more afraid of him, and he remained his enemy the rest of his days.

³⁰ The Philistine commanders continued to go out to battle, and as often as they did, David met with more success ^b]'>[b] than the rest of Saul's officers, and his name became well known.

Footnotes:

1. 1 Samuel 18:19 Or However ,
2. 1 Samuel 18:30 Or David acted more wisely

Poor Saul. He thinks that getting David in the family he can do away with him. He promises his oldest daughter, David refuses and she is engaged to another anyway. He offers daughter #2, again David refuses. He says that he is too poor and a commoner-how can he be a kings son-in-law?

Saul tells him that Saul wants no big gift, he will sell cheap! All he wants is...say..100 foreskins from Philistine warriors. A bargain! David takes the army out and instead of getting killed or worse, he brings the gift back. Instead of failing and dieing , David becomes even more popular.

Why foreskins? Remember- the Jews have a covenant with God to circumcise all male children, the Philistines were not bound by the same agreement. Instead of hauling 100 heads for a gift, (that would fill a cart and be a real eye-sore) all David had to do was get 100 foreskins. Those would fit in a very small bag, therefore would be easier to transport.

Questions:

1. I hate to bring this up, but didn't the King promise his daughter to the man who killed Goliath back in 1 Samuel 17:25?

2. Why did David refuse the first daughter?

3. What is it that Saul is really afraid of?