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1 Samuel 18:16-18
Easy-to-Read Version
1 Samuel 18:16-18
Easy-to-Read Version
16 But all the people in Israel and Judah loved David because he was out among them and led them into battle.
Saul Wants His Daughter to Marry David
17 One day Saul said to David, “Here is my oldest daughter, Merab. I will let you marry her. Then you will be like a son to me and you will be a real soldier.[a] Then you will go and fight the Lord’s battles.” Saul was really thinking, “Now I won’t have to kill David. I will let the Philistines kill him for me.”
18 But David said, “I am not an important man from an important family. I can’t marry the king’s daughter.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Samuel 18:17 real soldier That is, a member of the warrior class. They were free from certain duties of ordinary citizens.
1 Samuel 18:16-18
New International Version
1 Samuel 18:16-18
New International Version
16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he led them in their campaigns.(A)
17 Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter(B) Merab. I will give her to you in marriage;(C) only serve me bravely and fight the battles(D) of the Lord.” For Saul said to himself,(E) “I will not raise a hand against him. Let the Philistines do that!”
18 But David said to Saul, “Who am I,(F) and what is my family or my clan in Israel, that I should become the king’s son-in-law?(G)”
Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)
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New International Version (NIV) 
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