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16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he was the one leading them out to battle and back.

17 [a] Then Saul said to David, “Here’s my oldest daughter, Merab. I want to give her to you in marriage. Only be a brave warrior[b] for me and fight the battles of the Lord.” For Saul thought, “There’s no need for me to raise my hand against him. Let it be the hand of the Philistines!”

18 David said to Saul, “Who am I? Who are my relatives or the clan of my father[c] in Israel that I should become the king’s son-in-law?”

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 18:17 tc Much of the ms evidence for the LXX lacks vv. 17-19.
  2. 1 Samuel 18:17 tn Heb “son of valor.”
  3. 1 Samuel 18:18 tn Heb “Who are my relatives, the clan of my father?” The term חַי (khay), traditionally understood as “my life,” is here a rare word meaning “family, kinfolk” (see HALOT 309 s.v. III חַי). The phrase “clan of my father” may be a scribal gloss explaining the referent of this rare word.

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)

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