¹⁶ Everyone in Israel and Judah loved David, because he led them in and out of battle.

¹⁷ Finally, Saul said to David, “Here is my oldest daughter Merab. I will give her to you as your wife if you prove yourself to be a warrior for me and fight Yahweh’s battles.” (Saul thought, “I must not lay a hand on him. Let the Philistines do that.”)

¹⁸ “Who am I?” David asked Saul. “And how important are my relatives or my father’s family in Israel that I should be the king’s son-in-law?”