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1 Samuel 18:20-27
Holman Christian Standard Bible
1 Samuel 18:20-27
Holman Christian Standard Bible
David’s Marriage to Michal
20 Now Saul’s daughter Michal(A) loved David, and when it was reported to Saul, it pleased him.[a] 21 “I’ll give her to him,” Saul thought. “She’ll be a trap for him, and the hand of the Philistines will be against him.”(B) So Saul said to David a second time, “You can now be my son-in-law.”(C)
22 Saul then ordered his servants, “Speak to David in private and tell him, ‘Look, the king is pleased with you, and all his servants love you. Therefore, you should become the king’s son-in-law.’”
23 Saul’s servants reported these words directly to David,[b] but he replied, “Is it trivial in your sight to become the king’s son-in-law? I am a poor man who is common.”(D)
24 The servants reported back to Saul, “These are the words David spoke.”
25 Then Saul replied, “Say this to David: ‘The king desires no other bride-price(E) except 100 Philistine foreskins, to take revenge on his enemies.’”(F) Actually, Saul intended to cause David’s death at the hands of the Philistines.(G)
26 When the servants reported these terms to David, he was pleased[c] to become the king’s son-in-law. Before the wedding day arrived,[d] 27 David and his men went out and killed 200[e] Philistines. He brought their foreskins and presented them as full payment to the king to become his son-in-law. Then Saul gave his daughter Michal to David as his wife.(H)
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- 1 Samuel 18:20 Lit Saul, the thing was right in his eyes
- 1 Samuel 18:23 Lit words in David’s ears
- 1 Samuel 18:26 Lit David, it was right in David’s eyes
- 1 Samuel 18:26 Lit And the days were not full
- 1 Samuel 18:27 LXX reads 100
1 Samuel 18:20-27
New International Version
1 Samuel 18:20-27
New International Version
20 Now Saul’s daughter Michal(A) was in love with David, and when they told Saul about it, he was pleased.(B) 21 “I will give her to him,” he thought, “so that she may be a snare(C) 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 likes you, and his attendants all love 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?(D) 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(E) for the bride than a hundred Philistine foreskins, to take revenge(F) on his enemies.’” Saul’s plan(G) 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 took his men with him and went out and killed two hundred Philistines and brought back their foreskins. They counted out the full number to the king so that David might become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him his daughter Michal(H) in marriage.
1 Samuel 18:20-27
King James Version
1 Samuel 18:20-27
King James Version
20 And Michal Saul's daughter loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.
21 And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Wherefore Saul said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son in law in the one of the twain.
22 And Saul commanded his servants, saying, Commune with David secretly, and say, Behold, the king hath delight in thee, and all his servants love thee: now therefore be the king's son in law.
23 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?
24 And the servants of Saul told him, saying, On this manner spake David.
25 And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The king desireth not any dowry, but an hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies. But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.
26 And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son in law: and the days were not expired.
27 Wherefore David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full tale to the king, that he might be the king's son in law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife.
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1 Samuel 18:20-27
New King James Version
1 Samuel 18:20-27
New King James Version
20 (A)Now Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 21 So Saul said, “I will give her to him, that she may [a]be a snare to him, and that (B)the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David a second time, (C)“You shall be my son-in-law today.”
22 And 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.’ ”
23 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?” 24 And the servants of Saul told him, saying, [b]“In this manner David spoke.”
25 Then Saul said, “Thus you shall say to David: ‘The king does not desire any (D)dowry but one hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to take (E)vengeance on the king’s enemies.’ ” But Saul (F)thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. 26 So when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to become the king’s son-in-law. Now (G)the days had not expired; 27 therefore David arose and went, he and (H)his men, and killed two hundred men of the Philistines. And (I)David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full count to the king, that he might become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him Michal his daughter as a wife.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Samuel 18:21 be bait for
- 1 Samuel 18:24 Lit. According to these words
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
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New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.