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1 Samuel 18:17

in 1 Samuel 18

Then Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you in marriage. Only be valiant for me and fight the LORD’s battles.” But Saul was thinking, “I need not raise my hand against him; let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And Saul said to David, Behold, my elder daughter Merab, her will I give thee to wife: only be thou valiant for me, and fight Jehovah’s battles. For Saul said, Let not my hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.

KJV

And Saul said to David, Behold my elder daughter Merab, her will I give thee to wife: only be thou valiant for me, and fight the Lord’s battles. For Saul said, Let not mine hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.

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This verse in 1 Samuel 18

Commentary

9 notes on this verse
Saul had not hitherto fulfilled the promise of which David had heard (marginal reference); nor was it unnatural that Saul should delay to do so, until the shepherd’s boy had risen to a higher rank.

This site's exposition

fight the LORD’s battles

on 1 Samuel 18:17-19

Saul dresses the marriage offer in pious words, "fight the LORD’s battles," while thinking "let the hand of the Philistines be against him". Merab is given instead to Adriel. Wesley and Barnes note that her five sons are the men handed to the Gibeonites at 2 Samuel 21:8 to 9.

The record, by era

The Medieval Church1 voice

A commentator

Bede

Commentary on Samuel · Written before 735.

proposed

Therefore, Saul said to David: Behold my daughter Merab, etc. Above, where Saul, through the anointing of holy chrism and the governance of the kingdom, holds the type of Christ, we understood the two daughters of Saul to signify the peoples, who, begotten for salvation …

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

25 ); but David was so modest as not to demand it, and now, when Saul proposed it, it was with design of mischief to him, to make him venture upon hazardous attempts, saying in his heart, Let the hand of the Philistines be upon him, hoping that he would some time or other be the death of him; yet how could he expect this when he saw that God was with him?

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-citation-number+unbalanced-parens

And Saul said to David,....

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

But the fickle and perfidious monarch broke his pledge at the time when the marriage was on the eve of being celebrated, and bestowed Merab on another man (see on 2Sa 21:8); an indignity as well as a wrong, which was calculated deeply to wound the feelings and provoke the resentment of David. Perhaps it was intended to do so, that advantage might be taken of his indiscretion.
WE shall not take these words in their literal application, as coming from the lips of Saul, when he gave David his elder daughter, Merab, to wife; but shall accommodate the passage, and use it as an exhortation given to the church of Christ, and to every Soldier of Jesus: “Fight the Lord’s battles.” If this exhortation be not found in the selfsame words, coming from the lips of Jesus, nevertheless the whole tenor of the Word of God is to the same effect—“Fight the Lord’s battles.”
2 more voices on this verse

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

WE shall not take these words in their literal application, as coming from the lips of Saul, when he gave David his elder daughter, Merab, to wife; but shall accommodate the passage, and use it as an exhortation given to the church of Christ, and to every Soldier of Jesus: “Fight the Lord’s battles.” If this exhortation be not found in the selfsame words, coming from the lips of Jesus, nevertheless the whole tenor of the Word of God is to the same effect—“Fight the Lord’s battles.” At the present crisis, the minds of men are exceedingly agitated with direful prospects of a terrible struggle. We know not whereunto this matter may grow. The signs of the times are dark and direful. We fear that the vials of God’s wrath are about to be poured out, and that the earth will be deluged with blood. As long as there remains a hope, let us pray for peace, nay, even in the time of war let us still beseech the throne of God, crying, that he would “send us peace in our days.” The war will be looked upon by different persons with different feelings. The Italian will consider, all through the controversy, his own country; the Sardinian will be looking continually to the progress or to the defeat of his own nation; while the German, having sympathy with his own race, will be continually anxious to understand the state of affairs.

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

Fight the Lord’s battles - Mr. Calmet properly remarks that the wars of the Hebrews, while conducted by the express orders of God, were truly the wars of the Lord; but when the spirit of worldly ambition and domination became mingled with them, they were no longer the wars of the Lord, but wars of lust and profanity.

The words behind it

30 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • וַיֹּ֨אמֶרand he said

    vaiyomerH559 →5305 times

  • שָׁא֜וּלSaul

    shaulH7586 →402 times

  • אֶל־to

    ʾel-H413 →5510 times

  • דָּוִ֗דDavid

    davidH1732 →999 times

  • הִנֵּה֩here!

    hinehH2009 →843 times

  • בִתִּ֨יdaughter my

    vitiH1323 →588 times

  • הַגְּדוֹלָ֤ה<the> elder

    hagedolahH1419 →526 times

  • מֵרַב֙Merab

    meravH4764 →3 times

  • אֹתָהּ֙<obj.> her

    ʾotahH853 →10935 times

  • אֶתֶּן־I will give

    ʾeten-H5414 →2011 times

  • לְךָ֣to <the> you

    lekha

  • לְאִשָּׁ֔הto a wife

    leishahH802 →781 times

  • אַ֚ךְonly

    ʾakhH389 →161 times

  • הֱיֵה־become

    heyeh-H1961 →3559 times

  • לִּ֣יof me

    li

  • לְבֶן־<into> a son of

    leven-H1121 →4930 times

  • חַ֔יִלstrength

    chayilH2428 →246 times

  • וְהִלָּחֵ֖םand fight

    vehilachemH3898 →177 times

  • מִלְחֲמ֣וֹת[the] battles of

    milchamotH4421 →320 times

  • יְהוָ֑הYahweh

    yahwehH3068 →6520 times

  • וְשָׁא֣וּלand Saul

    veshaulH7586 →402 times

  • אָמַ֗רhe said

    ʾamarH559 →5305 times

  • אַל־may not

    ʾal-H408 →724 times

  • תְּהִ֤יit be

    tehiH1961 →3559 times

  • יָדִי֙hand my

    yadiH3027 →1618 times

  • בּ֔וֹon <the> him

    bo

  • וּתְהִי־and let it be

    utehi-H1961 →3559 times

  • ב֖וֹon <the> him

    vo

  • יַד־[the] hand of

    yad-H3027 →1618 times

  • פְּלִשְׁתִּֽים׃ ס[the] Philistines

    pelishtimH6430 →287 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

1 Samuel 17:25Now the men of Israel had been saying, “Do you see this man who keeps coming out to defy Israel? To the man who kills him the king will give great riches. And he will give him his daughter in marriage and exempt his father’s house from taxation in Israel.”5 works1 Samuel 25:28Please forgive your servant’s offense, for the LORD will surely make a lasting dynasty for my lord, because he fights the LORD’s battles. May no evil be found in you as long as you live.5 works1 Samuel 18:25Saul replied, “Say to David, ‘The king desires no other dowry but a hundred Philistine foreskins as revenge on his enemies.’” But Saul intended to cause David’s death at the hands of the Philistines.5 works1 Samuel 18:21“I will give her to David,” Saul thought, “so that she may be a snare to him, and the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” So Saul said to David, “For a second time now you can be my son-in-law.”5 worksPsalms 56:5All day long they twist my words; all their thoughts are on my demise.4 worksProverbs 26:26Though his hatred is concealed by deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.4 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
1 Samuel 17:47And all those assembled here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give all of you into our hands.”3 worksGenesis 37:27Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay a hand on him; for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And they agreed.3 worksPsalms 35:8May ruin befall them by surprise; may the net they hid ensnare them; may they fall into the hazard they created.3 worksNumbers 21:14Therefore it is stated in the Book of the Wars of the LORD: “Waheb in Suphah and the wadis of the Arnon,2 worksDeuteronomy 17:7The hands of the witnesses shall be the first in putting him to death, and after that, the hands of all the people. So you must purge the evil from among you.2 works2 Samuel 12:9Why then have you despised the command of the LORD by doing evil in His sight? You put Uriah the Hittite to the sword and took his wife as your own, for you have slain him with the sword of the Ammonites.2 worksPsalms 12:2They lie to one another; they speak with flattering lips and a double heart.2 worksNumbers 32:29And Moses said to them, “If the Gadites and Reubenites cross the Jordan with you, with every man armed for battle before the LORD, and the land is subdued before you, then you are to give them the land of Gilead as a possession.2 works2 Samuel 11:15In the letter he wrote: “Put Uriah at the front of the fiercest battle; then withdraw from him, so that he may be struck down and killed.”2 worksNumbers 32:20Moses replied, “If you will do this—if you will arm yourselves before the LORD for battle,2 worksPsalms 55:21His speech is smooth as butter, but war is in his heart. His words are softer than oil, yet they are swords unsheathed.2 worksNumbers 32:27But your servants are equipped for war, and every man will cross over to the battle before the LORD, just as our lord says.”2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    1 Samuel 17:47

    And all those assembled here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give all of you into our…

    it leads to

    • Psalms 44:6–7

      For I do not trust in my bow, nor does my sword save me.

    • Zechariah 4:6

      So he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD of Hosts.

    • Hosea 1:7

      Yet I will have compassion on the house of Judah, and I will save them—not by bow or sword or war, not by horses and cavalry, but by the LORD their God.”

    • Proverbs 21:30–31

      There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel that can prevail against the LORD.

    • 1 Samuel 14:6

      Jonathan said to the young man bearing his armor, “Come, let us cross over to the outpost of these uncircumcised men. Perhaps the LORD will work on our behalf. Nothing can hinder the LORD…

  • Through

    1 Samuel 25:28

    Please forgive your servant’s offense, for the LORD will surely make a lasting dynasty for my lord, because he fights the LORD’s battles. May no evil be found in you as long as you…

    it leads to

    • 2 Samuel 7:11

      and have done since the day I appointed judges over My people Israel. I will give you rest from all your enemies. The LORD declares to you that He Himself will establish a house…

  • Through

    1 Samuel 18:25

    Saul replied, “Say to David, ‘The king desires no other dowry but a hundred Philistine foreskins as revenge on his enemies.’” But Saul intended to cause David’s death at the hands of the Philistines.

    it leads to

    • 1 Samuel 14:24

      Now the men of Israel were in distress that day, for Saul had placed the troops under an oath, saying, “Cursed is the man who eats any food before evening, before I have taken…

    • Genesis 34:12

      Demand a high dowry and an expensive gift, and I will give you whatever you ask. Only give me the girl as my wife!”

Where this verse is studied

About 1 Samuel

Saul Attempts to Kill David — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
Saul Attempts to Kill David — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
1 Samuel: the study guide →Read 1 Samuel 18 →
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Bede, Commentary on Samuel; Charles Spurgeon, The New Park Street Pulpit, Sermon No. 250: “War! War! War!” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in 1 Samuel 18 →