1 Samuel 18:17 net — Then Saul said to David,“Here’s my oldest daughter, Merab. I want to give her to you in marriage. Only be a brave warri…

NET Bible

"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 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!”"

— 1 Samuel 18:17, NET Bible

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1 Samuel 18:17 in Other Translations

6 versions All translations
  • 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.”

  • 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. ”

  • WEB

    “Saul said to David, "Behold, my elder daughter Merab, I will give her to you as wife. Only be valiant for me, and fight Yahweh's battles." For Saul said, "Don't let my hand be on him, but let the hand of the Philistines be on him."”

  • DRB

    “And Saul said to David: Behold my elder daughter Merob, her will I give thee to wife: only be a valiant man, and fight the battles of the Lord. Now Saul said within himself: Let not my hand be upon him, but let the hands of the Philistines be upon him.”

  • BBE

    “And Saul said to David, Here is my oldest daughter Merab, whom I will give you for your wife: only be strong for me, fighting in the Lord's wars. For Saul said, Let it not be through me that his fate comes to him, but through the Philistines.”

  • KJVA

    “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.”

1 Samuel 18 — Context

14

Now David achieved success in all he did, for the LORD was with him.

15

When Saul saw how very successful he was, he was afraid of him.

16

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

17

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 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 in Israel that I should become the king’s son-in-law?”

19

When the time came for Merab, Saul’s daughter, to be given to David, she instead was given in marriage to Adriel, who was from Meholah.

20

Now Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David. When they told Saul about this, it pleased him.

1 Samuel 18:17 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does 1 Samuel 18:17 say?
1 Samuel 18:17 in the NET Bible reads: “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 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!””
Where is 1 Samuel 18:17 in the Bible?
1 Samuel 18:17 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of 1 Samuel, chapter 18, verse 17.
Who wrote 1 Samuel?
1 Samuel is traditionally attributed to Anonymous (traditionally Samuel, Nathan, and Gad). It was written c. 930–722 BC.
What is the book of 1 Samuel about?
1 Samuel marks Israel's transition from judges to kings. It traces the births and ministries of the prophet Samuel, the rise and tragic fall of Saul as Israel's first king, and the anointing of the shepherd boy David, whose faith makes him a man after God's own heart.
What are the major themes of 1 Samuel?
1 Samuel explores themes including Kingship, Prophet, Faith vs. Fear, God's Sovereign Choice, Anointing. These themes shape the meaning and context of 1 Samuel 18:17.
What translation should I read 1 Samuel 18:17 in?
1 Samuel 18:17 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize 1 Samuel 18:17?
1 Samuel 18:17 reads (NET): “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 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!”” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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