Commentaries Dictionaries Concordances

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

1 Samuel 18:17

Merab = Increase. Saul offered her to David in fulfilment of his promise (1 Samuel 17:25). In return for this honour Saul expects him to fight his battles, treacherously hoping that he may fall by the hand of the Philistines.

theLord's battles Israel's wars were "the wars of Jehovah," because they were undertaken for the defence and establishment of His Kingdom, and His aid might be claimed in waging them. Cp. ch. 1 Samuel 25:28; Numbers 21:14 David expresses the same idea in 1 Samuel 17:36; 1 Samuel 17:47.

Saul said i.e. thought, as above in 1 Samuel 18:11; 1 Samuel 16:6, &c. To such cowardly and treacherous hypocrisy has jealousy reduced the once brave and generous soldier!

Continues after advertising

See also 1 Samuel 18:17 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 1 Samuel 18:17. _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 t...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    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....

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    3. JONATHAN AND DAVID--SAUL'S JEALOUSY CHAPTER 18 _ 1. Jonathan's love for David (1 Samuel 18:1)_ 2. The beginning of Saul's jealousy (1 Samuel 18:5) 3. David's marriage (1 Samuel 18:17)...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    1 Samuel 18:10 to 1 Samuel 19:17. SAUL'S PLOTS AGAINST DAVID. COMPILED FROM VARIOUS SOURCES. 1 Samuel 18:10 f. (R). Saul makes an unsuccessful attempt to kill David. A premature duplicate of...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    BEHOLD. Figure of speech _Asterismos._ App-6. VALIANT. Hebrew son of valour. LET NOT MINE HAND, &c. Compare David and Uriah. 2 Samuel 11:15....

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    David the King's Son-in-law. 1 Samuel 18:17-30 17 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 S...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _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...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE LOVE OF JONATHAN FOR DAVID 1 Samuel 18:6 of this chapter seem to be connected with 1 Samuel 16:14 and not to be taken from the same document as 1 Samuel 17:1 to...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    Every battle fought by Israel was an act of religious worship to Jehovah: cp. 1 Samuel 25:28....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    ISRAEL’S FIRST KING 1 SAMUEL _HELEN POCOCK_ CHAPTER 18 V1 David finished talking with Saul. Jonathan, Saul’s son, became a very close friend with David. Jonathan loved David as much as he loved...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    BEHOLD MY ELDER DAUGHTER MERAB, HER WILL I GIVE THEE TO WIFE. — This was but the fulfilment of a much earlier promise. The king had said he would give his daughter in marriage to the hero who should s...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יֹּ֨אמֶר שָׁא֜וּל אֶל ־דָּוִ֗ד הִנֵּה֩ בִת

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER XXV. _ SAUL'S JEALOUS-DAVID'S MARRIAGE._ 1 Samuel 18:1. THE conqueror of Goliath had been promised, as his reward, the eldest daughter of the king in marriage. The fulfillment of that promis...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    PROTECTED FROM DASTARDLY ASSAULTS 1 Samuel 18:10 The Lord was evidently with David. Mark how the sacred chronicle keeps this fact in view, 1 Samuel 18:12; 1 Samuel 18:14;...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Here, in the account of Jonathan and David, begins one of the most perfect stories of love and friendship in the world. The story is all the more beautiful because of its dark background. Love is in i...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    And Saul said to David, Behold my elder daughter Merab, her will I give thee to wife: only be thou valiant for me, and (g) fight the LORD'S battles. For Saul said, Let not mine hand be upon him, but l...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    And Saul. This an the two following verses are omitted in the Roman Septuagint, which subjoins, "and Michol, the daughter of Saul, loved David," &c. (Haydock) --- Wife. He had promised her already, (M...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    Now that we have heard the prophet's judgment of king Saul, there follows next the choice of Jehovah. The chapter gives us in a very striking manner the manifest sentence of death on all the thoughts...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 18 AND 19. But when Christ makes Himself known, the remnant (which Jonathan represented) loves Him as his own soul, and this beloved one becomes the object of...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND SAUL SAID TO DAVID,.... Not in friendship and good will to him, but designing to lay a snare for him: BEHOLD, MY ELDEST DAUGHTER MERAB, HER WILL I GIVE THEE TO WIFE; most interpreters understand...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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 t...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _And Saul said to David, Behold my elder daughter Merab_, &c. He at last bethinks himself of the promise he had publicly made unto him that should kill Goliath; the performance of which David did not...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 Ionathan loueth Dauid. 5 Saul enuieth his praise, 10 Seeketh to kill him in his furie, 12 Feareth him for his good successe, 17 Offereth him his daughters for a snare. 22 Dauid perswaded to be...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    SAUL PLANS TO HAVE DAVID REMOVED...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And Saul said to David, Behold my elder daughter Merab, her will I give thee to wife, in fufilling the promise which was well known to all the soldiers of the army, 1 Samuel 17:25; ONLY BE THOU VALIAN...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    Jonathan, the son of Saul stands in refreshing contrast to his father. He was present when David returned to Saul. Doubtless David's victory had attracted Jonathan, but David's words decide him. When...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    VALIANT: _ Heb._ a son of valour...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    12-30 For a long time David was kept in continual apprehension of falling by the hand of Saul, yet he persevered in meek and respectful behaviour towards his persecutor. How uncommon is such prudence...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    HER WILL I GIVE THEE TO WIFE: this was no more than Saul was obliged to do by his former promise, 1 SAMUEL 17:25, which here he renews and pretends to perform, though he intended nothing less, as the...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    1 Samuel 18:17 Saul H7586 said H559 (H8799) David H1732 older H1419 daughter H1323 Merab H4764 give H5414 ...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    BOUND BY HIS PROMISE SAUL SEEKS TO FULFIL IT BY GIVING ONE OF HIS DAUGHTER'S TO DAVID TO BE HIS WIFE (1 SAMUEL 18:17). Saul had publicly promised that to the victor over Goliath he would give him one...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Love covenant of Jonathan and David. Saul's jealousy and attempts on David's life. Saul's daughter given to David. CHARACTERS: God, David, Saul, Jonathan, Merab, Michal, Adriel. CONCLUSION:...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    1 Samuel 18:4. _Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David._ This was the highest mark of favour he could show him, and it is still esteemed as such in the oriental...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Fight the Lord’s battles._ AGGRESSIVE WORK The history of the human race is one of progress. Divine revelation has moved accordingly. The character of David is a sore problem to the narrow observer,...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _And Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him, and was departed from Saul._ DAVID’S JEOPARDY Saul was afraid of David. This is most remarkable, for was not Saul the king, and David but...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _And Saul eyed David from that day and forward._ DAVID’S ENEMY-SAUL It is the enmity of Saul which we are to consider--its beginning, its rapid growth, its deadly purpose. The excitement of the war b...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 18:6 As David’s success increases, Saul’s jealousy also increases. ⇐ ⇔...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 18:17 FIGHT THE LORD’S BATTLES. See 1 Samuel 17:47. Saul tried to use David’s commitment to God to get him kil

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL AND EXPOSITORY NOTES— 1 Samuel 18:5. “DAVID WENT OUT.” “That this refers to war and not to general business is plain, not only from the following account, which mentions not only military un...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    PERSONAL RELATIONS OF SAUL AND DAVID (CHS. 18-27). FRIENDSHIP OF DAVID AND JONATHAN (CHS. 18-20). EXPOSITION JONATHAN LOVES DAVID ...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Now when it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan [Saul's son was just sort of] knit with the soul of David, Jonathan loved him as himself (1 Samuel 18:1...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Samuel 17:25; 1 Samuel 17:47; 1 Samuel 18:21; 1 Samuel 18:25;...

Continues after advertising