1 Samuel 18 David turns down Merab

seekeroftruth

Well-Known Member
1 Samuel 18:12 Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with David but had departed from Saul. 13 So he sent David away from him and gave him command over a thousand men, and David led the troops in their campaigns. 14 In everything he did he had great success, because the Lord was with him. 15 When Saul saw how successful he was, he was afraid of him. 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he led them in their campaigns.

17 Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you in marriage; only serve me bravely and fight the battles of the Lord.” For Saul said to himself, “I will not raise a hand against him. Let the Philistines do that!”

18 But David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my family or my clan in Israel, that I should become the king’s son-in-law?” 19 So(b) when the time came for Merab, Saul’s daughter, to be given to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel of Meholah.​

b. 1 Samuel 18:19 Or However,

The commentary this morning is from Bible.org.

Saul must think he is on the right track in seeking to have David killed at the hand of one of Israel’s enemies, but he needs to entice David to attempt a more dangerous mission which is more certain of being too much for him. So Saul offers his daughter Merab to David as his wife. This is not a gift from Saul in response to David’s killing Goliath. It should be (17:25), but it is not. It is as though Saul has forgotten his promise. Saul makes this look like a new offer, and all David needs to do is “earn” Merab by being “a valiant man for Saul and fighting the Lord’s battles” (verse 17).

What pious-sounding words. Thankfully the text is not “scratch and sniff,” because the smell would not be pleasant. I am reminded of the country western song, “Workin’ like the devil, Servin’ the Lord.” Were we to write a song about Saul, it would be, “Talkin’ like the Lord, Servin’ the devil.” His words are indeed pious, but his intent is exceedingly evil. Saul offers his daughter to David with the hope that she will be the death of him as he seeks to earn her hand by accomplishing great military feats.

Saul certainly is not prepared for David’s response. David rejects Saul’s offer. It is not that David is reluctant to endanger himself in battle. This he does willingly, without expectations of rewards such as a wife from the daughters of Saul. David is a truly humble man who considers his station in life unworthy of such a gift, and so he declines. Due to his decline of Saul’s offer, Merab is given to another man as his wife. This is not the result of Saul’s change of mind or his broken promise (not that Saul is incapable of such things), but the text simply does not support such a conclusion. A time is set, a deadline is given, within which David must meet certain criteria (see verses 19, 26). Because David declines Saul’s offer, he does not meet the requirements within the set time, and thus Merab is given to Adriel (verse 19). This does not reflect negatively on Saul as much as it does positively on David.​

I think it odd.... David is supposed to be in this late teens when all this happened. Why isn't he betrothed to some young girl? None of the reading I've done so far has answered that. Jesse, David's dad, was not a poor man and they did interact with others so David had met plenty of families with eligible girls. Sorry... I just find that odd.

This is from the blueletterbible.org site.

Only be valiant for me, and fight the LORD's battles: Saul is working as a clever manipulator. He takes advantage of David's loyalty and patriotism (only be valiant for me). He takes advantage of David's courage and heart for the LORD (fight the LORD's battles).

In the flesh, Saul could even justify his manipulation. "I do want David to be valiant for me. I do want David to fight the LORD's battles. There is nothing wrong in me asking for those things." But that was dishonest, not because it was an outright lie, but because it didn't tell the whole truth. Sure, Saul wanted David to be valiant for him and to fight the LORD's battles. But more than that, he wanted David dead. That was his greater motivation than anything else was.

I don't want to get ahead of myself... but this sounds suspiciously like what happened with Uriah in 2 Samuel 11. Difference would be that Saul is lusting after power and David was lusting after Bathsheba. But I digress.....

Saul wants to get rid of David. David's getting too much attention. Saul already knows that Samuel has left him. Saul already knows that someone is coming for his throne. Pretty boy Saul from that good family is use to being king of Israel now. It would be highly indignant to loose his throne now.

:coffee:
 
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