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1 Samuel 18:21

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.

1 Samuel 18:21 · King James Version

Meaning

In this verse from the book of 1 Samuel in the Bible, King Saul makes a deceptive plan to have David killed by giving him his daughter Michal in marriage. Saul believed that by making David his son-in-law, David would be more vulnerable and exposed to harm. By using his daughter as a bait, Saul hoped that the Philistines would seize the opportunity to attack David and eliminate him. This demonstrates Saul's growing jealousy and fear of David, whom he saw as a threat to his own reign. Despite Saul's malicious intentions, David's faithfulness and cunning allowed him to navigate the dangerous situation and emerge unscathed. This verse serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of envy and deceit, and the importance of remaining steadfast in one's beliefs and trusting in God's protection.

Theological Overview

In this verse, Saul offers his daughter Michal to David as a wife, with the motive of using her to trap David and have him fall into the hands of the Philistines. The word "snares" in this passage refers to a trap or a device used to ensnare someone. Saul's intention was to use David's marriage to Michal as a means of getting rid of him, believing that the Philistines would harm David in the process. By offering David to marry Michal, Saul meant for David to face danger and potentially be killed by his enemies. This act reveals Saul's deceptive and manipulative nature, as he was willing to sacrifice his own daughter and deceive David for his own gain. Despite Saul's malicious intentions, David ultimately becomes Saul's son-in-law, setting the stage for the complex relationship between the two characters in the continuing narrative of the Bible.

1 Samuel 18:21 in other translations

American Standard Version

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 a second time.

World English Bible

Saul said, I will give her to him, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Therefore Saul said to David, “You shall this day be my son-in-law a second time.”

Douay-Rheims

And Saul said: I will give her to him, that she may be a stumblingblock to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be upon him. And Saul said to David: In two things thou shalt be my son in law this day.

Geneva Bible (1599)

Therefore Saul said, I wil giue him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistims may bee against him. Wherefore Saul sayde to Dauid, Thou shalt this day be my sonne in law in the one of the twayne.