1 Samuel 18:17 – 30 “Then Saul said to David, “Here is my oldest 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.” And David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my family or my father’s clan in Israel, that I should become the son-in-law of the king?” So, when it was time to give Saul’s daughter Merab to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel of Meholah.
Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David, and when this was reported to Saul, it pleased him. “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.”
Then Saul ordered his servants, “Speak to David privately and tell him, ‘Behold, the king is pleased with you, and all his servants love you. Now therefore, become his son-in-law.’”
But when Saul’s servants relayed these words to David, he replied, “Does it seem trivial in your sight to be the son-in-law of the king? I am a poor man and lightly esteemed.”
And the servants told Saul what David had said.
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.
When the servants reported these terms to David, he was pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. Before the wedding day arrived, David and his men went out and killed two hundred Philistines. He brought their foreskins and presented them as payment in full to become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave his daughter Michal to David in marriage.
When Saul realized that the LORD was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David, he grew even more afraid of David. So, from then on Saul was David’s enemy.
Every time the Philistine commanders came out for battle, David was more successful than all of Saul’s officers, so that his name was highly esteemed.”
Saul has decided that David is really his enemy, failing to realize that he, Saul, is the problem. It is God who has chosen David to be the next king because of David’s pure heart; David fully realizes that he has no resources on his own apart from God. Rather than have David assassinated, Saul tries to encourage David to engage the Philistines in hopes that they will do his dirty work for him. (Tragically, later on when David has impregnated Bathsheba, David uses the same sneaky device to kill Uriah the Hittite, Bathsheba’s husband. David arranges for Uriah to be sent into the thickest part of a battle where he is slaughtered.)
Saul’s first ploy is to give his oldest daughter to David; however, David gives a wise and humble answer. “Who am I, and what is my family or my father’s clan in Israel, that I should become the son-in-law of the king?” Saul’s daughter Michal falls in love with David. Saul immediately seizes this opportunity by requiring one hundred Philistine foreskins as a dowry, essentially demanding that David kill one hundred Philistine warriors before he can marry Michal. But David and his men kill two hundred Philistines and David presents their foreskins to Saul. Now Saul realizes that the Lord is with David and that Michal loves David and will be loyal to him. David, meanwhile, is scoring additional successes in battle.
APPLICATION: Centuries after David lived, St. Paul posed the question, “What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31) David succeeded because God was with him and was empowering him. When Saul threw down the challenge of killing 100 Philistines, David and his men killed 200, leaving no doubt that David had fulfilled Saul’s demands. Although this demand sounds grisly, such things were not unheard of at that time, and Saul was exercising his royal prerogative.
While none of us would choose to be put in David’s position, we may still find ourselves facing demands on our job that seem incredible. David’s example should encourage us. David was able to win through by the power of God. God does not play favorites; that same power is available to us today.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to remember that when we face challenges, Your mighty power is available to us just as it was to David. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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