1 Samuel 18:17

NETBible

1 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 2  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!”

NIV ©

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!"

NASB ©

Then Saul said to David, "Here is my older daughter Merab; I will give her to you as a wife, only be a valiant man for me and fight the LORD’S battles." For Saul thought, "My hand shall not be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him."

NLT ©

One day Saul said to David, "I am ready to give you my older daughter, Merab, as your wife. But first you must prove yourself to be a real warrior by fighting the LORD’s battles." For Saul thought to himself, "I’ll send him out against the Philistines and let them kill him rather than doing it myself."

MSG ©

One day Saul said to David, "Here is Merab, my eldest daughter. I want to give her to you as your wife. Be brave and bold for my sake. Fight GOD's battles!" But all the time Saul was thinking, "The Philistines will kill him for me. I won't have to lift a hand against 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.

NRSV ©

Then Saul said to David, "Here is my elder daughter Merab; I will give her to you as a wife; only be valiant for me and fight the Lord’s battles." For Saul thought, "I will not raise a hand against him; let the Philistines deal with him."

NKJV ©

Then Saul said to David, "Here is my older daughter Merab; I will give her to you as a wife. Only be valiant for me, and fight the LORD’S battles." For Saul thought, "Let my hand not be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him."

KJV
And Saul
<07586>
said
<0559> (8799)
to David
<01732>_,
Behold my elder
<01419>
daughter
<01323>
Merab
<04764>_,
her will I give
<05414> (8799)
thee to wife
<0802>_:
only be thou valiant
<01121> <02428>
for me, and fight
<03898> (8734)
the LORD'S
<03068>
battles
<04421>_.
For Saul
<07586>
said
<0559> (8804)_,
Let not mine hand
<03027>
be upon him, but let the hand
<03027>
of the Philistines
<06430>
be upon him. {valiant: Heb. a son of valour}
NASB ©
Then Saul
<7586>
said
<559>
to David
<1732>
, "Here
<2009>
is my older
<1419>
daughter
<1323>
Merab
<4764>
; I will give
<5414>
her to you as a wife
<802>
, only
<389>
be a valiant
<2428>
man
<1121>
for me and fight
<3898>
the LORD'S
<3068>
battles
<4421>
." For Saul
<7586>
thought
<559>
, "My hand
<3027>
shall not be against him, but let the hand
<3027>
of the Philistines
<6430>
be against him."
NET [draft] ITL
Then Saul
<07586>
said
<0559>
to
<0413>
David
<01732>
, “Here’s
<02009>
my oldest
<01419>
daughter
<01323>
, Merab
<04764>
. I want to give
<05414>
her to you in marriage. Only
<0389>
be
<01961>
a brave
<02428>
warrior
<01121>
for me and fight
<03898>
the battles
<04421>
of the Lord
<03068>
.” For Saul
<07586>
thought
<0559>
, “There’s no
<0408>
need for me to raise
<01961>
my hand
<03027>
against him. Let it be
<01961>
the hand
<03027>
of the Philistines
<06430>
!”
HEBREW
o
Mytslp
<06430>
dy
<03027>
wb
<0>
yhtw
<01961>
wb
<0>
ydy
<03027>
yht
<01961>
la
<0408>
rma
<0559>
lwasw
<07586>
hwhy
<03068>
twmxlm
<04421>
Mxlhw
<03898>
lyx
<02428>
Nbl
<01121>
yl
<0>
hyh
<01961>
Ka
<0389>
hsal
<0802>
Kl
<0>
Nta
<05414>
hta
<0853>
brm
<04764>
hlwdgh
<01419>
ytb
<01323>
hnh
<02009>
dwd
<01732>
la
<0413>
lwas
<07586>
rmayw (18:17)
<0559>
NETBible

1 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 2  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!”

NET Notes

1 tc Much of the ms evidence for the LXX lacks vv. 17-19.

2 tn Heb “son of valor.”