Bible Strands
1 Samuel 18:19
So when it was time to give Saul’s daughter Merab to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel of Meholah.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator records the moment Saul intended to fulfill his pledge of giving his daughter Merab to David as a reward. This event occurs directly after David’s humble objection and immediately before Saul learns of Michal’s affection for David.
The words — The Hebrew phrase בְּעֵת תֵּת (be-'et tet) literally means "at the time of giving." It pinpoints the exact moment Saul’s political maneuvering interrupts his original commitment.
The thread — The redirection of a promised marriage to another man parallels the account in Judges 14:20. It also anticipates the later political manipulation of Saul’s daughters recorded in 2 Samuel 21:8.
Why it lands — The text reports a broken royal promise before noting the political substitution. It requires the reader to acknowledge how leadership often abandons stated commitments when personal security is threatened.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
But it came to pass at the time when Merab Saul’s daughter should have been given to David, that she was given unto Adriel the Meholathite to wife.
Cross-references
- Judges 7:22 And when the three hundred rams’ horns sounded, the LORD set all the men in the camp against one another with their swords. The army fled to Beth-shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel-meholah near Tabbath.
- 2 Samuel 21:8 But the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons whom Rizpah daughter of Aiah had borne to Saul, as well as the five sons whom Merab daughter of Saul had borne to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite.
- Judges 14:20 and his wife was given to one of the men who had accompanied him.