Bible Strands

1 Samuel 18:22

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.’”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Saul commands his servants to deliver a private proposal to David, offering him marriage to his daughter as a second son-in-law arrangement. This directive follows Saul’s internal decision to use the union as a tactical snare against David.

The words — בַּלָּט (ba/lat) means in secrecy or privately, and יְצַו (y.Tsav) translates as he commanded, underscoring Saul’s deliberate orchestration behind closed doors.

The thread — Secret orders masking lethal intent recur when Absalom commands his men to strike Amnon in 2 Samuel 13:28, and Psalm 55:21 records how smooth speech often conceives war in the heart.

Why it lands — The passage presents flattery and private counsel as instruments of entrapment, requiring the reader to distinguish between polite words and hidden hostility.

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

וַיְצַ֨וva/y.Tzavand/ he commandedשָׁא֜וּלsha.'UlSaulאֶת־'et-<obj.>עֲבָדָ֗יו'a.va.Da/vservants/ hisדַּבְּר֨וּda.be.Ruspeakאֶל־'el-toדָּוִ֤דda.VidDavidבַּלָּט֙ba./Latin <the>/ secrecyלֵאמֹ֔רle./Mor<to>/ sayingהִנֵּ֨הhi.Nehhere!חָפֵ֤ץcha.Fetzhe delightsבְּךָ֙be./Khain <the>/ youהַמֶּ֔לֶךְha./Me.lekhthe/ kingוְכָל־ve./kholand/ allעֲבָדָ֖יו'a.va.Da/vservants/ hisאֲהֵב֑וּךָ'a.he.Vu./khathey love/ youוְעַתָּ֖הve./'a.Tahand/ thereforeהִתְחַתֵּ֥ןhit.cha.Tenbe son-in-lawבַּמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ba./Me.lekhto the/ king

King James Version

And Saul commanded his servants, saying, Commune with David secretly, and say, Behold, the king hath delight in thee, and all his servants love thee: now therefore be the king’s son in law.

Cross-references

People named

DavidSaul