1 Samuel 18:23

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.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Saul’s servants deliver the king’s proposal to David, and David responds directly to them regarding the prospect of marrying the king’s daughter. The words — וַֽ/יְדַבְּר֞וּ (va/y.da.be.Ru) means “and they spoke,” describing how the servants communicated Saul’s terms to David. The thread — David’s self-description as poor and lightly esteemed parallels Saul’s own earlier admission of humble tribal origins in 1 Samuel 9:21. Why it lands — The text requires a reader to recognize how David deflects royal advancement by citing his own low social standing rather than accepting the offer at face value.

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

וַֽיְדַבְּר֞וּva/y.da.be.Ruand/ they spoke עַבְדֵ֤י'av.Dei[the] servants of שָׁאוּל֙sha.'UlSaul בְּאָזְנֵ֣יbe./'a.ze.Neiin/ [the] ears of דָוִ֔דda.VidDavid אֶת־'et-<obj.>הַדְּבָרִ֖יםha./de.va.Rimthe/ words הָאֵ֑לֶּהha./'E.leh<the>/ these וַיֹּ֣אמֶרva/i.Yo.merand/ he said דָּוִ֗דda.VidDavid הַֽנְקַלָּ֤הha/n.ka.Lah¿/ trifling בְעֵֽינֵיכֶם֙ve./'ei.nei./Khemin/ view/ your הִתְחַתֵּ֣ןhit.cha.Ten[is] to be son-in-law בַּמֶּ֔לֶךְba./Me.lekhto the/ king וְאָנֹכִ֖יve./'a.no.Khiand/ I אִֽישׁ־'ish-[am] a man רָ֥שׁrashpoor וְנִקְלֶֽה׃ve./nik.Lehand/ lightly esteemed

King James Version

And Saul’s servants spake those words in the ears of David. And David said, Seemeth it to you a light thing to be a king’s son in law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?

Cross-references

1 Samuel 9:21 Saul replied, “Am I not a Benjamite from the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my clan the least of all the clans of Benjamin? So why would you say such a thing to me?”
Psalms 119:141 I am lowly and despised, but I do not forget Your precepts.
Proverbs 14:20 The poor man is hated even by his neighbor, but many are those who love the rich.
Proverbs 19:6 Many seek the favor of the prince, and everyone is a friend of the gift giver.
Ecclesiastes 9:15 Now a poor wise man was found in the city, and he saved the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man.
1 John 3:1 Behold what manner of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God. And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.

People named

DavidSaul