Merab

A woman, in the time of the United Monarchy · Tribe of Benjamin · named in 4 verses

the name means increase Strong's Lexicon

Merab, the eldest daughter of King Saul, was promised to David but given to Adriel.

From Easton's Bible Dictionary

Increase, the eldest of Saul's two daughters (1 Sam. 14:49). She was betrothed to David after his victory over Goliath, but does not seem to have entered heartily into this arrangement (18:2, 17, 19). She was at length, however, married to Adriel of Abel-Meholah, a town in the Jordan valley, about 10 miles south of Bethshean, with whom the house of Saul maintained alliance. She had five sons, who were all put to death by the Gibeonites on the hill of Gibeah (2 Sam. 21:8).

Easton's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, 1897 — public domain, quoted in full and unedited.

Family

Parents Ahinoam, Saul

Partners Adriel

Siblings Abinadab, Armoni, Ish-bosheth, Jonathan, Malchi-shua, Mephibosheth, Michal

From STEPBible's TIPNR genealogy data. A relationship the data marks uncertain is not shown here.

First named at 1 Samuel 14:49.

See Merab in the family tree →

Verses that name Merab

1 Samuel 14:49 Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchishua. His two daughters were named Merab (his firstborn) and Michal (his younger daughter).
1 Samuel 18:17 Then Saul said to David, “Here is my older 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.”
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.
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.