Useful Bible Studies > 1 Samuel Commentary > chapter 18
Saul’s jealous thoughts (18:9) were now causing him to act in a very evil manner.
Saul’s daughter, Michal, loved David. Saul considered that her feelings gave him (Saul) the opportunity to cause David’s death. At that time, Saul had decided that he himself would not kill David (18:17). Instead, Saul tried to put David in danger so that Saul’s enemies would kill David.
Saul first told David that he would permit David to marry Michal. Saul wanted David to think that Saul was pleased with him. It would be a great honour for him to marry the king’s daughter.
Originally, David did not agree. It was the custom for a man to pay for his bride. That payment was called the dowry. David could not afford the dowry for the king’s daughter. Only a very rich man could afford to marry Michal.
Saul’s reply was that he did not need any money. The only thing that really mattered to Saul was the defeat of his enemies. The men in Philistia had caused more trouble for Saul than the people from any other nation (14:52). So, what Saul really wanted was for David to punish them. If David killed 100 men from Philistia, Saul would allow David to marry Michal without any payment.
David was pleased to hear that, because he wanted to marry Michal. However, Saul was not really trying to arrange the marriage of David to Michal. He was actually trying to put David in danger, so that David would die first.
Next part: How David paid for his first wife (1 Samuel 18:26-27)
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© 2014, Keith Simons.