1 Samuel 18:21

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Wherefore Saul said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son-in-law a second time.

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר שָׁא֜וּל אֶתְּנֶ֤נָּה לּוֹ֙ וּתְהִי־ל֣וֹ לְמוֹקֵ֔שׁ וּתְהִי־ב֖וֹ יַד־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים וַיֹּ֤אמֶר שָׁאוּל֙ אֶל־דָּוִ֔ד בִּשְׁתַּ֛יִם תִּתְחַתֵּ֥ן בִּ֖י הַיּֽוֹם׃

Transliteration

And wa-yōʾmer Šāʾûl, I will ʾettənennâ to him, and təhî-to him for môqēš, and təhî-against him yad-pəlištîm. And wa-yōʾmer Šāʾûl to Dāwid, in šətayim you shall titḥattēn with me ha-yôm.

Grammar Details

*wa-yōʾmer*: conjunction + qal imperfect, 3ms - and he said
*Šāʾûl*: proper noun - Saul
*ʾettənennâ*: qal imperfect, 1cs + 3fs suffix - I will give her
*lô*: preposition + 3ms suffix - to him
*û-təhî-lô*: conjunction + qal jussive, 3fs + preposition + 3ms suffix - and let her be to him
*lə-môqēš*: preposition + masculine singular noun - for a snare/trap
*û-təhî-bô*: conjunction + qal jussive, 3fs + preposition + 3ms suffix - and let it be against him
*yad-pəlištîm*: feminine singular construct + proper noun - the hand of the Philistines
*ʾel-Dāwid*: preposition + proper noun - to David
*bi-šətayim*: preposition + feminine dual numeral - with two/twice
*titḥattēn*: hithpael imperfect, 2ms - you will become related by marriage
*bî*: preposition + 1cs suffix - with me
*ha-yôm*: definite article + masculine singular noun - today/this day

Word Meanings

*ʾāmar*: say/speak/think
*nātan*: give/place/put
*hāyâ*: be/become/happen
*môqēš*: snare/trap/bait
*yād*: hand/power/control
*pəlištîm*: Philistines
*šətayim*: two/twice/second time
*ḥātan*: become related by marriage/become a son-in-law
*yôm*: day/time/today

ℹ️

About this Translation

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Formal EquivalenceSource: American Standard VersionBest for: Word studies and original-language research

🎯 Translation Approach

A highly literal, word-for-word translation (ASV, 1901) augmented with Strong's numbering to connect English words to underlying Hebrew and Greek terms for study.

Word-for-word

5/5

Readability

2/5

💎 Distinctive Features

Integrated Strong's numbering: Links English terms to underlying Hebrew and Greek words for deeper lexical study.
Formal equivalence: Prioritizes close alignment with source-language forms and structures.
Divine name rendering: Frequently renders the Tetragrammaton as Jehovah in the Old Testament, following ASV tradition.
Study-focused formatting: Optimized for reference and research rather than casual reading.

✅ Strengths

High fidelity to original languages
Includes Strong's numbers for precise word study
Consistent lexical choices aid exegesis
Stable, longstanding scholarly text

⚠️ Considerations

Archaic language reduces readability
Older textual basis compared to some modern translations
Strong's numbers are a concordance index, not full lexical definitions

👥 Who is this for?

Ideal for

Pastors and teachers
Seminary students
Serious Bible students
Readers conducting word studies
Those referencing Hebrew/Greek tools

Consider alternatives for

Casual readers
Children and early teens
ESL learners seeking simple English
Readers preferring contemporary language

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Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

1 Sam 18:17 : 17 And Saul said to David, Behold, my elder daughter Merab, her will I give thee to wife: only be thou valiant for me, and fight Jehovah's battles. For Saul said, Let not my hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.
1 Sam 18:26 : 26 And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son-in-law. And the days were not expired;
Exod 10:7 : 7 And Pharaoh's servants said unto him, How long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve Jehovah their God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?
1 Sam 19:11-12 : 11 And Saul sent messengers unto David's house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning: and Michal, David's wife, told him, saying, If thou save not thy life to-night, to-morrow thou wilt be slain. 12 So Michal let David down through the window: and he went, and fled, and escaped.
Ps 7:14-16 : 14 Behold, he travaileth with iniquity; Yea, he hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood. 15 He hath made a pit, and digged it, And is fallen into the ditch which he made. 16 His mischief shall return upon his own head, And his violence shall come down upon his own pate.
Ps 38:12 : 12 They also that seek after my life lay snares [for me]; And they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, And meditate deceits all the day long.
Prov 26:24-26 : 24 He that hateth dissembleth with his lips; But he layeth up deceit within him: 25 When he speaketh fair, believe him not; For there are seven abominations in his heart: 26 Though [his] hatred cover itself with guile, His wickedness shall be openly showed before the assembly.
Prov 29:5 : 5 A man that flattereth his neighbor Spreadeth a net for his steps.
Jer 5:26 : 26 For among my people are found wicked men: they watch, as fowlers lie in wait; they set a trap, they catch men.
Jer 9:8 : 8 Their tongue is a deadly arrow; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth, but in his heart he layeth wait for him.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

1 Sam 18:22-30
9 verses
87%
22And 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.
23And Saul's servants spake those words in the ears of David. And David said, Seemeth it to you a light thing to be the king's son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?
24And the servants of Saul told him, saying, On this manner spake David.
25And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The king desireth not any dowry, but a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies. Now Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.
26And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son-in-law. And the days were not expired;
27and David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king, that he might be the king's son-in-law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife.
28And Saul saw and knew that Jehovah was with David; and Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him.
29And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul was David's enemy continually.
30Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it came to pass, as often as they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much [ set by.]
1 Sam 18:17-20
4 verses
87%
17And Saul said to David, Behold, my elder daughter Merab, her will I give thee to wife: only be thou valiant for me, and fight Jehovah's battles. For Saul said, Let not my hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.
18And David said unto Saul, Who am I, and what is my life, [or] my father's family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?
19But 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.
20And Michal, Saul's daughter, loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.
2 Sam 3:12-15
4 verses
78%
12And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose is the land? saying [also], Make thy league with me, and, behold, my hand shall be with thee, to bring about all Israel unto thee.
13And he said, Well; I will make a league with thee; but one thing I require of thee: that is, thou shalt not see my face, except thou first bring Michal, Saul's daughter, when thou comest to see my face.
14And David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, saying, Deliver me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to me for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.
15And Ish-bosheth sent, and took her from her husband, even from Paltiel the son of Laish.
1 Sam 19:1-2
2 verses
75%
1And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should slay David. But Jonathan, Saul's son, delighted much in David.
2And Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeketh to slay thee: now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself in the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide thyself:
1 Sam 18:2
74%
2And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house.
1 Sam 19:17
74%
17And Saul said unto Michal, Why hast thou deceived me thus, and let mine enemy go, so that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He said unto me, Let me go; why should I kill thee?
1 Sam 25:44
74%
44Now Saul had given Michal his daughter, David's wife, to Palti the son of Laish, who was of Gallim.
1 Sam 19:11
74%
11And Saul sent messengers unto David's house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning: and Michal, David's wife, told him, saying, If thou save not thy life to-night, to-morrow thou wilt be slain.
1 Sam 17:25
74%
25And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel.
1 Sam 22:13-14
2 verses
73%
13And Saul said unto him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread, and a sword, and hast inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?
14Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who among all thy servants is so faithful as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and is taken into thy council, and is honorable in thy house?
1 Sam 27:1
73%
1And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me any more in all the borders of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.
1 Sam 28:21
72%
21And the woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said unto him, Behold, thy handmaid hath hearkened unto thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened unto thy words which thou spakest unto me.
1 Sam 19:15
72%
15And Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him.
1 Sam 17:57-58
2 verses
72%
57And as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand.
58And Saul said to him, Whose son art thou, thou young man? And David answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Beth-lehemite.
1 Sam 24:21-22
2 verses
71%
21Swear now therefore unto me by Jehovah, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father's house.
22And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men gat them up unto the stronghold.
1 Sam 16:21
71%
21And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armorbearer.
1 Sam 21:10
71%
10And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.
1 Sam 17:31
71%
31And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before Saul; and he sent for him.
1 Sam 28:19
71%
19Moreover Jehovah will deliver Israel also with thee into the hand of the Philistines; and to-morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: Jehovah will deliver the host of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines.
1 Sam 18:9
71%
9And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.
1 Sam 26:17
71%
17And Saul knew David's voice, and said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king.
1 Sam 26:25
71%
25Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt both do mightily, and shalt surely prevail. So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.
1 Sam 24:4
70%
4And the men of David said unto him, Behold, the day of which Jehovah said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thy hand, and thou shalt do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe privily.
1 Sam 18:11
70%
11and Saul cast the spear; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall. And David avoided out of his presence twice.
1 Sam 17:37
70%
37And David said, Jehovah that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and Jehovah shall be with thee.
1 Sam 24:9
70%
9And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearkenest thou to men's words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt?
1 Sam 23:17
70%
17And he said unto him, Fear not; for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.
1 Sam 25:40
70%
40And when the servants of David were come to Abigail to Carmel, they spake unto her, saying, David hath sent us unto thee, to take thee to him to wife.
1 Sam 28:9
70%
9And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?
1 Kgs 2:21
70%
21And she said, Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother to wife.
1 Sam 20:30
70%
30Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of a perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own shame, and unto the shame of thy mother's nakedness?
1 Sam 22:7
70%
7And Saul said unto his servants that stood about him, Hear now, ye Benjamites; will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, will he make you all captains of thousands and captains of hundreds,