Limitless Word
When the servants reported these terms to David, he was pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. Before the wedding day arrived,
1 Samuel 18:26 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB When his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king’s son-in-law. Before the deadline,
  • KJV 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.
  • NKJV So when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to become the king’s son-in-law. Now the days had not expired;
  • NASB When his servants told David these words, it pleased David to become the king’s son-in-law. So before the time had expired,
  • NLT David was delighted to accept the offer. Before the time limit expired,

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

When David hears the terms, he is glad to become the king's son-in-law and acts before the deadline. He embraces the challenge, unaware of Saul's deadly intent yet kept by God.

Overview

David willingly accepts Saul's condition, pleased at the prospect of marrying into the royal house, and moves promptly within the set time. He sees opportunity where Saul intends destruction. God's hand is again evident, turning Saul's lethal scheme toward David's good, for the Lord preserves and prospers the one He has chosen to be king.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 1

  • 1 Sam 18:21“I will give her to David,” Saul thought, “so that she may be a snare to him, and the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” So Saul said to David, “For a second time now you can be my son-in-law.”

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (6)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — 1 Samuel videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on 1 Samuel 18:26YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on 1 SamuelMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

The rise of the anointed king after Israel's failed first choice points to the true Anointed One (Messiah means 'anointed'), the shepherd-king after God's own heart from Bethlehem.

How 1 Samuel 18:26 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.