1 Samuel 18:21
ESV
Saul thought, "Let me give her to him, that she may be a snare for him and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him." Therefore Saul said to David a second time, "You shall now be my son-in-law."
NIV
"I will give her to him," he thought, "so that she may be a snare to him and so that the hand of the Philistines may be against him." So Saul said to David, "Now you have a second opportunity to become my son-in-law."
NASB
For Saul thought, 'I will give her to him so that she may become a trap for him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.' Therefore Saul said to David, 'For a second time you may become my son-in-law, today.'
CSB
"I’ll give her to him," Saul thought. "She’ll be a trap for him, and the hand of the Philistines will be against him." So Saul said to David a second time, "You can now be my son-in-law."
NLT
Here’s another chance to see him killed by the Philistines!' Saul said to himself. But to David he said, 'Today you have a second chance to become my son-in-law!'
KJV
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 in the one of the twain.
NKJV
So Saul said, “I will give her to him, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David a second time, “You shall be my son-in-law today.”
What does 1 Samuel 18:21 mean?
After David killed Goliath (1 Samuel 17:50), Saul gave him a command, and David continued to fight the Philistines. The more he fought, the more he won. The more he won, the more he earned the adoration of the people. David's success made Saul feel so threatened that he wanted David dead. When his own attempts to kill David failed, Saul decided to let the Philistines do it on the battlefield (1 Samuel 18:6–16). But Saul can't technically force David to fight. Saul's offered reward for killing Goliath was the hand of his daughter, the exemption of taxes for David's father's family, and the exemption of forced servitude (1 Samuel 17:25). David is supposedly free to do as he pleases.Ironically, Saul doesn't have to force David. Saul grossly underestimates David's loyalty to him as king. Saul also misunderstands David's zeal to obey God and rid the Promised Land of the cruel Philistines. Saul thinks it's necessary to coerce David into fighting. If David is Saul's son-in-law, David won't have a choice. Saul's jealousy and fear are so great, he's willing to exploit his daughter's love (1 Samuel 18:20) and scheme to make her a widow.
Saul tells David again he will be the king's son-in-law. David still needs some convincing. His clan is not well regarded, and they don't have a bride price worthy of a princess. Saul offers a deal: all David needs to do is kill one hundred Philistines (1 Samuel 18:22–25).
