1 Samuel 18:18
◄  1 Samuel 18:18  ►
New International Version (©2011)
But David said to Saul, "Who am I, and what is my family or my clan in Israel, that I should become the king's son-in-law?"

New Living Translation (©2007)
"Who am I, and what is my family in Israel that I should be the king's son-in-law?" David exclaimed. "My father's family is nothing!"

English Standard Version (©2001)
And David said to Saul, “Who am I, and who are my relatives, my father’s clan in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?”

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
But David said to Saul, "Who am I, and what is my life or my father's family in Israel, that I should be the king's son-in-law?"

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
And 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?

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
Then David responded, "Who am I, and what is my family or my father's clan in Israel that I should become the king's son-in-law?"

International Standard Version (©2012)
David told Saul, "Who am I and what is my life or my father's family in Israel that I should be the king's son-in-law?"

NET Bible (©2006)
David said to Saul, "Who am I? Who are my relatives or the clan of my father in Israel that I should become the king's son-in-law?"

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
"Who am I?" David asked Saul. "And how important are my relatives or my father's family in Israel that I should be the king's son-in-law?"

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
And 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?

American King James Version
And David said to 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?

American Standard Version
And 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?

Douay-Rheims Bible
And David said to Saul: Who am I, or what is my life, or my father's family in Israel, that I should be son in law of the king?

Darby Bible Translation
And David said to 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?

English Revised Version
And 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?

Webster's Bible Translation
And David said to 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?

World English Bible
David said to 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?"

Young's Literal Translation
And David saith unto Saul, 'Who am I? and what my life -- the family of my father in Israel -- that I am son-in-law to the king?'

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

18:12-30 For a long time David was kept in continual apprehension of falling by the hand of Saul, yet he persevered in meek and respectful behaviour towards his persecutor. How uncommon is such prudence and discretion, especially under insults and provocations! Let us inquire if we imitate this part of the exemplary character before us. Are we behaving wisely in all our ways? Is there no sinful omission, no rashness of spirit, nothing wrong in our conduct? Opposition and perverseness in others, will not excuse wrong tempers in us, but should increase our care, and attention to the duties of our station. Consider Him that endured contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be weary and faint in your minds, Heb 12:3. If David magnified the honour of being son-in-law to king Saul, how should we magnify the honour of being sons to the King of kings!

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And David said unto Saul,.... Surprised at the offer Saul made him, yet not refusing it, but expressing himself with great modesty and humility:

who am I? as to his person, parentage, and employment, mean and despicable, at least in his own eyes, a type of the lowly Jesus, Matthew 11:29,

and what is my life? keeping sheep, for from thence was he taken and advanced; though some think his meaning is, that to hazard his life, as Saul proposed, was not equivalent to such an honour he meant to confer upon him, and that he was ready to do it at all times:

or my father's family in Israel; though in an honourable tribe, and was an honourable family, yet it seems not to be very great, at least was not in David's esteem worthy of such high advancement, as that one of it should be so nearly related to the king; Ben Gersom thinks David has reference to the original of his family, Ruth the Moabitess:

that I should be son in law to the king? as he would be by marrying his daughter.

1 Samuel 18:18 Parallel Commentaries

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David Marries Michal
17And Saul said to David, Behold my elder daughter Merab, her will I give you to wife: only be you valiant for me, and fight the LORD's battles. For Saul said, Let not my hand be on him, but let the hand of the Philistines be on him. 18And David said to 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 to Adriel the Meholathite to wife. …

Exodus 3:11 But Moses said to God, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"
1 Samuel 9:21 Saul answered, "But am I not a Benjamite, from the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my clan the least of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why do you say such a thing to me?"
1 Samuel 18:23 They repeated these words to David. But David said, "Do you think it is a small matter to become the king's son-in-law? I'm only a poor man and little known."
2 Samuel 7:18 Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and he said: "Who am I, Sovereign LORD, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?