Lectionary Calendar
Wednesday, July 23rd, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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Read the Bible

1 Samuel 18:18

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?” David said to Sha'ul, Who am I, and what is my life, [or] my father's family in Yisra'el, that I should be son-in-law to the king? 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? But David said to Saul, "Who am I, and who are my relatives, the clan of my father in Israel, that I should be a son-in-law to the king?" 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?" But David answered Saul, saying, "Who am I? My family is not important enough for me to become the king's son-in-law." 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?" 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?" But David said to Saul, "Who am I, and who is my family, or my father's family in Israel, that I should be the king's son-in-law?" And Dauid answered Saul, What am I? and what is my life, or the family of my father in Israel, that I should be sonne in law to the King? 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?" David answered, "How could I possibly marry your daughter? I'm not very important, and neither is my family." David's response to Sha'ul was, "Who am I, that I should become the king's son-in-law? I don't have any kind of a life, and my father's family has no rank in Isra'el." 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? But David said, "I am not an important man from an important family. I can't marry the king's daughter." And David said to Saul, Who am I? And what have I done, or what is my life or my fathers family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king? David answered, "Who am I and what is my family that I should become the king's son-in-law?" And David said to Saul, Who am I, and what is my life, and the family of my father in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king? Neuertheles Dauid answered Saul: Who am I? & what is my life & the kynred of my father in Israel, that I shulde mary the kinges doughter? 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? And David said to Saul, Who am I, and what is my father's family in Israel, that I am to be son-in-law to the king? And Dauid aunswered Saul: What am I? and what is my lyfe or the kynred of my father in Israel, that I should be sonne in lawe to the king? 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?' And Dauid said vnto Saul, Who am I? and what is my life, or my fathers family in Israel, that I should be sonne in law to the king? 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? And David said to Saul, "Who am I, and what is my family or my father's clan in Israel, that I should become the son-in-law of the king?" Sotheli Dauid seide to Saul, Who am Y, ether what is my lijf, ether the meynee of my fadir in Israel, that Y be maad the `sone in lawe of the kyng? 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?' 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? 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? 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? So 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?" "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!" David said to Saul, "Who am I? What is my life or my father's family in Israel, that I should be the king's son-in-law?" David said to Saul, "Who am I and who are my kinsfolk, my father's family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?" And David said unto Saul - Who am, I, or who are my kinsfolk, the family of my father, in Israel, - that I should become son-in-law, to the king? 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? And David said to Saul, "Who am I, and who are my kinsfolk, my father's family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?" And David says to Saul, "Who [am] I? And what [is] my life—the family of my father in Israel—that I am son-in-law of the king?" David, embarrassed, answered, "Do you really mean that? I'm from a family of nobodies! I can't be son-in-law to the king." 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?"

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Armies;   David;   Humility;   Jealousy;   Malice;   Merab;   Prudence;   Thompson Chain Reference - Humble;   Humility;   Humility-Pride;   Leaders;   Religious;  

Dictionaries:

- Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Prayer;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - David;   Saul;   Holman Bible Dictionary - David;   Merab;   Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Marriage;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - David;   Samuel, Books of;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
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?”
Hebrew Names Version
David said to Sha'ul, Who am I, and what is my life, [or] my father's family in Yisra'el, that I should be son-in-law to the king?
King James 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?
Lexham English Bible
But David said to Saul, "Who am I, and who are my relatives, the clan of my father in Israel, that I should be a son-in-law to the king?"
English Standard Version
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 Century Version
But David answered Saul, saying, "Who am I? My family is not important enough for me to become the king's son-in-law."
New English Translation
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?"
Amplified Bible
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?"
New American Standard Bible
But David said to Saul, "Who am I, and who is my family, or my father's family in Israel, that I should be the king's son-in-law?"
Geneva Bible (1587)
And Dauid answered Saul, What am I? and what is my life, or the family of my father in Israel, that I should be sonne in law to the King?
Legacy Standard Bible
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?"
Contemporary English Version
David answered, "How could I possibly marry your daughter? I'm not very important, and neither is my family."
Complete Jewish Bible
David's response to Sha'ul was, "Who am I, that I should become the king's son-in-law? I don't have any kind of a life, and my father's family has no rank in Isra'el."
Darby 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?
Easy-to-Read Version
But David said, "I am not an important man from an important family. I can't marry the king's daughter."
George Lamsa Translation
And David said to Saul, Who am I? And what have I done, or what is my life or my fathers family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?
Good News Translation
David answered, "Who am I and what is my family that I should become the king's son-in-law?"
Literal Translation
And David said to Saul, Who am I, and what is my life, and the family of my father in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Neuertheles Dauid answered Saul: Who am I? & what is my life & the kynred of my father in Israel, that I shulde mary the kinges doughter?
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?
Bible in Basic English
And David said to Saul, Who am I, and what is my father's family in Israel, that I am to be son-in-law to the king?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Dauid aunswered Saul: What am I? and what is my lyfe or the kynred of my father in Israel, that I should be sonne in lawe to the king?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
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?'
King James Version (1611)
And Dauid said vnto Saul, Who am I? and what is my life, or my fathers family in Israel, that I should be sonne 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?
Berean Standard Bible
And David said to Saul, "Who am I, and what is my family or my father's clan in Israel, that I should become the son-in-law of the king?"
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Sotheli Dauid seide to Saul, Who am Y, ether what is my lijf, ether the meynee of my fadir in Israel, that Y be maad the `sone in lawe of the kyng?
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?'
Update Bible 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?
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?
New King James Version
So 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?"
New Living Translation
"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!"
New Life Bible
David said to Saul, "Who am I? What is my life or my father's family in Israel, that I should be the king's son-in-law?"
New Revised Standard
David said to Saul, "Who am I and who are my kinsfolk, my father's family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?"
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And David said unto Saul - Who am, I, or who are my kinsfolk, the family of my father, in Israel, - that I should become 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?
Revised Standard Version
And David said to Saul, "Who am I, and who are my kinsfolk, my father's family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?"
THE MESSAGE
David, embarrassed, answered, "Do you really mean that? I'm from a family of nobodies! I can't 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?"

Contextual Overview

12Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with David but had left Saul. 12 Sha'ul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and was departed from Sha'ul. 12 And Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him, and was departed from Saul. 12 Now Saul was threatened by the presence of David because Yahweh was with him, but had departed from Saul. 12 Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul. 12 The Lord was with David but had left Saul. So Saul was afraid of David. 12 So Saul feared David, because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul. 12Now Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, but had departed from Saul. 12 Now Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him but had left Saul. 12 And Saul was afrayd of Dauid, because the Lord was with him, & was departed from Saul.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Who am I: 1 Samuel 18:23, 1 Samuel 9:21, Exodus 3:11, Ruth 2:10, 2 Samuel 7:18, Proverbs 15:33, Proverbs 18:12, Jeremiah 1:6

Reciprocal: 1 Kings 4:15 - the daughter Psalms 12:8 - when Proverbs 25:6 - in the presence

Cross-References

Genesis 18:2
He lifted up his eyes and looked, and saw that three men stood opposite him. When he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself to the eretz,
Genesis 18:2
And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,
Genesis 18:2
And he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, three men were standing near him. And he saw them and ran from the doorway of the tent to meet them. And he bowed down to the ground.
Genesis 18:2
He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When Abraham saw them, he ran from his tent to meet them. He bowed facedown on the ground before them
Genesis 18:2
Abraham looked up and saw three men standing across from him. When he saw them he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
Genesis 18:2
When he raised his eyes and looked up, behold, three men were standing [a little distance] from him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed down [with his face] to the ground,
Genesis 18:2
When he raised his eyes and looked, behold, three men were standing opposite him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed down to the ground,
Genesis 18:2
And he lift vp his eyes, and looked: and lo, three men stoode by him, and when he sawe them, he ranne to meete them from the tent doore, and bowed himselfe to the grounde.
Genesis 18:2
And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing nearby; he saw, and he ran from the tent door to meet them, and he bowed himself to the earth,
Genesis 18:2
Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. He quickly ran to meet them, bowed with his face to the ground,

Gill's Notes on the 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.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

What is my life - i. e., condition, or means of living (Proverbs 27:27 margin).


 
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