1 Samuel 18:23

King James Version

And Saul's servants spake those words in the ears of David. And David said, Seemeth it to you a light thing to be a king's son in law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Saul’s servants reported these words directly to David, but he replied, “Is it trivial in your sight to become the king’s son-in-law? I am a poor commoner.”

Hebrew Names Version
Sha'ul's servants spoke those words in the ears of David. David said, Seems it to you a light thing to be the king's son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?

Lexham English Bible
And Saul's servants spoke these words to David privately. But David said, "Is it insignificant in your sight to become the son-in-law of the king, as I am a poor and lightly esteemed man?"

English Standard Version
And Saul's servants spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said, "Does it seem to you a little thing to become the king's son-in-law, since I am a poor man and have no reputation?"

New Century Version
Saul's servants said these words to David, but David answered, "Do you think it is easy to become the king's son-in-law? I am poor and unimportant."

New English Translation
So Saul's servants spoke these words privately to David. David replied, "Is becoming the king's son-in-law something insignificant to you? I'm just a poor and lightly-esteemed man!"

Amplified Bible
So Saul's servants spoke these words to David. But David said, "Is it a trivial thing in your sight to become a king's son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man and insignificant?"

New American Standard Bible
So Saul's servants spoke these words to David. But David said, "Is it trivial in your sight to become the king's son-in-law, since I am only a poor man and insignificant?"

Geneva Bible (1587)
And Sauls seruantes spake these wordes in the eares of Dauid. And Dauid sayd, Seemeth it to you a light thing to be a Kings sonne in lawe, seeing yt I am a poore man & of smal reputation?

Legacy Standard Bible
So Saul's servants spoke these words in David's hearing. But David said, "Is it trivial in your eyes to become the king's son-in-law, since I am a poor man and lightly esteemed?"

Complete Jewish Bible
Sha'ul's servants said this to David; but David replied, "Do you think being the king's son-in-law is something to be treated so casually, given that I'm a poor man without social standing?"

Darby Translation
And Saul's servants spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said, Is it a light thing in your eyes to be the king's son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?

Easy-to-Read Version
Saul's officers said these things to David, but David answered, "Do you think it is easy to become the king's son-in-law? I am just a poor, ordinary man."

George Lamsa Translation
And Sauls servants spoke these words to David. And David said, Seems it to you a light thing to be a kings son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man and despised?

Good News Translation
So they told this to David, and he answered, "It's a great honor to become the king's son-in-law, too great for someone poor and insignificant like me."

Literal Translation
And Saul's servants spoke these words in David's ears. And David said, Is it a light thing in your eyes to be son-in-law to the king? And I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And Sauls seruauntes spake these wordes in the eares of Dauid. But Dauid saide: Thynke ye it but a small matter, to mary the kynges doughter? As for me, I am but a poore symple man.

American Standard Version
And 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?

Bible in Basic English
And Saul's servants said these things to David. And David said, Does it seem to you a small thing to be the king's son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man, of no great name?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Sauls seruauntes spake those wordes in the eares of Dauid. And Dauid said: semeth it to you a light thing to be a kinges sonne in lawe? seeing that I am a poore man, and of smal reputation.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Saul's servants spoke 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?'

King James Version (1611)
And Sauls seruants spake those wordes in the eares of Dauid: And Dauid said, Seemeth it to you a light thing to be a kings sonne in law, seeing that I am a poore man, and lightly esteemed?

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the servants of Saul spoke these words in the ears of David; and David said, Is it a light thing in your eyes to become son-in-law to the king? Whereas I am an humble man, an not honourable?

English Revised Version
And 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?

Berean Standard Bible
But when Saul's servants relayed these words to David, he replied, "Does it seem trivial in your sight to be the son-in-law of the king? I am a poor man and lightly esteemed."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the seruauntis of Saul spaken alle these wordis in the eeris of Dauid. And Dauid seide, Whether it semeth litil to you `to be sone in lawe of the kyng? Forsothe Y am a pore man, and a feble.

Young's Literal Translation
And the servants of Saul speak in the ears of David these words, and David saith, `Is it a light thing in your eyes to be son-in-law to the king -- and I a poor man, and lightly esteemed?'

Update Bible Version
And Saul's slaves spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said, Does it seem to you a light thing to be the king's son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?

Webster's Bible Translation
And Saul's servants spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said, Seemeth it to you [a] light [thing] to be a king's son-in-law, seeing that I [am] a poor man, and lightly esteemed?

World English Bible
Saul's servants spoke those words in the ears of David. David said, Seems it to you a light thing to be the king's son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?

New King James Version
So Saul's servants spoke those words in the hearing of David. And David said, "Does it seem to you a light thing to be a king's son-in-law, seeing I am a poor and lightly esteemed man?"

New Living Translation
When Saul's men said these things to David, he replied, "How can a poor man from a humble family afford the bride price for the daughter of a king?"

New Life Bible
So Saul's servants said this to David. But David said, "Is it not important to you to become the king's son-in-law? I am only a poor man and am not very respected."

New Revised Standard
So Saul's servants reported these words to David in private. And David said, "Does it seem to you a little thing to become the king's son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man and of no repute?"

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And the servants of Saul spake, in the ears of David, these words. And David said - Seemeth it a light thing, in your eyes, to become son-in-law to the king, seeing that, I, am a poor man and lightly esteemed?

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the servants of Saul spoke all these words in the ear of David. And David said: Doth it seem to you a small matter to be the king’s son in law? But I am a poor man, and of small ability.

Revised Standard Version
And Saul's servants spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said, "Does it seem to you a little thing to become the king's son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man and of no repute?"

THE MESSAGE
The king's servants told all this to David, but David held back. "What are you thinking of? I can't do that. I'm a nobody; I have nothing to offer."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
So Saul's servants spoke these words to David. But David said, "Is it trivial in your sight to become the king's son-in-law, since I am a poor man and lightly esteemed?"

Contextual Overview

¹² And Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him, and was departed from Saul. ¹³ Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people. ¹⁴ And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the Lord was with him. ¹⁵ Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him. ¹⁶ But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them. 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 the Lord 's battles. For Saul said, Let not mine hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him. ¹⁸ 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? ¹⁹ But 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. ²⁰ And Michal Saul's daughter loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. ²¹ 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.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

a light: 1 John 3:1

a poor man: 1 Samuel 9:21, Proverbs 14:20, Proverbs 19:6, Proverbs 19:7, Ecclesiastes 9:15, Ecclesiastes 9:16

and lightly: Psalms 119:141

Reciprocal: Numbers 16:9 - Seemeth it but Judges 1:12 - And Caleb Judges 6:15 - my family is poor 1 Samuel 18:18 - Who am I Psalms 131:1 - my heart

Cross-References

Genesis 18:4
Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:

Genesis 18:5
And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.

Genesis 18:6
And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.

Genesis 18:7
And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it.

Genesis 18:25
That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

Genesis 20:4
But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord , wilt thou slay also a righteous nation?

2 Samuel 24:17
And David spake unto the Lord when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's house.

Job 8:3
Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice?

Job 34:17
Shall even he that hateth right govern? and wilt thou condemn him that is most just?

Psalms 73:28
But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God , that I may declare all thy works.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Saul's servants spake these words in the ears of David,.... Those before related, which Saul commanded them to speak, which they delivered exactly according to their orders, with an audible voice, clearly, plainly, and distinctly, so that David might hear and understand them:

and David said, seemeth it to you [a] light [thing] to be a king's son in law; a small a trifling matter, an easy thing to come into, every thing requisite to it:

seeing that I [am] a poor man; and not able to give a dowry suitable to the daughter of a king; it being usual in those times for a man to give a dowry to, and not receive a portion with a wife; and which also was the custom of the Germans, as Tacitus x relates; and this was to be according to the rank and quality of the person married, and which in this case David was not equal to:

and lightly esteemed? not by the people of Israel and Judah, who loved him, as he was loved even by the servants of Saul, at least in profession; but by Saul himself, who had slighted him in giving his elder daughter to another man, when he had promised her to him, which was discouraging to David, and resented by him.

x De Moribus German. c. 18.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A poor man and lightly esteemed - Compare Psalms 119:141. Poor, and therefore unable to pay a sufficient dowry. See 1 Samuel 18:25.