Bible Dictionaries
Merab

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

Saul's oldest daughter (1 Samuel 14:49). According to promise to the conqueror of Goliath, Saul betrothed Merab to David (1 Samuel 17:25; 1 Samuel 18:17), but with the secret design of inciting him thereby to expose himself to be slain by the Philistines. At the time when Merab should have been given to him Saul gave her to Adriel the Meholathite. Her five sons subsequently were crucified to Jehovah by the Gibeonites among the seven, for Saul's bloodthirsty zeal against them (2 Samuel 21:9). See Exodus 34:7; how Saul's sin recoiled on himself and his! "Michal" is a copyist's error for Merab (2 Samuel 21:8); reading "Michal" we must understand "brought up," not gave birth to (compare Ruth 4:16-17). (See MICHAL.)

Bibliography Information
Fausset, Andrew R. Entry for 'Merab'. Fausset's Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/​dictionaries/​eng/​fbd/​m/merab.html. 1949.