1 Samuel 18:19

1Sa 18:19 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.

Ver. 19. At the time when Merab, &c.] This affront and disgrace was done to David purposely to provoke him (as is probable) to do or say something that might bring him under censure, and give Saul some colour to cut him off. But David was too hard for him that way too: leaving it to God to right his wrongs, as indeed he did notably when Merab’s five sons by this Adriel were all hanged. {2Sa 21:8}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Sa 18:19. She was given unto Adriel — The son of Barzillai, as he is called 2Sa 21:8. This was an act of great injustice, at the same time that it was a most high affront to David, and accordingly this marriage was accursed by God, and the children begotten in it were, by God’s appointment, cut off, 2 Samuel 21. How Jonathan resented this usage of David we are not told. It is likely his duty to his father made him entreat him to take it patiently, and to look upon Saul as sometimes beside himself, and one that did not know what he did.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

18:19 So: Or But. Either David declined the offer, or Saul reneged.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

By whom he had five sons which David put to death at the request of the Gibeonites, 2 Sam. 21:8.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

(19) She was given unto Adriel.—Saul’s capricious wavering nature, so painfully prominent in the last part of his reign, displayed itself in this sudden change of purpose. It may have been brought about owing to some great fit of jealousy of David; or possibly the large gifts in money or valuables offered by the wealthy Adriel for the princess’s hand may have occasioned this arbitrary act of Saul. Such gifts to the father in return for the daughter’s hand were customary. In the case of such a prize as the Princess Merab, the gift would doubtless have been very costly. David, who was comparatively a poor man, was of course unable to show such liberality; besides, the young hero looked, no doubt, upon the marriage as the fulfilment of the old promise to the victor in the combat with the giant. The marriage, however, of the daughter of King Saul and Adriel was consummated, and was disastrous in its consequences. They had five sons, and they fell victims to the blood revenge exacted by the Gibeonites from the family of Saul: the five hapless youths were “hanged” (we read in 2Sa_21:9) “in the hill before the Lord.” These three verses (17-19) are entirely omitted by the LXX., apparently because they failed to see any reason for Saul’s sudden change of purpose.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

19. the Meholathite] Of Abel-Meholah, a town in the Jordan valley near Beth-shan. It was the birth-place of Elisha (1Ki_19:16). Why Saul changed his purpose does not appear. It has been inferred from 1Sa_18:25 that Adriel had given a rich dowry.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And Michal, Saul's daughter, loved David,.... His youngest daughter fell in love with him, because of the comeliness of his person, his gallant behaviour, his wise conduct, and the general esteem and reputation he was had in, as may be supposed:

and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him; not that his daughter loved David, or that he should be his son-in-law, but that he should have an opportunity, as he hoped, of destroying David, which he had lost by giving his elder daughter to another; as also of retrieving his credit with the people, which was greatly sunk by using David in the manner he did, who had become the darling of the people.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Adriel the Meholathite - The five sons of this marriage perished by the hands of the Gibeonites (marginal reference), where we learn further that the name of Adriel’s father, or ancestor, was Barzillai. His birth-place was Meholah, probably the same as Abel-Meholah. (See 1Ki 19:16 note).

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Wife. If this were the case, the character of Saul is rendered more despicable and perfidious. David never reclaims Merob, as he did Michol. (Haydock) --- All the children of the former were gibbeted, 2 Kings xxi. 9. The latter was given to David for his destruction, like Cleopatra (Daniel xi. 17,) to Ptolemy. (Tirinus)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

When Merab should have been given to David; when the marriage was even ready to be solemnized.

Adriel the Meholathite, the son of Barzillei, as he is called, 2Sa 21:8. This was an act of great injustice and perfidiousness; and accordingly this marriage was accursed by God, and the children begotten in it were by God’s appointment cut off, 2Sa 21.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

19. She was given unto Adriel — In shameful violation of the king’s word.

The Meholathite — Perhaps a native of Abel-Meholah, the home of Elisha, (1Ki_19:16,) and whither Gideon’s three hundred men pursued the Midianites. Jdg_7:22. The sons of this marriage were subsequently put to death by the Gibeonites. 2Sa_21:8.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Merab was given unto Adriel. A large dower was doubtless offered to Saul in return for his daughter, and, as he had never wished David to have her, he proved untrue to his word. For the unhappy death of the sons of Merab and Adriel see 2Sa_21:8.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Adriel - The son of Bar-zillai, as he is called, 2 Sam. xxi, 8. This was an act of great injustice; and accordingly this marriage was accursed by God, and the children begotten in it, were, by God's appointment cut off, 2 Sam. xxi, 8, 9.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

when Merab, Saul's daughter, should have been given to David

This can be stated in active form. AT: "when Saul should have given his daughter Merab to David" (See: Active or Passive)

she was given to Adriel

This can be stated in active form. AT: "Saul gave her to Adriel" (See: Active or Passive)

translationWords

Saul (OT)

David

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

When the time came to give. When the time arrived which they had set to give her to him, and while they were involved with giving her to him, it turned out that she was given to Adrieil.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.