1 Samuel 18:21Saul said, I will give her to him, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Therefore Saul said to David, "You shall this day be my son-in-law a second time."
The setting
King Saul's private chambers, Gibeah, Israel. The jealous king devises a deadly scheme disguised as a wedding gift...
The emotion here: recording royal treachery with moral outrage
The original word
mokesh (מוֹקֵשׁ) — a trap or snare for birds, used metaphorically for deadly deception
Why it matters
Ancient bride prices often included military service or dangerous missions to prove worthiness
Read with care
What most readers miss in 1 Samuel 18:21
Saul says 'second time' because he'd already offered his daughter Merab to David earlier
Common misconceptionMany think Saul was genuinely pleased about the marriage, but he explicitly states he's setting a trap to get David killed by the Philistines.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 1 Samuel 18:21
Bible Genome reading
1 Samuel 18:21 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
1 Samuel 18:21 comes from the book of 1 Samuel, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Saul. The dominant emotion in this verse is angry, with a comfort power of 10% and a tone that is prophetic. It belongs to the dialogue genre of biblical literature. Key themes include evil intent, manipulation, using others. Notable phrases: she may be a snare; hand of the Philistines.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same angry
“Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, 'I am strong.'”
— Joel 3:10
“You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!”
— Matthew 23:24
“Listen to this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who tell their husba…”
— Amos 4:1
“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I can't stand your solemn assemblies.”
— Amos 5:21
“Your eyes shall not pity; life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
— Deuteronomy 19:21
Your reflection
What does 1 Samuel 18:21 mean to you, today?
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