Eldest daughter of King Saul.
Merab
Named in 4 verses across 2 books, first in 1 Samuel 14:49.
מֵרָבMerab
מִיכַלMerab
The name means “he that fights or disputes.” Hitchcock's Bible Names, 1869
- Father
- Saul
- Mother
- Ahinoam
- Brothers and sisters
- Jonathan, Abinadab, Malchi-shua, Michal, Ish-bosheth, Armoni, Mephibosheth
- Married to
- Adriel
- People
- Tribe of Benjamin
About Merab Written by AI
Merab was the eldest daughter of King Saul (1 Samuel 14:49). She was initially promised to David as a wife, with the condition that he fight valiantly for Saul and the Lord (1 Samuel 18:17). However, when the time came for her to be given to David, she was instead given to Adriel the Meholathite as a wife (1 Samuel 18:19). Merab had five sons with Adriel, and these sons were among the seven descendants of Saul who were handed over to the Gibeonites for execution, as a means of atonement for Saul's attempt to annihilate the Gibeonites (2 Samuel 21:8). This event occurred during David's reign, when a three-year famine prompted David to seek the Lord's guidance.
Drafted by an AI model for STEPBible's TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Check it against the verses below.
Easton's Bible Dictionary, 1897
Increase, the eldest of Saul’s two daughters (1 Sam. 14:49). She was betrothed to David after his victory over Goliath, but does not seem to have entered heartily into this arrangement (18:2, 17, 19). She was at length, however, married to Adriel of Abel-Meholah, a town in the Jordan valley, about 10 miles south of Bethshean, with whom the house of Saul maintained alliance. She had five sons, who were all put to death by the Gibeonites on the hill of Gibeah (2 Sam. 21:8).
M. G. Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary, third edition (1897), public domain, from CrossWire. Shown as written; its Scripture quotes are from older translations.
Where the Bible names her
- 1 Samuel 14:49
Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchishua. His two daughters were named Merab (his firstborn) and Michal (his younger daughter).
- 1 Samuel 18:17
Then Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you in marriage. Only be valiant for me and fight the LORD’s battles.” But Saul was thinking, “I need not raise my hand against him; let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”
- 1 Samuel 18:19
So when it was time to give Saul’s daughter Merab to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel of Meholah.
- 2 Samuel 21:8
But the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons whom Rizpah daughter of Aiah had borne to Saul, as well as the five sons whom Merab daughter of Saul had borne to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite.
From STEPBible's TIPNR, Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0): names, family, references and the AI written article. Verse text is the BSB.