Merab מֵרָב
Eldest daughter of King Saul.
Who is Merab in the Bible?
Merab was the eldest daughter of King Saul, mentioned in 1 Samuel 14:49. She was initially promised to David as a wife on the condition that he fight valiantly for Saul and the Lord, but when the time came to fulfill this promise, she was given instead to Adriel the Meholathite (1 Samuel 18:17-19). Though Merab bore five sons to Adriel, her significance in biblical history is darkened by tragedy, as these sons were later handed over to the Gibeonites for execution during David's reign as recompense for Saul's massacre of the Gibeonites. Her story illustrates the broken promises and political complications that surrounded David's early relationship with Saul's household.
Biography
Merab was the eldest daughter of King Saul (1Sa.14.49). She was initially promised to David as a wife, with the condition that he fight valiantly for Saul and the Lord (1Sa.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 (1Sa.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 (2Sa.21.8). This event occurred during David's reign, when a three-year famine prompted David to seek the Lord's guidance.
Family
Parents
Siblings
- Jonathan Tribe of JudahSon of JadaSon of Jada, descendant of JudahView full profile →
- Abinadab MaleFather of Ben-abinadabSolomon's son-in-law, an official in his governmentView full profile →
- Malchi-shua Tribe of BenjaminSon of SaulSon of King Saul, killed in battle against the Philistines.View full profile →
- Michal Tribe of BenjaminSaul's daughterDaughter of Saul; wife of David.View full profile →
- Ish-bosheth Tribe of BenjaminSaul's sonSon of Saul, king over Israel.View full profile →
- Armoni Tribe of BenjaminSaul's familySon of Saul by Rizpah, killed by GibeonitesView full profile →
- Mephibosheth Tribe of BenjaminSon of SaulSon of Saul and Rizpah, given to the Gibeonites.View full profile →
In Scripture
2 biblical books1 Samuel 3 verses
- 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 1 verse
- 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."
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | מֵרָב |
| Spelled | Hebrew | מִיכַל |
Merab
.17.25">1Sa 17:25). David did this and was afterward taken by Saul to court (1Sa 18:2), where he was detained in great honor. Merab was not, however, given to him as quickly as the incident would lead one to expect, and the sequel showed some unwillingness on the part of some persons in the contract to complete the promise. The adulation of the crowd who met David on his return from Philistine warfare and gave him a more favorable ascription than to Saul (1Sa 18:6-16) awoke the angry jealousy of Saul. He "eyed David from that day and forward" (1Sa 18:9). Twice David had to "avoid" the "evil spirit" in Saul (1Sa 18:11). Saul also feared David (1Sa 18:12), and this led him to incite the youth to more dangerous deeds of valor against the Philistines by a renewed promise of Merab. He will have David's life, but rather by the hand of the Philistines than his own (1Sa 18:17). Merab was to be the bait. But now another element complicated matters--Michal's love for David (1Sa 18:20), which may have been the retarding factor from the first. At any rate Merab is finally given to Adriel the Meholathite (1Sa 18:19). The passage in 2Sa 21:8 doubtless contains an error--Michal's name occurring for that of her sister Merab--though the Septuagint, Josephus, and a consistent Hebrew text all perpetuate it, as well as the concise meaning of the Hebrew word Yaladh, which is a physiological word for bearing children, and cannot be translated "brought up." A Targum explanation reads: "The 5 sons of Merab (which Michal, Saul's daughter brought up) which she bare," etc. Another suggestion reads the word "sister" after Michal in the possessive case, leaving the text otherwise as it stands. It is possible that Merab died comparatively young, and that her children were left in the care of their aunt, especially when it is said she herself had none (2Sa 6:23). The simplest explanation is to assume a scribal error, with the suggestion referred to as a possible explanation of it. The lonely Michal (2Sa 6:20-23) became so identified with her (deceased) sister's children that they became, in a sense, hers.
Henry Wallace
me-ra'-ya, me-ri'-a (merayah, "contumacious"): A priest in the time of Joiakim son of Jeshua, and head of the priestly house of Seraiah to which Ezra belonged (Ne 12:12; compare <r