Merab מֵרָב
Eldest daughter of King Saul.
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; and the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal."
- 1 Samuel 18:17
"Saul said to David, “Behold, my elder daughter Merab, I will give her to you as wife. Only be valiant for me, and fight Yahweh’s battles.” For Saul said, “Don’t let my hand be on him, but let the hand of the Philistines be on him.”"
- 1 Samuel 18:19
"But at the time when Merab, Saul’s daughter, should have been given to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as wife."
2 Samuel 1 verse
- 2 Samuel 21:8
"But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite."
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script | Strong's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | מֵרָב | H4764 |
| Spelled | Hebrew | מִיכַל | H4324H |
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