1 Samuel 18 28

1 Samuel 18:28 kjv

And Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal Saul's daughter loved him.

1 Samuel 18:28 nkjv

Thus Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him;

1 Samuel 18:28 niv

When Saul realized that the LORD was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David,

1 Samuel 18:28 esv

But when Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him,

1 Samuel 18:28 nlt

When Saul realized that the LORD was with David and how much his daughter Michal loved him,

1 Samuel 18 verses

1 Samuel 18 28 Meaning

This verse describes a pivotal moment of realization for King Saul. He plainly saw and understood two critical facts: first, that the presence and favor of the LORD were unmistakably with David, enabling his success; and second, that Michal, his own daughter, held a genuine affection for David. These observations solidified David's position in the kingdom and confirmed Saul's perception of David as a threat, driving his escalating animosity.

1 Samuel 18 28 Context

This verse sits within 1 Samuel 18, a chapter illustrating David's meteoric rise and King Saul's increasingly desperate decline marked by envy and fear. Following David's victory over Goliath and subsequent military successes, he gains immense popularity among the people and deep affection from Jonathan. Saul, witnessing David's favor with both God and man, attempts to eliminate him through various schemes: by trying to pin him to the wall with a spear (18:10-11), and by sending him into dangerous battles with the promise of his daughters Merab (which he retracts) and Michal (18:17-27) as wives, hoping David would be killed by the Philistines. The specific context of verse 28 is after David successfully completes the extraordinarily dangerous dowry requirement of 100 Philistine foreskins, thereby marrying Michal. Saul’s observation is a full, unavoidable recognition of David’s divinely blessed status, cementing Saul’s perception of David not merely as a rival, but as God's anointed successor, against whom he felt powerless and thus sought to destroy.

1 Samuel 18 28 Word analysis

• And Saul saw: The Hebrew wayyar' (וַיַּרְא) denotes more than physical sight; it signifies perception, understanding, and acknowledgment. Saul didn't just visually notice David's achievements; he discerned the divine power behind them. This realization implies an internal processing of events, leading to a conclusion about divine involvement.
• and knew: The Hebrew wayyeḏaʿ (וַיֵּדַע) indicates deep, personal knowledge, often associated with recognizing a truth or having an intimate acquaintance. Saul arrived at a profound and inescapable realization regarding David's relationship with YHWH. This "knowing" intensifies the "seeing," signifying a clear, dawning comprehension rather than just outward observation.
• that the LORD: Referring to YHWH (יְהוָה), the covenant God of Israel. This specific name underscores His active presence, sovereign control, and direct involvement in the history of His people and the unfolding of His divine plan for the kingdom, including the succession from Saul to David.
• was with David: The Hebrew phrase ʿim dāwiḏ (עִם דָּוִד) emphasizes divine presence, favor, support, and active assistance. This is the crucial point, distinguishing David from Saul, whom YHWH had abandoned (1 Sam 16:14). God’s active support was the underlying cause of David’s unprecedented success and protection from Saul's schemes.
• and that Michal Saul’s daughter: Michal (מִיכַל), as Saul's daughter, provides a direct familial link, making David his son-in-law. Her position strengthens David's legitimate claim and influence within the royal house and complicates Saul's efforts against him, ironically adding to Saul's internal turmoil and sense of betrayal.
• loved him: The Hebrew ʾăhēḇatū (אֲהֵבַתּוּ) expresses genuine affection and personal devotion. Michal’s love was a human, relational factor that further endeared David to the populace and provided another layer of protection, as she would eventually help him escape from her father (1 Sam 19:11-17). It also means that even within Saul’s closest circles, David had allies.
• And Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David: This full phrase signifies a definitive spiritual revelation to Saul. Despite his previous attempts to deny or rationalize David's success, Saul finally and undeniably grasped that David's prosperity, popularity, and protection were direct manifestations of God's unwavering presence and blessing. This profound recognition fuels Saul’s jealousy and fear because it contrasts starkly with his own fallen status and the departure of YHWH's Spirit from him, leading to escalated hostility.
• and that Michal Saul’s daughter loved him: This phrase complements the first realization. Not only did David possess divine favor, but he also had popular human support, even gaining affection within Saul's own immediate family. Michal's love not only provided legitimate grounds for David to join the royal family but also undermined Saul's schemes by providing David with a faithful helper from within the palace, intensifying Saul's personal sense of defeat and desperation.

1 Samuel 18 28 Bonus section

The consistent repetition of the phrase "the LORD was with David" (seen previously in 1 Sam 18:12, 14 and echoed throughout 1 Samuel) serves as a significant theological and literary motif. It emphatically highlights God's sovereign choice and sustaining presence, contrasting sharply with Saul's deteriorating relationship with YHWH. This motif is not merely a factual observation but a profound divine commentary on the strategic transfer of royal authority from a disobedient king to a man after God's own heart. The divine presence with David also functions as an invisible protective shield, rendering all of Saul's machinations futile and reinforcing the biblical truth that "no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the LORD" (Prov 21:30). Saul's knowing is thus a testimony to the inescapable reality of God's ongoing work, even when it directly challenges a human ruler's established power or malicious agenda.

1 Samuel 18 28 Commentary

1 Samuel 18:28 marks a profound and tragic turning point for King Saul. He finally comprehended, beyond doubt, what the people already intuitively sensed: David's extraordinary success was directly due to the active and supportive presence of the LORD. This divine favor set David apart and was irrefutable evidence of God's hand on the young man. Compounding this, Saul also realized that his own daughter, Michal, deeply loved David, adding another layer of personal defeat and frustration to his malicious agenda. This twin realization—of David's divine endorsement and his internal familial support—did not lead Saul to repentance or acceptance, but rather hardened his heart, intensifying his fear, paranoia, and continuous enmity against David. Saul's understanding was purely intellectual, leading to increased hostility rather than submission to God's will. This situation exemplifies how rejecting divine truth and harboring envy can lead one to fight against God's plan, ultimately causing self-destruction rather than achieving desired outcomes. Saul's choice illuminates the danger of knowing God's truth but refusing to align one's will with it, demonstrating the corrupting power of unaddressed envy.