John Gill Bible Commentary

And Saul's servants spake these words in the ears of David,.... Those before related, which Saul commanded them to speak, which they delivered exactly according to their orders, with an audible voice, clearly, plainly, and distinctly, so that David might hear and understand them: and David said, seemeth it to you a light thing to be a king's son in law; a small a trifling matter, an easy thing to come into, every thing requisite to it: seeing that I am a poor man; and not able to give a dowry suitable to the daughter of a king; it being usual in those times for a man to give a dowry to, and not receive a portion with a wife; and which also was the custom of the Germans, as Tacitus (x) relates; and this was to be according to the rank and quality of the person married, and which in this case David was not equal to: and lightly esteemed? not by the people of Israel and Judah, who loved him, as he was loved even by the servants of Saul, at least in profession; but by Saul himself, who had slighted him in giving his elder daughter to another man, when he had promised her to him, which was discouraging to David, and resented by him. (x) De Moribus German. c. 18.