שמואל א, פרק י״ח, פסוק י״ח

When offered the hand of the king's daughter, David does not take the royal invitation for granted. Instead, he responds with profound humility, emphasizing the immense gap between a simple man and the royal household. His reaction is one of complete submission rather than a refusal. Notably, his response does not stem from a claim of poverty, as he had already been promised great wealth following his victory over Goliath. Rather, his words flow from pure, unadulterated humility [מלבי״ם].

David presents himself as a lowly and unworthy individual [מצודת דוד, רלב״ג]. He questions the very value of his existence. While the life of a distinguished person is highly valued, the life of a simple, common man is often viewed as having little worth. Having been a mere shepherd, he expresses genuine astonishment that he would be taken from tending sheep to marry into royalty [רלב״ג, רד״ק]. He simply cannot fathom how he could be considered fitting for such a tremendous honor [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

A significant aspect of David's response involves his reference to his father's family, which raises the question of whether he intended to minimize their status alongside his own. The primary approach among commentators is that David does indeed humble his family, presenting them as poor and insignificant [מצודת דוד]. This may even be a subtle hint at his descent from Ruth the Moabite, a lineage that might outwardly appear unsuited for the monarchy [רלב״ג].

Conversely, another perspective suggests that David intentionally avoids minimizing his family because they were, in fact, quite prominent. In this view, David claims no personal greatness but acknowledges that his father's family is well-known and respected in Israel [רד״ק]. Kings typically choose a groom based on personal perfection, wealth, or lineage. Since David admits he lacks personal merit and independent wealth, relying entirely on the king's provision, he understands that the king must have chosen him solely for his distinguished family lineage, and he expresses gratitude for this [אלשיך].

Blending these ideas, it is suggested that David crafted his response with careful wisdom, allowing it to be understood in two ways. To show utmost respect to King Saul, he phrased his words so it would sound as though his family was also of little consequence. However, out of deep respect for his father Jesse, a holy and righteous man from the tribe of Judah and a descendant of Perez and Boaz, David carefully navigated his words to ensure he did not truly insult his noble heritage [חומת אנך].