שמואל א, פרק י״ח, פסוק כ״ג

A marriage proposal from the royal family brings the massive social and economic gap between a common citizen and the monarchy to the surface. When the king's servants suggest that David marry the king's daughter, David responds with a rhetorical question, asking if they truly believe such a union is a simple or easy matter [מצודת ציון, שטיינזלץ]. He emphasizes that marrying into royalty is far from a trivial affair and suggests that such prestigious matches are naturally reserved for the honored elite of the nation [מצודת דוד].

To explain his hesitation, David points to his own background, describing himself as a poor and simple man who entirely lacks the social standing of a distinguished noble [רד"ק, מצודת ציון, שטיינזלץ]. The primary approach among commentators is that David is highlighting his practical inability to meet the crushing financial demands of a royal match. Traditionally, a groom is required to pay a bride price. While marrying a common woman might cost fifty silver shekels, marrying a princess demands wealth and gifts on a massive scale. For a man of David's means, gathering such sums is an impossible burden [רלב"ג, רד"ק, אברבנאל, שטיינזלץ].

Because of his lack of wealth and low social standing, David repeats the same claims of poverty he had voiced in the past [מלבי"ם]. He wonders why the king would even desire him as a son-in-law, feeling completely unworthy of the match [מצודת דוד, רד"ק]. Alongside this practical explanation, some view David's response as carrying a deeper layer of subtle criticism. By declaring himself a poor and common man, David is actually delivering a pointed sting directed at the king's broken promises. The king had previously sworn to grant immense wealth to the man who defeated the Philistine, Goliath. Because that promise was never fulfilled, David remains a poor man, unable to afford a royal bride [חומת אנך].