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1 Samuel 18:1-11

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David's Success

1 When David had finished speaking with Saul, Jonathan committed himself to David, and loved him as much as he loved himself.[a]
2 Saul kept David with him from that day on and did not let him return to his father's house.
3 Jonathan made a covenant with David[b] because he loved him as much as himself.
4 Then Jonathan removed the robe he was wearing and gave it to David,[c] along with his military tunic, his sword, his bow, and his belt.
5 David marched out [with the army], and was successful in everything Saul sent him to do. Saul put him in command of the soldiers, which pleased all the people and Saul's servants as well.
6 As David was returning from killing the Philistine, the women came out from all the cities of Israel to meet King Saul,[d] singing and dancing with tambourines, with shouts of joy, and with three-stringed instruments.
7 As they celebrated, the women sang: Saul has killed his thousands, but David his tens of thousands.[e]
8 Saul was furious and resented this song.[f] "They credited tens of thousands to David," he complained, "but they only credited me with thousands. What more can he have but the kingdom?"[g]
9 So Saul watched David jealously from that day forward.

Saul Attempts to Kill David

10 The next day an evil spirit from God took control of Saul,[h] and he began to rave[i] inside the palace. David was playing [the harp] as usual, but Saul was holding a spear,
11 and he threw it, thinking, "I'll pin David to the wall."[j] But David got away from him twice.
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1 Samuel 18:1-11 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 18

This chapter gives an account of the respect shown to David by Saul and Jonathan, by the servants of Saul, and all the people, and of what was said in his praise in the songs of the women, 1Sa 18:1-7; which latter gave Saul a great offence, and upon which he envied him, and eyed him, and indeed sought his life, and removed him from him; and yet still he continued the darling of the people, behaving wisely among them, which greatly embarrassed Saul, that be knew not what to do, 1Sa 18:8-16; he proposed his eldest daughter to him in marriage, which he had a claim to by killing the Philistine, and then he cheated him by giving her to another, 1Sa 18:17-19; and then he offered his youngest daughter to him, on condition that he would bring him an hundred foreskins of the Philistines, execution of which he thought his life would be exposed to danger, which yet he performed, 1Sa 18:20-27; and having the affection of his wife, and the good esteem of the servants of Saul, Saul was more afraid of him, and became his enemy, 1Sa 18:28-30.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible
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Footnotes 10

  • [a] 1 Sm 20:17; 2 Sm 1:26
  • [b] 1 Sm 20:8,16; 23:18
  • [c] Gn 41:42
  • [d] Ex 15:20-21; Jdg 11:34
  • [e] 1 Sm 21:11; 29:5
  • [f] Lit furious; this saying was evil in his eyes
  • [g] 1 Sm 15:28; 24:20
  • [h] 1 Sm 16:14; 19:9
  • [i] Or prophesy
  • [j] 1 Sm 19:10; 20:33
Holman Christian Standard Bible ® Copyright © 2003, 2002, 2000, 1999 by Holman Bible Publishers.  Used by permission.  All rights reserved.

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