1 Samuel 19:8

8 And there was war again. And David went out and fought with the Philistines, and slew them with a great slaughter, and they fled from him.

1 Samuel 19:8 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 19:8

And there was war again
Between Israel and the Philistines; it does not appear that either of them sent out their whole force, only some parties or detachments, between which there were skirmishes:

and David went out and fought with the Philistines;
he went out with his thousand men, over which he was made captain, ( 1 Samuel 18:13 ) ; for he had not the command of the whole army; that belonged to Abner:

and slew them with a great slaughter, and they fled from him;
he killed many of them in his engagements with them, and the rest fled, and he returned victorious; which stirred up the envy and increased the jealousy of Saul, to observe which this is related.

1 Samuel 19:8 In-Context

6 And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan; and Saul swore, "As the LORD liveth, he shall not be slain."

7 And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan showed him all those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as in times past.

8 And there was war again. And David went out and fought with the Philistines, and slew them with a great slaughter, and they fled from him.

9 And the evil spirit from the LORD was upon Saul as he sat in his house with his javelin in his hand. And David played music with his hand.

10 And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the javelin; but he slipped away out of Saul's presence, and he smote the javelin into the wall. And David fled and escaped that night.