1 Samuel 18:7-17

7 As they celebrated, the women sang: Saul has killed his thousands, but David his tens of thousands.^[a]

8 Saul was furious and resented this song.^[b] "They credited tens of thousands to David," he complained, "but they only credited me with thousands. What more can he have but the kingdom?"^[c]

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,^[d] and he began to rave^[e] 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."^[f] But David got away from him twice.

12 Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with David but had left from Saul.^[g]

13 Therefore, Saul reassigned David and made him commander over 1,000 men. David led the troops^[h]

14 and continued to be successful in all his activities because the Lord was with him.^[i]

15 When Saul observed that David was very successful, he dreaded him.

16 But all Israel and Judah loved David because he was leading their troops.

17 Saul told David, "Here is my oldest daughter Merab. I'll give her to you as a wife,^[j] if you will be a warrior for me and fight the Lord's battles." But Saul was thinking, "My hand doesn't need to be against him; let the hand of the Philistines be against him."^[k]

1 Samuel 18:7-17 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.

Footnotes

• [a] 1 Sm 21:11; 29:5
• [b] Lit furious; this saying was evil in his eyes
• [c] 1 Sm 15:28; 24:20
• [d] 1 Sm 16:14; 19:9
• [e] Or prophesy
• [f] 1 Sm 19:10; 20:33
• [g] 1 Sm 16:14
• [h] 2 Sm 5:2
• [i] 1 Sm 3:19; 16:18
• [j] 1 Sm 17:25
• [k] 1 Sm 18:21; 18:25