And it came to pass, as they came
The armies of Israel, with their commanders at the head of them:
when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine;
either from the slaughter of Goliath, with his head in his hand, going to Jerusalem, and Saul accompanying him; or rather from the slaughter of the Philistines at some other time, the singular being put for the plural; since, according to the order of the history, this seems to be done after David was brought to court, and had been made a captain, and had been sent out on military expeditions, and had been successful therein, and from one of which he now returned:
that the women came out of all the cities of Israel;
through which they passed:
singing and dancing;
as were usual after great victories obtained, and deliverances wrought, the female sex being generally greatly affected with such things; since when things go otherwise they suffer much, and their fears rise high in time of battle; and when victory goes on their side, it gives them great joy, and which they used to express in this way:
to meet King Saul;
the commander-in-chief, with his other officers, and David among the rest:
with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of music;
with pipes or flutes, which they both blew with their mouths, and played on with their hands, and other musical instruments exciting joy; the last word is, by the Targum, rendered,
``with cymbals;''and so the Septuagint version; it signifies a musical instrument of three cords, according to Kimchi; and others, as Ben Gersom, understand it of principal songs, in which things wonderful, excellent, and honourable, were spoken of: see ( Exodus 15:20 ) ( Judges 11:34 ) . Such sort of women were among the Romans called Cymballatriae and Tympanistriae F20, who shook the cymbals, and beat upon tabrets and drums at times of rejoicing.