1 Samuel 18:12

12 Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with David but had abandoned him.

1 Samuel 18:12 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 18:12

And Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him,
&c.] Protecting and preserving him, prospering and succeeding him, giving him victory over his enemies, and favour among the people; the Targum is,

``the Word of the Lord was for his help.''

Procopius Gazaeus interprets it of the Holy Ghost, whose grace was vouchsafed unto him: he might be afraid in his melancholy fits, that as he had attempted to take away the life of David, that David would contrive and seek an opportunity, and take away his life, and seize the kingdom which God had given him, and his being with him strengthened these fears:

and was departed from Saul;
so that he was destitute of courage, and greatness of mind, and of wisdom and prudence, and became mean and abject, and exposed himself to the contempt of his subjects.

1 Samuel 18:12 In-Context

10 The next day an evil spirit from God suddenly took control of Saul, and he raved in his house like a madman. David was playing the harp, as he did every day, and Saul was holding a spear.

11 "I'll pin him to the wall," Saul said to himself, and he threw the spear at him twice; but David dodged each time.

12 Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with David but had abandoned him.

13 So Saul sent him away and put him in command of a thousand men. David led his men in battle

14 and was successful in all he did, because the Lord was with him.