And David came to Saul, and stood before him
As a servant, and ministered to him in the way, and for the
purpose for which he was sent:
and he loved him greatly;
being a comely person, and a well behaved youth, and especially
as he was serviceable to him with his music, in driving away
melancholy from him:
and he became his armourbearer;
that is, he appointed him to this office, though we never read
that he exercised it; nor did he go with Saul in this capacity to
the battle related in the following chapter: it may be literally
rendered: "and he was to him a bearer of vessels", or
"instruments" F17; and Abarbinel thinks this is to be
understood not of instruments of war, but of instruments of music
to play with; which he brought in and bare before him when he
went in to the king.