1 Samuel 19:8

8 There was war again: and David went out, and fought with the Philistines, and killed them with a great slaughter; and they fled before 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 Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan: and Saul swore, As Yahweh lives, he shall not be put to death.

7 Jonathan called David, and Jonathan shown him all those things. Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as before.

8 There was war again: and David went out, and fought with the Philistines, and killed them with a great slaughter; and they fled before him.

9 An evil spirit from Yahweh was on Saul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand; and David was playing with his hand.

10 Saul sought to strike David even to the wall with the spear; but he slipped away out of Saul's presence, and he struck the spear into the wall: and David fled, and escaped that night.