Whatever mission Saul sent him on, David was so successful(A) that Saul gave him a high rank in the army.(B) This pleased all the troops, and Saul’s officers as well.

When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing,(C) with joyful songs and with timbrels(D) and lyres. As they danced, they sang:(E)

“Saul has slain his thousands,
    and David his tens(F) of thousands.”

Saul was very angry; this refrain displeased him greatly. “They have credited David with tens of thousands,” he thought, “but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?(G) And from that time on Saul kept a close(H) eye on David.

10 The next day an evil[a] spirit(I) from God came forcefully on Saul. He was prophesying in his house, while David was playing the lyre,(J) as he usually(K) did. Saul had a spear(L) in his hand 11 and he hurled it, saying to himself,(M) “I’ll pin David to the wall.” But David eluded(N) him twice.(O)

12 Saul was afraid(P) of David, because the Lord(Q) was with(R) David but had departed from(S) Saul. 13 So he sent David away from him and gave him command over a thousand men, and David led(T) the troops in their campaigns.(U) 14 In everything he did he had great success,(V) because the Lord was with(W) him. 15 When Saul saw how successful he was, he was afraid of him.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 18:10 Or a harmful

And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants.

And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of musick.

And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.

And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom?

And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.

10 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul's hand.

11 And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice.

12 And Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him, and was departed from Saul.

13 Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people.

14 And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the Lord was with him.

15 Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him.

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