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Whatever Saul asked David to do, David did it successfully. So Saul made him a commander over the men of war, an appointment that was welcomed by the people and Saul’s officers alike.

When the victorious Israelite army was returning home after David had killed the Philistine, women from all the towns of Israel came out to meet King Saul. They sang and danced for joy with tambourines and cymbals.[a] This was their song:

“Saul has killed his thousands,
    and David his ten thousands!”

This made Saul very angry. “What’s this?” he said. “They credit David with ten thousands and me with only thousands. Next they’ll be making him their king!” So from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David.

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Footnotes

  1. 18:6 The type of instrument represented by the word cymbals is uncertain.

On every mission on which Saul sent him, David achieved success. So Saul appointed him over the men of war. This pleased not only all the army, but also Saul’s servants.[a]

When the men[b] arrived after David returned from striking down the Philistine, the women from all the cities of Israel came out singing and dancing to meet King Saul. They were happy as they played their tambourines and three-stringed instruments.[c] The women who were playing the music sang,

“Saul has struck down his thousands,
but David his tens of thousands!”

This made Saul very angry. The statement displeased him and he thought,[d] “They have attributed to David tens of thousands, but to me they have attributed only thousands. What does he lack, except the kingdom?” So Saul was keeping an eye on David from that day onward.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 18:5 tn Heb “it was good in the eyes of all the people and also in the eyes of the servants of Saul.”
  2. 1 Samuel 18:6 tn Heb “them.” The masculine plural pronoun apparently refers to the returning soldiers.
  3. 1 Samuel 18:6 tn Heb “with tambourines, with joy, and with three-stringed instruments.”
  4. 1 Samuel 18:8 tn Heb “said.” So also in vv. 11, 17.