David marched out with the army and was successful in everything Saul sent him to do. Saul put him in command of the fighting men, which pleased all the people and Saul’s servants as well.

As the troops were coming back, when David was returning from killing the Philistine, the women came out from all the cities of Israel to meet King Saul,(A) singing and dancing with tambourines, with shouts of joy, and with three-stringed instruments. As they danced, the women sang:

Saul has killed his thousands,
but David his tens of thousands.(B)

Saul was furious and resented this song. “They credited tens of thousands to David,” he complained, “but they only credited me with thousands. What more can he have but the kingdom?” (C) So Saul watched David jealously from that day forward.

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And David went out (A)and was successful wherever Saul sent him, so that Saul set him over the men of war. And this was good in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul's servants.

Saul's Jealousy of David

As they were coming home, when David returned from striking down the Philistine, (B)the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with songs of joy, and with musical instruments.[a] And the women (C)sang to one another as they celebrated,

(D)“Saul has struck down his thousands,
    and David his ten thousands.”

And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands, and what more can he have but (E)the kingdom?” And Saul eyed David from that day on.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 18:6 Or triangles, or three-stringed instruments