1 Samuel 18:5-9
Lexham English Bible
David’s Successes Arouse Saul’s Suspicions
5 David went out whenever[a] Saul sent him, and he succeeded. So Saul appointed him over the men of the war, and it pleased[b] all the people and even pleased[c] the servants of Saul. 6 When they were coming back[d] after David had returned from striking down the Philistine, the women went out from all the cities of Israel singing and dancing to meet King Saul with tambourines, with joy, and with three-stringed instruments. 7 And the women sang as they danced, and they said,
“Saul has struck down his thousands,
but David his ten thousands!”
8 Saul became very angry,[e] and this saying displeased him,[f] and he thought, “They have attributed to David ten thousands, but to me they have attributed thousands! What more can he have but the kingdom?”[g] 9 So Saul was watching[h] David with suspicion from that day onward.
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- 1 Samuel 18:5 Literally “in all that”
- 1 Samuel 18:5 Literally “was good in the eyes of”
- 1 Samuel 18:5 Literally “was good in the eyes of”
- 1 Samuel 18:6 Literally “And it happened at their coming”
- 1 Samuel 18:8 Literally “And it was very hot for Saul”
- 1 Samuel 18:8 Literally “this thing was bad in his eyes”
- 1 Samuel 18:8 Literally “And still for him is only the kingdom”
- 1 Samuel 18:9 The Masoretic Hebrew text (Kethib) reads “sin”; the translation follows the reading tradition (Qere) which has “eyeing” or “watching”
1 Samuel 18:5-9
English Standard Version
5 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
6 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] 7 And the women (C)sang to one another as they celebrated,
(D)“Saul has struck down his thousands,
and David his ten thousands.”
8 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?” 9 And Saul eyed David from that day on.
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- 1 Samuel 18:6 Or triangles, or three-stringed instruments
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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
