1 Samuel 18:7

_AND THE WOMEN ANSWERED ONE ANOTHER AS THEY PLAYED, AND SAID, SAUL HATH SLAIN HIS THOUSANDS, AND DAVID HIS TEN THOUSANDS._ No JFB commentary on these verses....

6-11 David's troubles not only immediately follow his triumphs, but arise from them; such is the vanity of that which seems greatest in this world. It is a sign that the Spirit of God is departed from men, if, like Saul, they are peevish, envious, suspicious, and ill-natured. Compare David, with his harp in his hand, aiming to serve Saul, and Saul, with his javelin in his hand, aiming to slay David; and observe the sweetness and usefulness of God's persecuted people, and the barbarity of their persecutors. But David's safety must be ascribed to God's providence....

Verse 1 Samuel 18:7. _SAUL HATH SLAIN HIS THOUSANDS_] As it cannot literally be true that Saul had slain thousands, and David ten thousands; it would be well to translate the passage thus: _Saul hath smitten_ or _fought against thousands; David against tens of thousands_. "Though Saul has been victorious in all _his_ battles; yet he has not had such _great odds_ against him as David has had; Saul, indeed, has been _opposed by thousands_; David, by _ten thousands_." We may here remark that the Philistines had drawn out their whole forces at this time: and when Goliath was slain, they were totally discomfited by the Israelites, led on chiefly by David....

AS THEY PLAYED - Or danced with vocal and instrumental music (see Judges 16:25 note)....

PERSONAL RELATIONS OF SAUL AND DAVID (CHS. 18-27). FRIENDSHIP OF DAVID AND JONATHAN (CHS. 18-20). EXPOSITION JONATHAN LOVES DAVID (1 Samuel 18:1). 1 SAMUEL 18:1 WHEN HE HAD MADE AN END OF SPEAKING. This conversation took place as soon as the pursuit of the Philistines and the collecting of the spoil were over. There would then be a muster of the Israelites, and Abner would naturally present the youthful champion to the king, who is represented as having virtually forgotte

AND THE WOMEN ANSWERED [ONE ANOTHER] AS THEY PLAYED,.... They sung vocally to their instruments, and that by turns, one rehearsing one line or verse in the song, and then the other another: AND SAID, SAUL HATH SLAIN HIS THOUSANDS, AND DAVID HIS TEN THOUSANDS; which, if to be referred to the battle in the preceding chapter, as it commonly is, must be understood thus, that though Saul, in pursuit of the Philistines, slew many thousands of them, and David but one, even Goliath; yet the slaying of him was the occasion of slaying ten thousands, and therefore it is ascribed to him: but it seems rather that in some after battles David had been more prosperous and victorious than Saul, and therefore superior commendations are given him by the author of the song the women sung; which, however just it might be to give them, was not wise, since it served to irritate their king, as follows....

3. JONATHAN AND DAVID--SAUL'S JEALOUSY CHAPTER 18 _ 1. Jonathan's love for David (1 Samuel 18:1)_ 2. The beginning of Saul's jealousy (1 Samuel 18:5) 3. David's marriage (1 Samuel 18:17) A beautiful scene opens this chapter. Jonathan, the man of faith, loves David. He was about 40 years old and David about 17. Jonathan made a covenant with David and loved him as his own soul. He showed also his great devotion by giving to David, his robe, his garments, his sword, his bow and his girdle. Thus he stripped himself of all for David's sake. Such devotion and love should we manifest towards Him, who is greater than David. No doubt Jonathan's devotion was kindled by the deed young D

SAUL'S JEALOUSY (J). The victors, as they return, are greeted by the women with songs and dances; Saul's jealousy is aroused because David's achievements are spoken of as greater than his....

The celebration of David's victory 6. _And it came to pass_, &c. The narrative has made a digression to relate the circumstances of David's permanent reception into Saul's service, the commencement of the friendship between him and Jonathan, and his ultimate promotion and success. It now goes back to relate the welcome which David received when the army returned in triumph from the successful completion of the Philistine war. Ch. 1 Samuel 18:6 is to be read (as it actually stands in the Sept.) in connexion with 1 Samuel 17:54, though some time may have elapsed, during which the army was occupied in following up its first success. The Sept. reads 1 Samuel 18:6 thus; "And the dancing women came out of all t

THE WOMEN CAME OUT—SINGING AND DANCING— See Exodus 1:20. Saul probably received his first suspicion that _David_ was that _neighbour of his who was better than himself,_ to whom the Lord, as Samuel had told him, had given the kingdom, ch. 1 Samuel 15:28 from these acclamations of the women; which, I suppose, brought this declaration of the prophet to his remembrance, without which he would have treated this exalted encomium with neglect. This appears probable from his saying, _And what can he have more but the kingdom?_ 1 Samuel 18:8 and from what is further added, _Saul eyed David from that day._...