1 Samuel 18 Bible Commentary

The Geneva Study Bible

<< 1 Samuel 17 | 1 Samuel 18 | 1 Samuel 19 >>

18:1 And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the ^a soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

(a) His affection was fully bent toward him.

18:5 And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, [and] behaved himself ^b 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.

(b) That is, he prospered in all his doings.

18:6 And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the ^c 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.

(c) That is, Goliath.

18:9 And Saul ^d eyed David from that day and forward.

^d Because he envied and hated him.

18:10 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he ^e 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.

(e) That is, spoke as a man beside himself for so the people abused this word, when they could not understand.

18:13 Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went ^f out and came in before the people.

(f) Meaning he was captain over the people.

18:17 And Saul said to David, Behold my elder daughter Merab, her will I give thee to wife: only be thou valiant for me, and ^g fight the LORD'S battles. For Saul said, Let not mine hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.

(g) Fight against them that war against God's people.

18:19 But it came to pass at the time when Merab Saul's daughter should have been given to David, that ^h she was given unto Adriel the Meholathite to wife.

(h) By whom he had five sons who David put to death at the request of the Gibeonites, (2 Samuel 21:8).

18:21 And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a ⁱ snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Wherefore Saul said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son in law in [the one of] the twain.

(i) So his hypocrisy appears, for under pretence of favour he sought his destruction.

18:23 And Saul's servants spake those words in the ears of David. And David said, ^k Seemeth it to you [a] light [thing] to be a king's son in law, seeing that I [am] a poor man, and lightly esteemed?

(k) Meaning, that he was not able to endow his wife with riches.

18:26 And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the ^l king's son in law: and the days were not expired.

(l) Because he thought himself able to compass the king's request.

18:27 Wherefore David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and ^m they gave them in full tale to the king, that he might be the king's son in law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife.

(m) Meaning, David and his soldiers.

18:29 And Saul was yet the more afraid ⁿ of David; and Saul became David's enemy continually.

(n) To be deprived of his kingdom.

18:30 Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it came to pass, after they went forth, [that] ^o David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by.

(o) That is, David had better success against the Philistines than Saul's men.

<< 1 Samuel 17 | 1 Samuel 18 | 1 Samuel 19 >>