Saul's Jealousy of David

1 Samuel 18

6 As they were coming home, when David returned from striking down the Philistine, g 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. 1

7 And the women h sang to one another as they celebrated,
i "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 j the kingdom?" 9 And Saul eyed David from that day on.

10 The next day k a harmful spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and l he raved within his house while David was m playing the lyre, as he did day by day. n Saul had his spear in his hand. 11 And Saul o hurled the spear, for he thought, "I will pin David to the wall." But David evaded him twice.

12 p Saul was afraid of David because q the Lord was with him r but had departed from Saul. 13 So Saul removed him from his presence and made him a commander of a thousand. s And he went out and came in before the people. 14 And David t had success in all his undertakings, q for the Lord was with him. 15 And when Saul saw that t he had great success, he stood in fearful awe of him. 16 u But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them.

  1. Cross References
    Exodus 15:20
    Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and dancing.
    Judges 11:34
    Then Jephthah came to his home at Mizpah. And behold, his daughter came out to meet him with tambourines and with dances. She was his only child; besides her he had neither son nor daughter.
  2. Cross References
    Exodus 15:21
    And Miriam sang to them: "Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.
  3. Cross References
    1 Samuel 21:11
    And the servants of Achish said to him, "Is not this David the king of the land? Did they not sing to one another of him in dances, 'Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands'?
    1 Samuel 29:5
    Is not this David, of whom they sing to one another in dances, 'Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands'?
  4. Cross References
    1 Samuel 15:28
    And Samuel said to him, "The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you.
  5. Cross References
    1 Samuel 16:14
    Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the Lord tormented him.
    Judges 9:23
    And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem, and the leaders of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech.
  6. Cross References
    1 Samuel 19:23 - 24
    And he went there to Naioth in Ramah. And the Spirit of God came upon him also, and as he went he prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah.
    1 Kings 18:29
    And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention.
    Acts 16:16
    As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling.
  7. Cross References
    1 Samuel 16:16
    Let our lord now command your servants who are before you to seek out a man who is skillful in playing the lyre, and when the harmful spirit from God is upon you, he will play it, and you will be well.
  8. Cross References
    1 Samuel 19:9
    Then a harmful spirit from the Lord came upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand. And David was playing the lyre.
  9. Cross References
    1 Samuel 19:10
    And Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he eluded Saul, so that he struck the spear into the wall. And David fled and escaped that night.
    1 Samuel 20:33
    But Saul hurled his spear at him to strike him. So Jonathan knew that his father was determined to put David to death.
  10. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:15
    And when Saul saw that he had great success, he stood in fearful awe of him.
    1 Samuel 18:29
    Saul was even more afraid of David. So Saul was David's enemy continually.
  11. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:28
    But when Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him.
    1 Samuel 16:18
    One of the young men answered, "Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the Lord is with him.
  12. Cross References
    1 Samuel 16:14
    Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the Lord tormented him.
    1 Samuel 28:15
    Then Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?" Saul answered, "I am in great distress, for the Philistines are warring against me, and God has turned away from me and answers me no more, either by prophets or by dreams. Therefore I have summoned you to tell me what I shall do.
  13. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:16
    But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them.
    Numbers 27:17
    Who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the Lord may not be as sheep that have no shepherd.
    2 Samuel 5:2
    In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. And the Lord said to you, 'You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel.'
  14. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:5
    And David went out 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.
  15. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:12
    Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul.
  16. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:14
    And David had success in all his undertakings, for the Lord was with him.
  17. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:5
    And David went out 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.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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