841 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Saul said unto him, whose son [art] thou, [thou] young man?.... Still the question was such as did not necessarily imply ignorance of his person, but of his family: and David answered, I [am] the son of thy servant Jesse the Bethlehemite; which doubtless refreshed the memory of Saul, and he quickly called to mind who he was. This interview was...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 18 This chapter gives an account of the respect shown to David by Saul and Jonathan, by the servants of Saul, and all the people, and of what was said in his praise in the songs of the women, 1 Samuel 18:1; which latter gave Saul a great offence, and upon which he envied him, and eyed him, and indeed sought his life,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul,.... In answer to his questions about his descent and family, and doubtless more things were talked of than are recorded: that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David: he won his heart, made a conquest of his affections, these went out towards him, and cleaved unto...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Saul took him that day,.... Not only into his favour, and into his service, but into his court; even on that very day he slew the Philistine, or however as soon as it could be done: and would let him go no more home to his father's house; as he used to do before; when he only served as a musician to him, then he was only at court when Saul was...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then Jonathan and David made a covenant,.... A covenant of friendship; entered into a solemn agreement to keep up and maintain a cordial respect to each other, and to support each other's interest both in life and after death, whoever was the survivor; and in consequence of this David had a friend at court, when Saul fell out with him, and who...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that [was] upon him,.... As a token of his hearty love and true friendship, and that David might appear at court not in the habit of a shepherd, but in that of a prince: and gave it to David, and his garments; his other garments besides his robe, and so clothed him from tip to toe, and which fitted him;...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him,.... About any business whatsoever, especially about martial affairs, for which he was abundantly qualified: [and] behaved himself wisely; in the management of them, using great prudence and discretion, and so failed not of success, and of recommending himself; the Targum renders it "prospering"; he...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And it came to pass, as they came,.... The armies of Israel, with their commanders at the head of them: when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine; either from the slaughter of Goliath, with his head in his hand, going to Jerusalem, and Saul accompanying him; or rather from the slaughter of the Philistines at some other time, the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him,.... Partly because they called him plain Saul, and not King Saul; did not give him his royal title, which might serve to strengthen his suspicion, after suggested; and chiefly because they attributed a greater number of slain to David than to him, as follows: and he said, they have ascribed...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Saul eyed David from that day and forward. Instead of looking pleasantly, and with a smile, upon him, as a courtier and favourite, he was justly entitled to by his gallant behaviour, he looked at him with a sour, ill natured look; he looked at him with an evil, spiteful, malicious, and envious eye; or he diligently watched and observed all his...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And it came to pass on the morrow,.... After the women had met him with their music and dancing, and when returned home: that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul; thinking on the above things that had passed, he became melancholy: and he prophesied in the midst of the house; either really, delivering out divine songs, as the prophets did;...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Saul cast the javelin,.... Out of his hand at David: for he said; in his heart, determining in his mind: I will smite David even to the wall [with it]; he determined to cast it with such force and violence, that it should pierce through David, and enter into the very wall, by the side of which David was: and David avoided out of his presence...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him,.... Protecting and preserving him, prospering and succeeding him, giving him victory over his enemies, and favour among the people; the Targum is, "the Word of the Lord was for his help.'' Procopius Gazaeus interprets it of the Holy Ghost, whose grace was vouchsafed unto him: he might be...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Therefore Saul removed him from him,.... From court, partly that he might be out of his sight, having such an hatred of his person that he could not bear to see him, and partly that he might be safer from any designs of his upon his life, which he might fear, because of his treatment of him: and made him his captain over a thousand; not out of...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways,.... Both in the court and in the camp, in whatsoever service he was employed; or "prospered" (u), as the word also signifies; for, generally speaking, those that behave wisely succeed well; in this he was a type of Christ, Isaiah 52:13; the reason of it follows, and the Lord [was] with him; from...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely,.... So that he could get no advantage against him, and he succeeded and was prosperous in all his enterprises, and was more and more in favour with the people: he was afraid of him; lest the time was drawing near that the kingdom should be rent from him, and given to David.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And all Israel and Judah loved David,.... The verb is singular, and denotes that everyone of them loved him in all the tribes of Israel, as well as in Judah his own tribe; in such general esteem was he, and so much had he got the hearts and affections of the people: because he went out and came in before them; the people, as in 1 Samuel 18:13; so...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Saul said to David,.... Not in friendship and good will to him, but designing to lay a snare for him: behold, my eldest daughter Merab, her will I give thee to wife; most interpreters understand it, that he was obliged to this by promise, on account of David's slaying Goliath, 1 Samuel 17:25; but Abarbinel is of another mind, and he rightly...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And David said unto Saul,.... Surprised at the offer Saul made him, yet not refusing it, but expressing himself with great modesty and humility: who [am] I? as to his person, parentage, and employment, mean and despicable, at least in his own eyes, a type of the lowly Jesus, Matthew 11:29; and what [is] my life? keeping sheep, for from thence was...