Bible/1 Samuel/18

1 Samuel 18:7

18:6 And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the 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. Philistine: or, Philistines instruments: Heb. three stringed instruments
And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.

KJV

Save image

The women sang to one another as they played, and said, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.”

And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.

And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.

18:8 And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom? displeased him: Heb. was evil in his eyes

What does 1 Samuel 18:7 mean?

1 Samuel 18:7 is a verse in the book of 1 Samuel, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include אִשָּׁה (ʼishshâh), עָנָה (ʻânâh), שָׂחַק (sâchaq). It connects to 4 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

Full chapter interlinear →
And
the
womenאִשָּׁהʼishshâh/ish-shaw'/H802a woman
answeredעָנָהʻânâh/aw-naw'/H6030properly, to eye or (generally) to heed, i.e. pay attention; by implication, to respond; by extension to begin to speak; specifically to sing, shout, testify, announce
one
another
as
they
played,שָׂחַקsâchaq/saw-khak'/H7832to laugh (in pleasure or detraction); by implication, to play
and
said,אָמַרʼâmar/aw-mar'/H559to say (used with great latitude)
SaulשָׁאוּלShâʼûwl/shaw-ool'/H7586Shaul, the name of an Edomite and two Israelites
hath
slainנָכָהnâkâh/naw-kaw'/H5221to strike (lightly or severely, literally or figuratively)
his
thousands,אֶלֶףʼeleph/eh'-lef/H505hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousand
and
DavidדָּוִדDâvid/daw-veed'/H1732David, the youngest son of Jesse
his
ten
thousands.רְבָבָהrᵉbâbâh/reb-aw-baw'/H7233abundance (in number), i.e. (specifically) a myriad (whether definite or indefinite)

Commentary on 1 Samuel 18:7

HENRY_FULL · 1 Samuel 18:7
m.14" We left the host of Israel in a very ill posture, in the close of the foregoing chapter; we saw in them no wisdom, nor strength, nor goodness, to give us ground to expect any other than that they should all be cut off by the army of the Philistines; yet here we find that infinite power which works without means, and that infinite goodness which gives without merit, glorified in a happy turn to their affairs, that still Samuel's words may be made good: "The Lord will not forsake his people, for his great name's sake," ( ch. xii. 22 . In this chapter we have, I. The host of the Philistines trampled upon, and triumphed over, by the faith and courage of Jonathan, who unknown to his father ( ver. 1-3 ), with his armour-bearer only, made a brave attack upon them, encouraging himself in the Lord his God, ver. 4-7 . He challenged them ( ver. 8-12 ), and, upon their acceptance of the challenge, charged them with such fury, or rather such faith, that he put them to flight, and set them one against another ( ver. 13-15 ), which gave opportunity to Saul and his forces, with other Israelites, to follow the blow, and gain a victory, ver. 16-23 . II. The host of Israel troubled and perplexed by the rashness and folly of Saul, who adjured the people to eat no food till night, which 1. Brought Jonathan to a præmunire, ver. 24-30 . 2. Was a temptation to the people, when the time of their fast had expired, to eat with the blood, ver. 31-35 . Jonathan's error, through ignorance, had like to have been his death, but the people rescued him, ver. 36-46 . III. In the close we have a general account of Saul's exploits ( ver. 47, 48 ) and of his family, ver. 49-52 . <

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

1 Samuel 13:15

And Samuel arose, and gat him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people that were present with him, about six hundred men. present: Heb. found

1 Samuel 13:16

And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with them, abode in Gibeah of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in Michmash. present: Heb. found Gibeah: Heb. Geba

Isaiah 10:28

He is come to Aiath, he is passed to Migron; at Michmash he hath laid up his carriages:

Isaiah 10:29

They are gone over the passage: they have taken up their lodging at Geba; Ramah is afraid; Gibeah of Saul is fled.

Topics

MusicVictoriesWoman

People & places in this verse

People

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with 1 Samuel 18:7.

Genesis 2:23

And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Woman: Heb. Isha Man: Heb. Ish

Genesis 3:1

Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? Yea: Heb. Yea, because, etc.

Genesis 3:12

And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.

Genesis 3:13

And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

Genesis 3:16

Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. to thy: or, subject to thy husband

Genesis 3:17

And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

Genesis 3:2

And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:

Genesis 3:4

And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

Frequently asked questions

What does 1 Samuel 18:7 say?

1 Samuel 18:7 (King James Version) reads: "And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands."

Is 1 Samuel 18:7 in the Old or New Testament?

1 Samuel 18:7 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of 1 Samuel.

Reflect

As you read 1 Samuel 18:7, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

Plan a sermon or study on 1 Samuel 18:7
18:6Read all of 1 Samuel 1818:8