Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Samuel 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 music.
6 9. 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. 1Sa 18:6 is to be read (as it actually stands in the Sept.) in connexion with 1Sa 17:54, though some time may have elapsed, during which the army was occupied in following up its first success. The Sept. reads 1Sa 18:6 thus; “And the dancing women came out of all the cities of Israel to meet David, with tabrets and rejoicing and cymbals.”
the women came out, &c.] To escort the victors home with singing and dancing. Dancing was the usual expression of rejoicing upon occasions of national triumph like the present; cp. Exo 15:20-21; Jdg 11:34; and at religions festivals (Psa 68:25; Psa 149:3). These dances were as a rule confined to women David’s dancing in 2Sa 6:14 was exceptional and probably resembled the modern Oriental dance, in which the evolutions are extemporaneous, and not confined to any fixed rule, but varied at the pleasure of the leading dancer, who is imitated by the rest of the company.
with tabrets, &c.] The dance was accompanied (1) by the “tabret” or “timbrel” (Exo 15:20; Jdg 11:34): i.e. the hand-drum, an instrument still used by the Arabs, and described as “a hoop (sometimes with pieces of brass fixed in it to make a jingling) over which a piece of parchment is distended. It is beaten with the fingers:” (2) “with joy:” i.e. jubilant shouts and songs: (3) “with instruments of music;” either “triangles,” or “three-stringed instruments.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The Philistine – Rather as in the margin. The allusion is not to Goliath, but to one of the expeditions referred to in 1Sa 18:5.
Singing and dancing – Women used to dance to the sound of the timbrel, and to sing as they danced and played.
(instruments of music The word means, an instrument like the triangle, or with three cords.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 6. When David was returned] This verse connects well with the 54th verse of the preceding chapter; 1Sa 17:54 and carries on the narration without any break or interruption. See the notes there.
The women came out] It was the principal business of certain women to celebrate victories, sing at funerals, c.
With instruments of music.] The original word ( shalishim) signifies instruments with three strings and is, I think, properly translated by the Vulgate, cum sistris, “with sistrums.” This instrument is well known as being used among the ancient Egyptians: it was made of brass, and had three, sometimes more, brass rods across; which, being loose in their holes, made a jingling noise when the instrument was shaken.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
When David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine; either, first, From some eminent victory obtained by him against the Philistines, though not particularly related, wherein also Saul might be present and concerned. Or rather, secondly, From the slaughter of Goliath, and the other Philistines with him. Against this it is objected, that this song was sung either after David was advanced and employed, as is related 1Sa 18:5, and therefore not immediately after that great victory; or, before he was so advanced; and then it would have raised Sauls jealousy and envy, and consequently hindered Davids advancement. But it may be replied, that this song, though placed afterwards, was sung before Davids advancement, related 1Sa 18:5. And that this did not hinder Davids preferment, must be ascribed partly to Sauls policy, who, though he had an eye upon David, and designed to crush him upon a fit occasion; yet saw it necessary for his own reputation, and the encouragement of other mens valour, and for the satisfaction of Jonathans passionate desire, and the just and general expectation of the whole army and people, to give him some considerable preferment for the present; and principally to Gods providence overruling Saul, against his own inclination, and his mistaken interest.
Out of all cities of Israel, i.e. out of all the neighbouring cities, by or through which the victorious army marched.
Singing and dancing, according to the custom of those times and places; of which See Poole “Exo 15:20“, See Poole “Jdg 11:34“.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
6. the women came out of all citiesof Israelin the homeward march from the pursuit of thePhilistines. This is a characteristic trait of Oriental manners. Onthe return of friends long absent, and particularly on the return ofa victorious army, bands of women and children issue from the townsand villages, to form a triumphal procession, to celebrate thevictory, and, as they go along, to gratify the soldiers with dancing,instrumental music, and extempore songs, in honor of the generals whohave earned the highest distinction by feats of gallantry. The Hebrewwomen, therefore, were merely paying the customary gratulations toDavid as the deliverer of their country, but they committed a greatindiscretion by praising a subject at the expense of their sovereign.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
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 singular being put for the plural; since, according to the order of the history, this seems to be done after David was brought to court, and had been made a captain, and had been sent out on military expeditions, and had been successful therein, and from one of which he now returned:
that the women came out of all the cities of Israel; through which they passed:
singing and dancing; as were usual after great victories obtained, and deliverances wrought, the female sex being generally greatly affected with such things; since when things go otherwise they suffer much, and their fears rise high in time of battle; and when victory goes on their side, it gives them great joy, and which they used to express in this way:
to meet King Saul; the commander-in-chief, with his other officers, and David among the rest:
with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of music; with pipes or flutes, which they both blew with their mouths, and played on with their hands, and other musical instruments exciting joy; the last word is, by the Targum, rendered,
“with cymbals;”
and so the Septuagint version; it signifies a musical instrument of three cords, according to Kimchi; and others, as Ben Gersom, understand it of principal songs, in which things wonderful, excellent, and honourable, were spoken of: see Ex 15:20. Such sort of women were among the Romans called Cymballatriae and Tympanistriae t, who shook the cymbals, and beat upon tabrets and drums at times of rejoicing.
t Vid. Pignorium de Servis, p. 166, 174.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Saul’s jealousy towards David.
(Note: The section 1Sa 18:6-14 is supposed by Thenius and others to have been taken by the compiler from a different source from the previous one, and not to have been written by the same author: (1) because the same thing is mentioned in 1Sa 18:13, 1Sa 18:14, as in 1Sa 18:5, though in a somewhat altered form, and 1Sa 18:10, 1Sa 18:11 occur again in 1Sa 19:9-10, with a few different words, and in a more appropriate connection; (2) because the contents of 1Sa 19:9, and the word in 1Sa 19:10, are most directly opposed to 1Sa 18:2 and 1Sa 18:5. On these grounds, no doubt, the lxx have not only omitted the beginning of 1Sa 18:6 from their version, but also 1Sa 18:9-11. But the supposed discrepancy between 1Sa 18:9 and 1Sa 18:10 and 1Sa 18:2 and 1Sa 18:5, – viz., that Saul could not have kept David by his side from attachment to him, or have placed him over his men of war after several prosperous expeditions, as is stated in 1Sa 18:2 and 1Sa 18:5, if he had looked upon him with jealous eyes from the very first day, or if his jealousy had broken out on the second day in the way described in 1Sa 18:10, 1Sa 18:11, – is founded upon two erroneous assumptions; viz., (1) that the facts contained in 1Sa 18:1-5 were contemporaneous with those in 1Sa 18:6-14; and (2) that everything contained in these two sections is to be regarded as strictly chronological. But the fact recorded in 1Sa 18:2, namely, that Saul took David to himself, and did not allow him to go back to his father’s house any more, occurred unquestionably some time earlier than those mentioned in 1Sa 18:6. with their consequences. Saul took David to himself immediately after the defeat of Goliath, and before the war had been brought to an end. But the celebration of the victory, in which the paean of the women excited jealousy in Saul’s mind, did not take place till the return of the people and of the king at the close of the war. How long the war lasted we do not know; but from the fact that the Israelites pursued the flying Philistines to Gath and Ekron, and then plundered the camp of the Philistines after that ( 1Sa 17:52-53), it certainly follows that some days, if not weeks, must have elapsed between David’s victory over Goliath and the celebration of the triumph, after the expulsion of the Philistines from the land. Thus far the events described in the two sections are arranged in their chronological order; but for all the rest the facts are arranged antithetically, according to their peculiar character, whilst the consequences, which reached further than the facts that gave rise to them, and were to some extent contemporaneous, are appended immediately to the facts themselves. Thus David’s going out whithersoever Saul sent him (1Sa 18:5) may indeed have commenced during the pursuit of the flying Philistines; but it reached far beyond this war, and continued even while Saul was looking upon him with jealous eyes. 1Sa 18:5 contains a general remark, with which the historian brings to a close one side of the relation between David and Saul, which grew out of David’s victory. He then proceeds in 1Sa 18:6 to give the other side, and rounds off this paragraph also (1Sa 18:14-16) with a general remark, the substance of which resembles, in the main, the substance of 1Sa 18:5. At the same time it implies some progress, inasmuch as the delight of the people at the acts performed by David (1Sa 18:5) grew into love to David itself. This same progress is also apparent in 1Sa 18:13 (“ Saul made him captain over a thousand ”), as compared with 1Sa 18:5 (“ Saul set him over the men of war ”). Whether the elevation of David into a captain over a thousand was a higher promotion than his appointment over the men of war, or the latter expression is to be taken as simply a more general or indefinite term, denoting his promotion to the rank of commander-in-chief, is a point which can hardly be determined with certainty.)
– Saul had no sooner attached the conqueror of Goliath to his court, than he began to be jealous of him. The occasion for his jealousy was the celebration of victory at the close of the war with the Philistines.
1Sa 18:6-7 “ When they came,” i.e., when the warriors returned with Saul from the war, “ when (as is added to explain what follows) David returned from the slaughter,” i.e., from the war in which he had slain Goliath, the women came out of all the towns of Israel, “ to singing and dancing,” i.e., to celebrate the victory with singing and choral dancing (see the remarks on Exo 15:20), “ to meet king Saul with tambourines, with joy, and with triangles.” is used here to signify expressions of joy, a fte, as in Jdg 16:23, etc. The striking position in which the word stands, viz., between two musical instruments, shows that, the word is to be understood here as referring specially to songs of rejoicing, since according to 1Sa 18:7 their playing was accompanied with singing. The women who “ sported ” ( ), i.e., performed mimic dances, sang in alternate choruses (“ answered,” as in Exo 15:21), “ Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.”
1Sa 18:8 Saul was enraged at this. The words displeased him, so that he said, “ They have given David ten thousands, and to me thousands, and there is only the kingdom more for him ” (i.e., left for him to obtain). “In this foreboding utterance of Saul there was involved not only a conjecture which the result confirmed, but a deep inward truth: if the king of Israel stood powerless before the subjugators of his kingdom at so decisive a period as this, and a shepherd boy came and decided the victory, this was an additional mark of his rejection” ( O. v. Gerlach).
1Sa 18:9 From that day forward Saul was looking askance at David. , a denom. verb, from , an eye, looking askance, is used for ( Keri).
1Sa 18:10-11 The next day the evil spirit fell upon Saul (“ the evil spirit of God;” see at 1Sa 16:14), so that he raved in his house, and threw his javelin at David, who played before him “ as day by day,” but did not hit him, because David turned away before him twice. does not mean to prophesy in this instance, but “ to rave.” This use of the word is founded upon the ecstatic utterances, in which the supernatural influence of the Spirit of God manifested itself in the prophets (see at 1Sa 10:5). , from , he hurled the javelin, and said (to himself), “ I will pierce David and the wall.” With such force did he hurl his spear; but David turned away from him, i.e., eluded it, twice. His doing so a second time presupposes that Saul hurled the javelin twice; that is to say, he probably swung it twice without letting it go out of his hand, – a supposition which is raised into certainty by the fact that it is not stated here that the javelin entered the wall, as in 1Sa 19:10. But even with this view is not to be changed into , as Thenius proposes, since the verb cannot be proved to have ever the meaning to swing. Saul seems to have held the javelin in his hand as a sceptre, according to ancient custom.
1Sa 18:12-13 “ And Saul was afraid of David, because the Spirit of Jehovah was with him, and had departed from Saul; ” he “ removed him therefore from him,” i.e., from his immediate presence, by appointing him chief captain over thousand. In this fear of David on the part of Saul, the true reason for his hostile behaviour is pointed out with deep psychological truth. The fear arose from the consciousness that the Lord had departed from him, – a consciousness which forced itself involuntarily upon him, and drove him to make the attempt, in a fit of madness, to put David to death. The fact that David did not leave Saul immediately after this attempt upon his life, may be explained not merely on the supposition that he looked upon this attack as being simply an outburst of momentary madness, which would pass away, but still more from his firm believing confidence, which kept him from forsaking the post in which the Lord had placed him without any act of his own, until he saw that Saul was plotting to take his life, not merely in these fits of insanity, but also at other times, in calm deliberation (vid., 1Sa 19:1.).
1Sa 18:14-16 As chief commander over thousand, he went out and in before the people, i.e., he carried out military enterprises, and that so wisely and prosperously, that the blessing of the Lord rested upon all he did. But these successes on David’s part increased Saul’s fear of him, whereas all Israel and Judah came to love him as their leader. David’s success in all that he took in hand compelled Saul to promote him; and his standing with the people increased with his promotion. But as the Spirit of God had departed from Saul, this only filled him more and more with dread of David as his rival. As the hand of the Lord was visibly displayed in David’s success, so, on the other hand, Saul’s rejection by God was manifested in his increasing fear of David.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
| David Honoured by the People; Saul Troubled with an Evil Spirit. | B. C. 1060. |
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 music. 7 And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. 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? 9 And Saul eyed David from that day and forward. 10 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he 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. 11 And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice.
Now begin David’s troubles, and they not only tread on the heels of his triumphs, but take rise from them, such is the vanity of that in this world which seems greatest.
I. He was too much magnified by the common people. Some time after the victory Saul went a triumphant progress through the cities of Israel that lay next him, to receive the congratulations of the country. And, when he made his public entry into any place, the women were most forward to show him respect, as was usual then in public triumphs (v. 6), and they had got a song, it seems, which they sang in their dances (made by some poet or other, that was a great admirer of David’s bravery, and was more just than wise, in giving his achievements in the late action the preference before Saul’s), the burden of which was, Saul had slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. Such a difference as this Moses made between the numbers of Ephraim and Manasseh, Deut. xxxiii. 17.
II. This mightily displeased Saul, and made him envy David, 1Sa 18:8; 1Sa 18:9. He ought to have considered that they referred only to this late action, and intended not to diminish any of Saul’s former exploits; and that in the action now celebrated it was undeniably true that David, in killing Goliath, did in effect slay all the Philistines that were slain that day and defeated the whole army; so that they did but give David his due. It may be, he that composed the song only used a poetic liberty, and intended not any invidious comparison between Saul and David; or, if he did, it was below the great mind of a prince to take notice of such a reflection upon his personal honour, when it appeared that the glory of the public was sincerely intended. But Saul was very wroth, and presently suspected some treasonable design at the bottom of it: What can he have more but the kingdom? This made him eye David as one he was jealous of and sought advantages against (v. 9): his countenance was not towards him as it had been. Proud men cannot endure to hear any praised but themselves, and think all their honour lost that goes by themselves. It is a sign that the Spirit of God has departed from men if they be peevish in their resentment of affronts, envious and suspicious of all about them, and ill-natured in their conduct; for the wisdom from above makes us quite otherwise.
III. In his fury he aimed to kill David, 1Sa 18:10; 1Sa 18:11. Jealousy is the rage of a man; it made Saul outrageous against David and impatient to get him out of the way. 1. His fits of frenzy returned upon him. The very next day after he conceived malice against David the evil spirit from God, that had formerly haunted him, seized him again. Those that indulge themselves in envy and uncharitableness give place to the devil, and prepare for the re-entry of the unclean spirit, with seven others more wicked. Where envy is there is confusion. Saul pretended a religious ecstasy: He prophesied in the midst of the house, that is, he had the gestures and motions of a prophet, and humoured the thing well enough to decoy David into a snare, and that he might be fearless of any danger and off his guard; and perhaps designing, if he could but kill him, to impute it to a divine impulse and to charge it upon the spirit of prophecy with which he seemed to be animated: but really it was a hellish fury that actuated him. 2. David, though advanced to a much higher post of honour, disdained not, for his master’s service, to return to his harp: He played with his hand as at other times. Let not the highest think any thing below them whereby they may do good and be serviceable to those they are obliged to. 3. He took this opportunity to aim at the death of David. A sword in a madman’s hand is a dangerous thing, especially such a madman as Saul was, that was mad with malice. Yet he had a javelin or dart in his hand, which he projected, endeavouring thereby to slay David, not in a sudden passion, but deliberately: I will smite David to the wall with it, with such a desperate force did he throw it. Justly does David complain of his enemies that they hated him with a cruel hatred, Ps. xxv. 19. No life is thought too precious to be sacrificed to malice. If a grateful sense of the great service David had done to the public could not assuage Saul’s fury, yet one would think he should have allowed himself to consider the kindness David was now doing him, in relieving him, as no one else could, against the worst of troubles. Those are possessed with a devilish spirit indeed that render evil for good. 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 meekness and usefulness of God’s persecuted people and the brutishness and barbarity of their persecutors. The bloodthirsty hate the upright, but the just seek his soul, Prov. xxix. 10. 4. David happily avoided the blow twice (namely, now, and afterwards, ch. xix. 10); he did not throw the javelin at Saul again, but withdrew, not fighting but flying for his own preservation; though he had both strength and courage enough, and colour of right, to make resistance and revenge the injury, yet he did no more than secure himself, by getting out of the way of it. David, no doubt, had a watchful eye upon Saul’s hand, and the javelin in it, and did as bravely in running from it as he did lately in running upon Goliath. Yet his safety must be ascribed to the watchful eye of God’s providence upon him, saving his servant from the hurtful sword; and by this narrow escape it seemed he was designed for something extraordinary.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
(6) When David was returned.The triumphant return of the young soldier does not refer to the homecoming after the death of the giant, but to the close of the campaign which followed that event. Evidently a series of victories after the fall of the dreaded championperhaps spread over a very considerable periodhad for a time restored the supremacy of Israel in Canaan. In this war, David, on whom after his great feat of arms the eyes of all the soldiery were fixed, established his character for bravery and skill.
Singing and dancing.This was on some grand occasionprobably the final triumph at the end of the war. The Speakers Commentary, on the English rendering singing and dancing, remarks that the Hebrew text is probably here corrupt, and suggests that for vau, and, we ought to read beth, with and that then the sense would be to sing in the dance, or with dancing. The action was for the women to dance to the sound of the timbrel, and to sing the Epinicium with strophe and antistrophe as they danced and played. (Comp. Exo. 15:20-21; Jdg. 11:34.)
We know that music and song were originally closely connected with dancing. David, for instance, when a mighty king, on one great occasion in Jerusalem actually himself performed dances before all the people (2Sa. 6:14; 2Sa. 6:16). (See Note on Exo. 15:20.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
6. All cities of Israel All those near which the returning army passed.
Singing and dancing According to the custom of the Hebrew women after great victories. Compare Exo 15:20; Jdg 11:34.
Instruments of music Margin, three-stringed instruments. , as the name of a musical instrument, occurs here only, and signifies, literally, threes. The triangle is probably intended, of which we subjoin an engraving.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
1Sa 18:6-9. The women came outsinging and dancing See Exo 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. 1Sa 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? 1Sa 18:8 and from what is further added, Saul eyed David from that day.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
(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. (7) And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. (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? (9) And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.
Here we behold the sad consequences of jealousy and envy. David’s victory now began to cost him dear. In all ages this hath been the case. And no sooner doth grace manifest itself in any man’s heart, but the enmity of the carnal mind breaks out. How did the victories of our Jesus over diseases, the possession of evil spirits, and the like, subject him to the reproaches of bad men? He hath a devil and is mad, said some. He casteth out devils, said others, through Beelzebub the prince of the devils. And Herod sought to kill him. Yes! dearest Lord! in all things it behoved thee to have the pre-eminency, though it be in suffering, and in persecution.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
1Sa 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.
Ver. 6. Women came ont. ] Women share deeply in a common calamity by war; they usually are ravished, abused, slaved; they therefore greatly rejoiced, as there was reason, when the enemy was vanquished. See Exo 15:20 Jdg 11:34
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Philistine. Authorized Version and Revised Version margin “Philistines”. dancing. A great celebration. Twice referred to later (1Sa 21:11; 1Sa 29:5). Compare subscription of Psa 52, which is mahalath = the great dancing”.
tabrets. Hebrew. toph = drums of various sizes.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Philistine: or, Philistines
the women: Exo 15:20, Jdg 11:34, Psa 68:25, Jer 31:11-13
instruments of music: Heb. three stringed instruments, The original shalishim, is rendered by the Vulgate sistris. The sistrum. The sistrum was an ancient Egyptian instrument made of brass, with three, and sometimes more brass rods across; which, being loose in their holes, made a jingling noise when shaken.
Reciprocal: Gen 14:17 – to Jdg 21:21 – dance 1Sa 29:5 – General 2Sa 1:20 – Philistines Jer 31:4 – again
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Sa 18:6-9. The women came out of all the cities All the neighbouring cities. And the women answered one another as they played They sang, as well as played on musical instruments. And they sang alternately, as they did Exo 15:21. And the burden of the song seems to have been that which follows. And said, Saul hath slain his thousands, &c. To understand this it is necessary to observe, that the usual way of singing at that time was in parts. So that some of these women having taken up or begun the song with, Saul hath slain his thousands, another party answered them in their turn in the same strain, And David his ten thousands. And Saul was very wroth He began to be jealous they would advance David to the throne in a little time, having so highly magnified him above their king. And Saul eyed David Narrowly observed him, or looked upon him with an envious eye.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
1Sa 18:6-9. Sauls Jealousy (J).The victors, as they return, are greeted by the women with songs and dances; Sauls jealousy is aroused because Davids achievements are spoken of as greater than his.
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible
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.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
David’s popularity with the people 18:6-9
These verses show how David had captured the affection of many Israelites by his victory over Goliath. Successful military heroes still do so today. Notwithstanding David’s popularity, not everyone was ready to join David’s fan club, as the text proceeds to clarify. He became a controversial figure in Israel. Apparently Saul suspected that with such popularity David might attempt to overthrow his government. However, it was personal jealousy that took root in Saul’s mind and led to his downfall. The women’s song did not intend to insult Saul. It is typical Hebrew parallelism in which both heroes received honor for slaying multitudes of Israel’s enemies, albeit David received the higher commendation. While David’s actions pleased the people (1Sa 18:5), they displeased the king (1Sa 18:8). The problem was Saul’s desire to be popular with the people more than with God. Contrast humble John the Baptist, who wanted Jesus to receive more honor than himself (Joh 1:26-27; Joh 3:30).