Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Samuel 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?

What can he have … – Rather, There is only the kingdom left for him. Compare for the same sentiment, 1Ki 2:22. A kingdom (says Camden) brooketh no companion, and majesty more heavily taketh injuries to heart.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

What greater honour can they give him but that of the kingdom? Or thus, And moreover. this will not rest here, they will certainly give him the kingdom; they will translate the crown from me to him. Or thus, And moreover, the kingdom certainly belongs to him, i.e. I now perceive that this is the favourite of God, and of the people; this is that man after Gods own heart, to whom Samuel told me that God would transfer my kingdom.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

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 unto David ten thousands, and to me they ascribed [but] thousands; and so had given more honour to an inferior officer than to the commander-in-chief, more to a subject than to a sovereign:

and [what can] he have more but the kingdom? there is nothing left out of their song, and nothing remains to be given him but that; some think that Saul knew, by the prudent behaviour of David, and the favour he was in with God and men, and by these commendations of the women, that the kingdom would be his; and that the words of Samuel were true, and would be confirmed, that the kingdom would be rent from him, and given to his neighbour better than he. This clause, with 1Sa 18:9, is left out of the Greek version, according to the Vatican copy.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

(8) What can he have more but the kingdom?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 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.V. Gerlach, quoted in Keil.

Some years had passed since he first heard from the lips of his old prophet-friend the Divine sentence of his rejection from the kingdom. In that sad period he had doubtless been on the look-out for the one destined by the Invisible King to be his successor. This dread expectation of ruin and dethronement had been a powerful factor in the causes which had led to the unhingement of Sauls mind. Was not this gifted shepherd boynow the idol of the peoplethe future hope of Israel?

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

8. Saul was very wroth His passionate nature could not brook such insinuations without yielding to foul thoughts and deepest envy,

What can he have more but the kingdom Immediately there flashes upon him the suspicion that this son of Jesse is that neighbour of whom Samuel had spoken, (1Sa 15:28,) who was destined to supersede him on the throne.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

1Sa 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?

Ver. 8. And Saul was very wroth. ] But without cause: for, as Chrysostom observeth, a the women ascribed to Saul more than he deserved, – for he suffered the Philistine to vaunt himself forty days together, and yet cowardly sat still, – and to David less than was his due: but that they ascribed anything to him, was not his doing, or desire; as Saul might very well gather by his modest behaving himself all along.

And the saying displeased him. ] He gave way to that devilish vice of envy, which was henceforth as a fire in his bosom, as a worm continually gnawing upon his entrails.

“ Invidia Siculi non invenere tyranni

Maius tormentum. ” – Horat.

Caligula, Nero, and Valentinian, the emperors, are infamous in history b for their envy; the property whereof is virtutem eminentem odisse, et odio melioris favere deteriori. Tiberius, that tiger, laid hold with his teeth on all the excellent spirits of his times, that he alone might seem to excel.

And what can he have more but the kingdom? ] He now begins to suspect, belike, that David was the man that should be king in his room. Now kings love not co-rivals.

a Chrysost., Hom. de Saul et David.

b Sueton. Marcellin.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

the = this.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

the saying: Est 3:5, Pro 13:10, Pro 27:4, Ecc 4:4, Jam 4:5

displeased him: Heb. was evil in his eyes, Num 11:1, Num 22:34, *marg.

and what: 1Sa 13:14, 1Sa 15:28, 1Sa 16:13, 1Sa 20:31, 1Ki 2:22

Reciprocal: Exo 21:8 – please not 1Sa 19:1 – And Saul 1Sa 21:11 – the king Job 5:2 – envy Pro 27:21 – so Mat 5:22 – That Mar 7:22 – an evil Mar 15:10 – for envy Luk 15:28 – he 1Pe 2:1 – envies

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge