1 Samuel 18:30
in 1 Samuel 18Every time the Philistine commanders came out for battle, David was more successful than all of Saul’s officers, so that his name was highly esteemed.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it came to pass, as often as they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by.
KJV
Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it came to pass, after they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by.
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This verse in 1 Samuel 18
Commentary
5 notes on this verseThen the princes of the Philistines went forth - Probably to avenge themselves on David and the Israelites: but of this war we know no more than that David was more skillful and successful in it than any of the other officers of Saul. His military skill was greater, and his success was proportionate to his skill and courage; hence it is said, he behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul.
This site's exposition
Every time the Philistine commanders came out for battle
The chapter closes as its middle section did, David's wisdom set against every other name in Saul's court, his own name honored above them all. Clarke reads the unnamed war against the Philistine princes as further proof that skill, not chance, is what the narrator keeps describing.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Observe how God brought good to David out of Saul's project against him. Saul gave him his daughter to be a snare to him, but in this respect that marriage was a kindness to him, that his being Saul's son-in-law made his succeeding him much the less invidious, especially when so many of his sons were slain with him, ch. xxxi.
1 And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 2 And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house. 3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
Then the princes of the Philistines went forth,....
The words behind it
14 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֵּצְא֖וּ | vaiyetzeu | and they went out | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| שָׂרֵ֣י | sarei | [the] commanders of | H8269 → | 421 times |
| פְלִשְׁתִּ֑ים | felishtim | [the] Philistines | H6430 → | 287 times |
| וַיְהִ֣י׀ | vayhi | and it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| מִדֵּ֣י | midei | as often as | H1767 → | 39 times |
| צֵאתָ֗ם | tzetam | went out they | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| שָׂכַ֤ל | sakhal | he was successful | H7919 → | 62 times |
| דָּוִד֙ | david | David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| מִכֹּל֙ | mikol | more than all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| עַבְדֵ֣י | ʾavdei | [the] servants of | H5650 → | 799 times |
| שָׁא֔וּל | shaul | Saul | H7586 → | 402 times |
| וַיִּיקַ֥ר | vaiyikar | and it was esteemed | H3365 → | |
| שְׁמ֖וֹ | shemo | name his | H8034 → | 864 times |
| מְאֹֽד׃ ס | meod | exceedingly | H3966 → | 300 times |
וַיֵּצְא֖וּand they went out
vaiyetzeuH3318 →1067 times
שָׂרֵ֣י[the] commanders of
sareiH8269 →421 times
פְלִשְׁתִּ֑ים[the] Philistines
felishtimH6430 →287 times
וַיְהִ֣י׀and it was
vayhiH1961 →3559 times
מִדֵּ֣יas often as
mideiH1767 →39 times
צֵאתָ֗םwent out they
tzetamH3318 →1067 times
שָׂכַ֤לhe was successful
sakhalH7919 →62 times
דָּוִד֙David
davidH1732 →999 times
מִכֹּל֙more than all
mikolH3605 →5413 times
עַבְדֵ֣י[the] servants of
ʾavdeiH5650 →799 times
שָׁא֔וּלSaul
shaulH7586 →402 times
וַיִּיקַ֥רand it was esteemed
vaiyikarH3365 →
שְׁמ֖וֹname his
shemoH8034 →864 times
מְאֹֽד׃ סexceedingly
meodH3966 →300 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Ephesians 5:15Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,
it leads to
- Colossians 4:5
Act wisely toward outsiders, redeeming the time.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- James 3:13
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good conduct, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
- Philippians 1:27
Nevertheless, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm…
- 1 Corinthians 14:20
Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.
- Proverbs 14:8
The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way, but the folly of fools deceives them.
- Colossians 4:5
Through
Luke 21:15For I will give you speech and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 1:9
Then the LORD reached out His hand, touched my mouth, and said to me: “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.
- Ephesians 6:19
Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will boldly make known the mystery of the gospel,
- Luke 12:12
For at that time the Holy Spirit will teach you what you should say.”
- Jeremiah 1:9
Where this verse is studied
About 1 Samuel
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.