Bible Strands
1 Samuel 18:30
Every 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.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator records David’s military performance in the immediate aftermath of Saul’s fear hardening into open hostility.
The words — שָׂכַ֤ל (sa.Khal) marks David’s consistent success, and מִ/דֵּ֣י (mi./Dei) frames the repeated pattern of Philistine campaign outings.
The thread — This repeated military reliability parallels 1 Samuel 18:5, where David prospers in every assignment Saul gives him, and stands against the backdrop of royal warfare customs noted in 2 Samuel 11:1. The narrative logic of honored service connects to 1 Samuel 2:30.
Why it lands — The text states a factual transfer of public esteem that makes Saul’s political position untenable and forces a direct confrontation between the king and his subordinate.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
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.
Cross-references
- 1 Samuel 18:5 So David marched out and prospered in everything Saul sent him to do, and Saul set him over the men of war. And this was pleasing in the sight of all the people, and of Saul’s officers as well.
- 2 Samuel 11:1 In the spring, at the time when kings march out to war, David sent out Joab and his servants with the whole army of Israel. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah, but David remained in Jerusalem.
- 1 Samuel 2:30 Therefore, the LORD, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I did indeed say that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever. But now the LORD declares: Far be it from Me! For I will honor those who honor Me, but those who despise Me will be disdained.
- Psalms 119:99 I have more insight than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation.
- Daniel 1:20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom.
- Luke 21:15 For I will give you speech and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.
- Ephesians 5:15 Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,
- 1 Peter 2:4 As you come to Him, the living stone, rejected by men but chosen and precious in God’s sight,
- 1 Peter 2:7 To you who believe, then, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,”
- 1 Samuel 26:21 Then Saul replied, “I have sinned. Come back, David my son. I will never harm you again, because today you considered my life precious. I have played the fool and have committed a grave error!”