When Saul saw that David was very successful, he was afraid of him.
Parallel translations
- WEB When Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he stood in awe of him.
- KJV Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him.
- NKJV Therefore, when Saul saw that he behaved very wisely, he was afraid of him.
- NASB When Saul saw that he was very successful, he was afraid of him.
- NLT When Saul recognized this, he became even more afraid of him.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Seeing David's great success, Saul stands in dread of him. The king's fear grows as God's blessing on David becomes ever clearer.
Overview
Saul observes David's evident wisdom and is filled with awe and fear rather than gladness. What should have drawn the king's gratitude only deepens his dread. The verse underscores how Saul's heart, estranged from God, twists David's God-given success into a cause for terror, the bitter fruit of a life resisting the Lord.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- Dan 6:4–5Thus the administrators and satraps sought a charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find no charge or corruption, because he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption was found in him.
- Jas 1:5Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
- Ps 112:5It is well with the man who is generous and lends freely, whose affairs are guided by justice.
- Col 4:5Act wisely toward outsiders, redeeming the time.
- Jas 3:17But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The rise of the anointed king after Israel's failed first choice points to the true Anointed One (Messiah means 'anointed'), the shepherd-king after God's own heart from Bethlehem.
How 1 Samuel 18:15 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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