1 Samuel 29:5 King James Version (KJV)

5 Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands?


1 Samuel 29:5 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

5 Is not this David, H1732 of whom they sang H6030 one to another in dances, H4246 saying, H559 Saul H7586 slew H5221 his thousands, H505 and David H1732 his ten thousands? H7233


1 Samuel 29:5 American Standard (ASV)

5 Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands?


1 Samuel 29:5 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

5 Is not this David, of whom they answer in choruses, saying, Saul hath smitten among his thousands, and David among his myriads?'


1 Samuel 29:5 Darby English Bible (DARBY)

5 Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Saul smote his thousands, and David his ten thousands?


1 Samuel 29:5 World English Bible (WEB)

5 Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Saul has slain his thousands, David his ten thousands?


1 Samuel 29:5 Bible in Basic English (BBE)

5 Is this not David, who was named in their songs, when in the dance they said to one another, Saul has put to death thousands, and David tens of thousands?

Cross Reference

1 Samuel 18:6-7 KJV

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. And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.

Commentary on 1 Samuel 29 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible


CHAPTER 29

1Sa 29:1-5. David Marching with the Philistines to Fight with Israel.

1. Aphek—(Jos 12:8), in the tribe of Issachar, and in the plain of Esdraelon. A person who compares the Bible account of Saul's last battle with the Philistines, with the region around Gilboa, has the same sort of evidence that the account relates what is true, that a person would have that such a battle as Waterloo really took place. Gilboa, Jezreel, Shunem, En-dor, are all found, still bearing the same names. They lie within sight of each other. Aphek is the only one of the cluster not yet identified. Jezreel on the northern slope of Gilboa, and at the distance of twenty minutes to the east, is a large fountain, and a smaller one still nearer; just the position which a chieftain would select, both on account of its elevation and the supply of water needed for his troops [Hackett, Scripture Illustrated].

2. David and his men passed on in the rereward with Achish—as the commander of the lifeguards of Achish, who was general of this invading army of the Philistines.

3. these days, or these years—He had now been with the Philistines a full year and four months (1Sa 27:7), and also some years before. It has been thought that David kept up a private correspondence with this Philistine prince, either on account of his native generosity, or in the anticipation that an asylum in his territories would sooner or later be needed.

4. the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him—It must be considered a happy circumstance in the overruling providence of God to rescue David out of the dangerous dilemma in which he was now placed. But David is not free from censure in his professions to Achish (1Sa 29:8), to do what he probably had not the smallest purpose of doing—of fighting with Achish against his enemies. It is just an instance of the unhappy consequences into which a false step—a departure from the straight course of duty—will betray everyone who commits it.

9. notwithstanding the princes of the Philistines have said—The Philistine government had constitutional checks—or at least the king was not an absolute sovereign; but his authority was limited—his proceedings liable to be controlled by "the powerful barons of that rude and early period—much as the kings of Europe in the Middle Ages were by the proud and lawless aristocracy which surrounded them" [Chalmers].