1 Samuel 18:6

Contextual Overview

⁶As the troops were coming back, when David was returning from killing the Philistine, the women came out from all the cities of Israel to meet King Saul, singing and dancing with tambourines, with shouts of joy, and with three-stringed instruments. ⁶ It happened as they came, when David returned from the slaughter of the Pelishti, that the women came out of all the cities of Yisra'el, singing and dancing, to meet king Sha'ul, with timbrels, with joy, and with instruments of music. ⁶ 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 musick. ⁶ When they were coming back after David had returned from striking down the Philistine, the women went out from all the cities of Israel singing and dancing to meet King Saul with tambourines, with joy, and with three-stringed instruments. ⁶ As they were coming home, when David returned from striking down the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with songs of joy, and with musical instruments. ⁶ After David had killed the Philistine, he and the men returned home. Women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul. They sang songs of joy, danced, and played tambourines and stringed instruments. ⁶ When the men arrived after David returned from striking down the Philistine, the women from all the cities of Israel came out singing and dancing to meet King Saul. They were happy as they played their tambourines and three-stringed instruments. ⁶As they were coming [home], when David returned from killing the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul with tambourines, [songs of] joy, and musical instruments.⁶ Now it happened as they were coming, when David returned from killing the Philistine, that the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy and with other musical instruments.⁶ When they came againe, & Dauid returned from the slaughter of the Philistim, the women came out of all cities of Israel singing and dauncing to meete king Saul, with timbrels, with instruments of ioy, and with rebeckes.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Philistine: or, Philistines

the women: Exodus 15:20, Judges 11:34, Psalms 68:25, Jeremiah 31:11-13

instruments of music: Heb. three stringed instruments, The original shalishim, is rendered by the Vulgate sistris. The sistrum. The sistrum was an ancient Egyptian instrument made of brass, with three, and sometimes more brass rods across; which, being loose in their holes, made a jingling noise when shaken.

Reciprocal: Genesis 14:17 - to Judges 21:21 - dance 1 Samuel 29:5 - General 2 Samuel 1:20 - Philistines Jeremiah 31:4 - again

Cross-References

Isaiah 32:8
But a noble person plans noble things;he stands up for noble causes.

Isaiah 32:8
But the noble devises noble things; and in noble things shall he continue.

Isaiah 32:8
But the liberal deviseth liberal things; and by liberal things shall he stand.

Isaiah 32:8
But he who is noble plans noble things, and on noble things he stands.

Isaiah 32:8
But the noble person devises noble plans; And by noble plans he stands.

Isaiah 32:8
But a good leader plans to do good, and those good things make him a good leader.

Isaiah 32:8
But the noble man conceives noble and magnificent things; And he stands by what is noble and magnificent.

Isaiah 32:8
But the noble devises noble things; and in noble things shall he continue.

Isaiah 32:8
But the liberall man will deuise of liberall things, and he will continue his liberalitie.

Isaiah 32:8
But the noble man counsels noble plans;And by noble plans he rises up.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And it came to pass, as they came,.... The armies of Israel, with their commanders at the head of them:

when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine; either from the slaughter of Goliath, with his head in his hand, going to Jerusalem, and Saul accompanying him; or rather from the slaughter of the Philistines at some other time, the singular being put for the plural; since, according to the order of the history, this seems to be done after David was brought to court, and had been made a captain, and had been sent out on military expeditions, and had been successful therein, and from one of which he now returned:

that the women came out of all the cities of Israel; through which they passed:

singing and dancing; as were usual after great victories obtained, and deliverances wrought, the female sex being generally greatly affected with such things; since when things go otherwise they suffer much, and their fears rise high in time of battle; and when victory goes on their side, it gives them great joy, and which they used to express in this way:

to meet King Saul; the commander-in-chief, with his other officers, and David among the rest:

with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of music; with pipes or flutes, which they both blew with their mouths, and played on with their hands, and other musical instruments exciting joy; the last word is, by the Targum, rendered,

"with cymbals;''

and so the Septuagint version; it signifies a musical instrument of three cords, according to Kimchi; and others, as Ben Gersom, understand it of principal songs, in which things wonderful, excellent, and honourable, were spoken of: see Exodus 15:20. Such sort of women were among the Romans called Cymballatriae and Tympanistriae t, who shook the cymbals, and beat upon tabrets and drums at times of rejoicing.

t Vid. Pignorium de Servis, p. 166, 174.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The Philistine - Rather as in the margin. The allusion is not to Goliath, but to one of the expeditions referred to in 1 Samuel 18:5.

Singing and dancing - Women used to dance to the sound of the timbrel, and to sing as they danced and played.

(instruments of music The word means, an instrument like the triangle, or with three cords.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Samuel 18:6. When David was returned — This verse connects well with the 54th verse of the preceding chapter; 1 Samuel 17:54 and carries on the narration without any break or interruption. See the notes there.

The women came out — It was the principal business of certain women to celebrate victories, sing at funerals, c.

With instruments of music. — The original word (שלשים shalishim) signifies instruments with three strings and is, I think, properly translated by the Vulgate, cum sistris, "with sistrums." This instrument is well known as being used among the ancient Egyptians: it was made of brass, and had three, sometimes more, brass rods across; which, being loose in their holes, made a jingling noise when the instrument was shaken.