Lectionary Calendar
Thursday, October 30th, 2025
the Week of Proper 25 / Ordinary 30
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Read the Bible

THE MESSAGE

1 Samuel 18:15

This verse is not available in the MSG!

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - David;   Jealousy;   Malice;   Prudence;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Saul, king of israel;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Disease;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Prayer;   Easton Bible Dictionary - David;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Saul;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Samuel, Books of;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Awe;   Merab;   Samuel, Books of;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
When Saul observed that David was very successful, he dreaded him.
Hebrew Names Version
When Sha'ul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he stood in awe of him.
King James Version
Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him.
Lexham English Bible
but when Saul saw that he was very successful, he was severely threatened by him.
English Standard Version
And when Saul saw that he had great success, he stood in fearful awe of him.
New Century Version
When Saul saw that David was very successful, he feared David even more.
New English Translation
When Saul saw how very successful he was, he was afraid of him.
Amplified Bible
When Saul saw that he was prospering greatly, he was afraid of him.
New American Standard Bible
When Saul saw that he was very successful, he was afraid of him.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Wherefore when Saul saw that he was very wise, he was afrayde of him.
Legacy Standard Bible
Then Saul saw that he was prospering greatly, so he dreaded him.
Contemporary English Version
This made Saul even more afraid of David.
Complete Jewish Bible
When Sha'ul saw how very successful he was, he became afraid of him.
Darby Translation
And Saul saw that he prospered well, and he stood in awe of him.
Easy-to-Read Version
Saul saw how successful David was and became even more afraid of him.
George Lamsa Translation
And when Saul saw that he was exceedingly wise, he was afraid of him.
Good News Translation
Saul noticed David's success and became even more afraid of him.
Literal Translation
And Saul saw that he was acting wisely, and was afraid of him.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Now whan Saul sawe that he was so exceadynge wyse, he stode in feare of him.
American Standard Version
And when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he stood in awe of him.
Bible in Basic English
And when Saul saw how wisely he did, he was in fear of him.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Wherefore when Saul sawe that he was so exceeding wise, he was afrayde of him.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And when Saul saw that he had great success, he stood in awe of him.
King James Version (1611)
Wherefore when Saul saw that hee behaued himselfe very wisely, hee was afraid of him.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Saul saw that he was very wise, and he was afraid of him.
English Revised Version
And when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he stood in awe of him.
Berean Standard Bible
When Saul saw that David was very successful, he was afraid of him.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and so Saul siy that Dauid was ful prudent, and he bigan to be war of Dauid.
Young's Literal Translation
and Saul seeth that he is acting very wisely, and is afraid of him,
Update Bible Version
And when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he stood in awe of him.
Webster's Bible Translation
Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him.
World English Bible
When Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he stood in awe of him.
New King James Version
Therefore, when Saul saw that he behaved very wisely, he was afraid of him.
New Living Translation
When Saul recognized this, he became even more afraid of him.
New Life Bible
When Saul saw how well he did, he was afraid of him.
New Revised Standard
When Saul saw that he had great success, he stood in awe of him.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, when Saul saw that, he, was acting very prudently, he was afraid of him.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Saul saw that he was exceeding prudent, and began to beware of him.
Revised Standard Version
And when Saul saw that he had great success, he stood in awe of him.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
When Saul saw that he was prospering greatly, he dreaded him.

Contextual Overview

12Now Saul feared David. It was clear that God was with David and had left Saul. So, Saul got David out of his sight by making him an officer in the army. David was in combat frequently. Everything David did turned out well. Yes, God was with him. As Saul saw David becoming more successful, he himself grew more fearful. He could see the handwriting on the wall. But everyone else in Israel and Judah loved David. They loved watching him in action. 17 One day Saul said to David, "Here is Merab, my eldest daughter. I want to give her to you as your wife. Be brave and bold for my sake. Fight God 's battles!" But all the time Saul was thinking, "The Philistines will kill him for me. I won't have to lift a hand against him." 18 David, embarrassed, answered, "Do you really mean that? I'm from a family of nobodies! I can't be son-in-law to the king." 19 The wedding day was set, but as the time neared for Merab and David to be married, Saul reneged and married his daughter off to Adriel the Meholathite. 20Meanwhile, Saul's daughter Michal was in love with David. When Saul was told of this, he rubbed his hands in anticipation. "Ah, a second chance. I'll use Michal as bait to get David out where the Philistines will make short work of him." So again he said to David, "You're going to be my son-in-law." 22 Saul ordered his servants, "Get David off by himself and tell him, ‘The king is very taken with you, and everyone at court loves you. Go ahead, become the king's son-in-law!'" 23 The king's servants told all this to David, but David held back. "What are you thinking of? I can't do that. I'm a nobody; I have nothing to offer." 24When the servants reported David's response to Saul, he told them to tell David this: "The king isn't expecting any money from you; only this: Go kill a hundred Philistines and bring evidence of your vengeance on the king's behalf. Avenge the king on his enemies." (Saul expected David to be killed in action.) 26On receiving this message, David was pleased. There was something he could do for the king that would qualify him to be his son-in-law! He lost no time but went right out, he and his men, killed the hundred Philistines, brought their evidence back in a sack, and counted it out before the king—mission completed! Saul gave Michal his daughter to David in marriage. 28As Saul more and more realized that God was with David, and how much his own daughter, Michal, loved him, his fear of David increased and settled into hate. Saul hated David.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

wisely: Psalms 112:5, Daniel 6:4, Daniel 6:5, Colossians 4:5, James 1:5, James 3:17

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 18:5 - behaved 1 Samuel 18:12 - afraid 1 Samuel 18:29 - yet the Psalms 101:2 - behave Proverbs 27:21 - so Ezekiel 31:9 - envied 1 John 3:12 - And

Cross-References

Genesis 4:9
God said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" He said, "How should I know? Am I his babysitter?"
Genesis 18:27
Abraham came back, "Do I, a mere mortal made from a handful of dirt, dare open my mouth again to my Master? What if the fifty fall short by five—would you destroy the city because of those missing five?" He said, "I won't destroy it if there are forty-five."
Job 2:10
He told her, "You're talking like an empty-headed fool. We take the good days from God—why not also the bad days?" Not once through all this did Job sin. He said nothing against God.
Proverbs 12:19
Truth lasts; lies are here today, gone tomorrow.
Proverbs 28:13
You can't whitewash your sins and get by with it; you find mercy by admitting and leaving them.
Mark 2:8
Jesus knew right away what they were thinking, and said, "Why are you so skeptical? Which is simpler: to say to the paraplegic, ‘I forgive your sins,' or say, ‘Get up, take your stretcher, and start walking'? Well, just so it's clear that I'm the Son of Man and authorized to do either, or both..." (he looked now at the paraplegic), "Get up. Pick up your stretcher and go home." And the man did it—got up, grabbed his stretcher, and walked out, with everyone there watching him. They rubbed their eyes, incredulous—and then praised God, saying, "We've never seen anything like this!"
John 18:17
The young woman who was the doorkeeper said to Peter, "Aren't you one of this man's disciples?" He said, "No, I'm not."
Colossians 3:9
Don't lie to one another. You're done with that old life. It's like a filthy set of ill-fitting clothes you've stripped off and put in the fire. Now you're dressed in a new wardrobe. Every item of your new way of life is custom-made by the Creator, with his label on it. All the old fashions are now obsolete. Words like Jewish and non-Jewish, religious and irreligious, insider and outsider, uncivilized and uncouth, slave and free, mean nothing. From now on everyone is defined by Christ, everyone is included in Christ.
1 John 1:8
If we claim that we're free of sin, we're only fooling ourselves. A claim like that is errant nonsense. On the other hand, if we admit our sins—make a clean breast of them—he won't let us down; he'll be true to himself. He'll forgive our sins and purge us of all wrongdoing. If we claim that we've never sinned, we out-and-out contradict God—make a liar out of him. A claim like that only shows off our ignorance of God.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely,.... So that he could get no advantage against him, and he succeeded and was prosperous in all his enterprises, and was more and more in favour with the people:

he was afraid of him; lest the time was drawing near that the kingdom should be rent from him, and given to David.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Samuel 18:15. He was afraid of him. — He saw that, by his prudent conduct, he was every day gaining increasing influence.


 
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