1 Samuel 18:12

12 Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with David but had departed from Saul.

1 Samuel 18:12 in Other Translations

KJV
12 And Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and was departed from Saul.
ESV
12 Saul was afraid of David because the LORD was with him but had departed from Saul.
NLT
12 Saul was then afraid of David, for the LORD was with David and had turned away from Saul.
MSG
12 Now Saul feared David. It was clear that God was with David and had left Saul.
CSB
12 Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with David but had left from Saul.

1 Samuel 18:12 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 18:12

And Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him,
&c.] Protecting and preserving him, prospering and succeeding him, giving him victory over his enemies, and favour among the people; the Targum is,

``the Word of the Lord was for his help.''

Procopius Gazaeus interprets it of the Holy Ghost, whose grace was vouchsafed unto him: he might be afraid in his melancholy fits, that as he had attempted to take away the life of David, that David would contrive and seek an opportunity, and take away his life, and seize the kingdom which God had given him, and his being with him strengthened these fears:

and was departed from Saul;
so that he was destitute of courage, and greatness of mind, and of wisdom and prudence, and became mean and abject, and exposed himself to the contempt of his subjects.

1 Samuel 18:12 In-Context

10 The next day an evil spirit from God came forcefully on Saul. He was prophesying in his house, while David was playing the lyre, as he usually did. Saul had a spear in his hand
11 and he hurled it, saying to himself, “I’ll pin David to the wall.” But David eluded him twice.
12 Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with David but had departed from Saul.
13 So he sent David away from him and gave him command over a thousand men, and David led the troops in their campaigns.
14 In everything he did he had great success, because the LORD was with him.

Cross References 4

  • 1. ver 29; ver 15,29
  • 2. 1 Samuel 16:13
  • 3. Joshua 1:5; 1 Samuel 17:37; 1 Samuel 20:13; 1 Chronicles 22:11; 1 Samuel 28:15
  • 4. S Judges 16:20
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