1 Samuel 18 · Verse 11

1 Samuel 18:11

And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice.
1 Samuel 18:11, King James Version

1 Samuel 18:11 in other translations

BSBand he hurled it, thinking, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David eluded him twice.
WEBand Saul threw the spear, for he said, “I will pin David to the wall!” David escaped from his presence twice.
ASVand Saul cast the spear; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall. And David avoided out of his presence twice.
YLTand Saul casteth the javelin, and saith, ‘I smite through David, even through the wall;' and David turneth round out of his presence twice.
DARBYAnd Saul cast the spear, and thought, I will smite David and the wall. But David turned away from him twice.
BBEAnd Saul, balancing the spear in his hand, said, I will give David a blow, pinning him to the wall. And David got away from him twice.
WebsterAnd Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall. And David escaped from his presence twice.

What does 1 Samuel 18:11 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 11 Saul cast the javelin - The javelin or spear was the emblem of regal authority; kings always had it at hand, and in ancient monuments they are always represented with it. In ancient times, says Justin, kings used a spear instead of a diadem: Per ea tempora reges hastas pro diademate habebant, Hist. lib. xliii. And as spears were the emblems of supreme power, hence they were reputed as attributes of the Divinity, and were worshipped as representatives of the gods. Ab origne verum, pro Diis immortalibus veteres Hastas coluerent, ob cujus religionis memoriam, adhuc deorum simulachris Hastae adduntur. - Ibid.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 18:6-11

David's troubles not only immediately follow his triumphs, but arise from them; such is the vanity of that which seems greatest in this world. It is a sign that the Spirit of God is departed from men, if, like Saul, they are peevish, envious, suspicious, and ill-natured. Compare David, with his harp in his hand, aiming to serve Saul, and Saul, with his javelin in his hand, aiming to slay David; and observe the…

Read the full comment on 1 Samuel 18:6-11 →

1 Samuel 18:11 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיָּ֤טֶלvai.Ya.teland he threwH2904
שָׁאוּל֙sha.'UlSaulH7586
אֶֽת\־'et-<obj.>H853
הַחֲנִ֔יתha.cha.Nitthe spearH2595
וַיֹּ֕אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
אַכֶּ֥ה'a.KehI will strikeH5221
בְדָוִ֖דve.da.Vid<on> DavidH1732
וּבַקִּ֑ירu.va.Kirand <on> the wallH7023
וַיִּסֹּ֥בvai.yi.Soand he went aroundH5437
דָּוִ֛דda.VidDavidH1732
מִפָּנָ֖יוmi.pa.Navfrom before himH6440
פַּעֲמָֽיִם\׃pa.'a.Ma.yimtwo timesH6471

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Samuel 18:11

  • 1 Samuel 20:33

    And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David.

  • Isaiah 54:17

    No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.

  • John 8:59

    Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

  • Psalms 37:32-33

    The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him. The Lord will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.

  • Luke 4:30

    But he passing through the midst of them went his way,

  • John 10:39

    Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand,

  • Proverbs 27:4

    Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?

  • 1 Samuel 19:9-10

    And the evil spirit from the Lord was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his javelin in his hand: and David played with his hand. And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the javelin; but he slipped away out of Saul’s presence, and he smote the javelin into the wall: and David fled, and escaped that night.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
cast the javelin.
19:9,10; 20:33; Pr 27:4; Isa 54:17
And David.
Ps 37:32,33; Isa 54:17; Lu 4:30; Joh 8:59; 10:39

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Samuel 18:10

    And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul’s hand.

  • 1 Samuel 18:11

    And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice.

  • 1 Samuel 18:12

    And Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him, and was departed from Saul.

Read all of 1 Samuel 18

1 Samuel 18:11 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y arrojó Saúl la lanza, diciendo: Enclavaré á David en la pared. Y dos veces se apartó de él David.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Saül jeta la lance, et dit: Je frapperai David et la paroi. Et David se détourna de devant lui par deux fois.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Saul warf den Speer und dachte: Ich will David an die Wand spießen! Aber David wandte sich zweimal von ihm ab.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		et misit eam, putans quod configere posset David cum pariete: et declinavit David a facie ejus secundo.