1 Samuel 18 · Verse 5

1 Samuel 18:5

And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.
1 Samuel 18:5, King James Version

1 Samuel 18:5 in other translations

BSBSo David marched out and prospered in everything Saul sent him to do, and Saul set him over the men of war. And this was pleasing in the sight of all the people, and of Saul’s officers as well.
WEBDavid went out wherever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely; and Saul set him over the men of war. It was good in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.
ASVAnd David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and it was good in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.
YLTAnd David goeth out whithersoever Saul doth send him; he acted wisely, and Saul setteth him over the men of war, and it is good in the eyes of all the people, and also in the eyes of the servants of Saul.
DARBYAnd David went forth; whithersoever Saul sent him he prospered; and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants.
BBEAnd David went wherever Saul sent him, and did wisely: and Saul put him at the head of his men of war, and this was pleasing to all the people as well as to Saul's servants.
WebsterAnd David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants.

What does 1 Samuel 18:5 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 5 Set him over the men of war - Made him generalissimo; or what we would call field marshal.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 18:1-5

The friendship of David and Jonathan was the effect of Divine grace, which produces in true believers one heart and one soul, and causes them to love each other. This union of souls is from partaking in the Spirit of Christ. Where God unites hearts, carnal matters are too weak to separate them. Those who love Christ as their own souls, will be willing to join themselves to him in an everlasting covenant. It was…

Read the full comment on 1 Samuel 18:1-5 →

1 Samuel 18:5 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.

וַיֵּצֵ֨אvai.ye.Tze'and he went outH3318
דָוִ֜דda.VidDavidH1732
בְּכֹל֩be.Kholin everyH3605
אֲשֶׁ֨ר'a.SherwhereH834
יִשְׁלָחֶ֤נּוּyish.la.Che.nuhe sent himH7971
שָׁאוּל֙sha.'UlSaulH7586
יַשְׂכִּ֔ילyas.Kilhe prosperedH7919
וַיְשִׂמֵ֣הוּvay.si.Me.huand he appointed himH7760
שָׁא֔וּלsha.'UlSaulH7586
עַ֖ל'aloverH5921
אַנְשֵׁ֣י'an.Shei[the] men ofH582
הַמִּלְחָמָ֑הha.mil.cha.Mah<the> warH4421
וַיִּיטַב֙vai.yi.Tavand it was goodH3190
בְּעֵינֵ֣יbe.'ei.Neiin [the] eyes ofH5869
כָל\־khol-allH3605
הָעָ֔םha.'Amthe peopleH5971
וְגַ֕םve.Gamand alsoH1571
בְּעֵינֵ֖יbe.'ei.Neiin [the] eyes ofH5869
עַבְדֵ֥י'av.Dei[the] servants ofH5650
שָׁאֽוּל\׃\ \פsha.'UlSaulH7586

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

Cross references for 1 Samuel 18:5

  • 1 Samuel 18:30

    Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it came to pass, after they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by.

  • 1 Samuel 18:14-15

    And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the Lord was with him. Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him.

  • Colossians 4:5

    Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.

  • Acts 7:10

    And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.

  • Ephesians 5:17

    Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

  • Matthew 10:16

    Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

  • Psalms 1:3

    And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

  • 1 Samuel 13:2

    Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel; whereof two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in mount Beth–el, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent.

  • Genesis 39:23

    The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the Lord was with him, and that which he did, the Lord made it to prosper.

  • Genesis 39:2-3

    And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand.

  • 1 Samuel 14:52

    And there was sore war against the Philistines all the days of Saul: and when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he took him unto him.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
behaved. or, prospered.
14,15,30; Ge 39:2,3,23; Ps 1:3; Ac 7:10
wisely.
Mt 10:16; Eph 5:17; Col 4:5
the men of war.
13:2; 14:52

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

Context

  • 1 Samuel 18:4

    And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.

  • 1 Samuel 18:5

    And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.

  • 1 Samuel 18:6

    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.

Read all of 1 Samuel 18

1 Samuel 18:5 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y salía David á donde quiera que Saúl le enviaba, y portábase prudentemente. Hízolo por tanto Saúl capitán de gente de guerra, y era acepto en los ojos de todo el pueblo, y en los ojos de los criados de Saúl.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et David allait partout où Saül l’envoyait, et il prospérait; et Saül l’établit sur les hommes de guerre, et il était agréable aux yeux de tout le peuple, et même aux yeux des serviteurs de Saül.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und David zog aus, wohin immer Saul ihn sandte, und er hatte Gelingen; und Saul setzte ihn über die Kriegsleute; und er war in den Augen des ganzen Volkes und auch in den Augen der Knechte Sauls wohlgefällig.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Egrediebatur quoque David ad omnia quæcumque misisset eum Saul, et prudenter se agebat: posuitque eum Saul super viros belli, et acceptus erat in oculis universi populi, maximeque in conspectu famulorum Saul.