1 Samuel 18 · Verse 6

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.
1 Samuel 18:6, King James Version

1 Samuel 18:6 in other translations

BSBAs the troops were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs, and with tambourines and other instruments.
WEBAs they came, when David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul with tambourines, with joy, and with instruments of music.
ASVAnd it came to pass as they came, when David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with timbrels, with joy, and with instruments of music.
YLTAnd it cometh to pass, in their coming in, in David's returning from smiting the Philistine, that the women come out from all the cities of Israel to sing--also the dancers--to meet Saul the king, with tabrets, with joy, and with three-stringed instruments;
DARBYAnd it came to pass as they came, when David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tambours, with joy, and with triangles.
BBENow on their way, when David came back after the destruction of the Philistine, the women came out of all the towns of Israel, with songs and dances, meeting David with melody and joy and instruments of music.
WebsterAnd it came to pass as they came, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of music.

What does 1 Samuel 18:6 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
6. the women came out of all cities of Israel--in the homeward march from the pursuit of the Philistines. This is a characteristic trait of Oriental manners. On the return of friends long absent, and particularly on the return of a victorious army, bands of women and children issue from the towns and villages, to form a triumphal procession, to celebrate the victory, and, as they go along, to gratify the soldiers with dancing, instrumental music, and extempore songs, in honor of the generals who have earned the highest distinction by feats of gallantry. The Hebrew women, therefore, were merely paying the customary gratulations to David as the deliverer of their country, but they committed a great indiscretion by praising a subject at the expense of their sovereign.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 6 When David was returned - This verse connects well with the 54th verse of the preceding chapter; and carries on the narration without any break or interruption. See the notes on 1Sam 17:54. The women came out - It was the principal business of certain women to celebrate victories, sing at funerals, etc. 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.

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 sweetness and usefulness of God's persecuted people, and the barbarity of their persecutors. But David's safety must be ascribed to God's providence.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

1 Samuel 18:6 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.

וַיְהִ֣יvay.Hiand it wasH1961
בְּבוֹאָ֗םbe.vo.'Amwhen came theyH935
בְּשׁ֤וּבbe.Shuvwhen returnedH7725
דָּוִד֙da.VidDavidH1732
מֵהַכּ֣וֹתme.ha.Kotfrom striking downH5221
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֔יha.pe.lish.Tithe PhilistineH6430
וַתֵּצֶ֨אנָהva.te.Tze.nahand they came outH3318
הַנָּשִׁ֜יםha.na.Shimthe womenH802
מִכָּל\־mi.kolfrom allH3605
עָרֵ֤י'a.Rei[the] cities ofH5892
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙Yis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
לָשִׁ֣ירla.shorto singH7891
וְהַמְּחֹל֔וֹתve.ha.me.cho.Lotand the dancingH4246
לִקְרַ֖אתlik.Ratto meetH7122
שָׁא֣וּלsha.'UlSaulH7586
הַמֶּ֑לֶךְha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428
בְּתֻפִּ֥יםbe.tu.Pimwith tambourinesH8596
בְּשִׂמְחָ֖הbe.sim.Chahwith joyH8057
וּבְשָׁלִשִֽׁים\׃u.ve.sha.li.Shimand with three-stringed instrumentsH7991

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

Cross references for 1 Samuel 18:6

  • Judges 11:34

    And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter.

  • Exodus 15:20

    And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.

  • Psalms 68:25

    The singers went before, the players on instruments followed after; among them were the damsels playing with timbrels.

  • Jeremiah 31:11-13

    For the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he. Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all. Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Philistine. or, Philistines. the women.
Ex 15:20; Jud 11:34; Ps 68:25; Jer 31:11-13
instruments of music. Heb. three stringed instruments.The original {shalishim,} is rendered by the Vulgate {sistris.} 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.

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

Context

  • 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.

  • 1 Samuel 18:7

    And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.

Read all of 1 Samuel 18

1 Samuel 18:6 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y aconteció que como volvían ellos, cuando David tornó de matar al Filisteo, salieron las mujeres de todas las ciudades de Israel cantando, y con danzas, con tamboriles, y con alegrías y sonajas, á recibir al rey Saúl.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il arriva que, comme ils revenaient, lors du retour de David après qu’il eut frappé le Philistin, les femmes sortirent de toutes les villes d’Israël à la rencontre du roi Saül, avec joie, en chantant et en dansant, avec des tambourins et des triangles.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und es geschah, als sie einzogen, als David vom Erschlagen des Philisters zurückkehrte, da zogen die Weiber aus allen Städten Israels zu Gesang und Reigen dem König Saul entgegen, mit Tamburinen, mit Jubel und mit Triangeln.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Porro cum reverteretur percusso Philisthæo David, egressæ sunt mulieres de universis urbibus Israël, cantantes, chorosque ducentes in occursum Saul regis, in tympanis lætitiæ, et in sistris.