1 Samuel 18:5-16 - David's Successes Arouse Saul's Suspicions

⁵ And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely. And when Saul had set him over his men of war, he pleased all the people, and Saul's servants thereto.

⁶ And it happened as they went, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that women came out of all cities of Israel singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with timbrels, with joy, and with fiddles. ⁷ And the women that played sang thereto, and said, "Saul hath slain his thousand, and David his ten thousand."

⁸ Then was Saul exceeding wroth and that saying displeased him, and he said, "They have ascribed unto David ten thousand, and to me but a thousand. And what more can he have, save the kingdom?" ⁹ Wherefore Saul looked sourly upon David from that day forward.

¹⁰ And it happened on the morrow, that the evil spirit sent of God came upon Saul, so that he prophesied in the midst of the house. And David played on the instrument with his hand as he was daily wont. ¹¹ And Saul had a spear in his hand, and hurled it; intending to have nailed David to the wall. But David avoided out of his presence two times.

¹² For Saul was afraid of David: because the LORD was with him, and was departed from Saul. ¹³ And then Saul put David from him and made him a captain over a thousand, and he went out and in before the people. ¹⁴ And David was wise in all that he took in hand, and the LORD was with him. ¹⁵ Wherefore, when Saul saw that he was so exceeding wise, he was afraid of him. ¹⁶ But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and in before them.