1 Samuel 29:5 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Is not this David, of whom they sing to one another in dances, ‘Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands’?"

NIV: Isn’t this the David they sang about in their dances: " ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands’?"

NASB: Is this not David, of whom they sing in the dances, saying, ‘Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands’?'

CSB: Isn’t this the David they sing about during their dances: Saul has killed his thousands, but David his tens of thousands?"

NLT: Isn’t this the same David about whom the women of Israel sing in their dances, ‘Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands’?'

KJV: Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands?

NKJV: Is this not David, of whom they sang to one another in dances, saying: ‘Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands’?”

First Samuel 29:1–5 contains another example of God protecting David from having to fight his future army. Achish has allowed David, his men, and their families to settle in Ziklag for over a year (1 Samuel 27). Achish wants David's group to fight with him against the Israelites, but the other Philistine commanders wisely disagree. Achish will send David's group home (1 Samuel 29:6–11) where they find the Amalekites have kidnapped their wives and kids and burned their city (1 Samuel 30). While David is marching, the Philistines kill Saul's sons, and Saul kills himself (1 Samuel 31).

David, his men, and their families have been hiding from King Saul under the protection of Achish, Philistine king of Gath (1 Samuel 27:1–2). Achish so thoroughly trusts that David has rejected the Israelites that he plans to take David and his men into battle with him against the Israelites. The Philistine commanders reject this idea and tell Achish to send David back home. David protests, but Achish has no choice but to order David to return to the land of the Philistines to sit out the battle against Israel.

The Philistines are renewing their war against the Israelites (1 Samuel 28:1). Achish, king of Gath, insists that David and his men fight with him in the battle against Israel. The Philistine commanders wisely reject the idea of allowing these Israelites among their ranks in battle, no matter how much Achish trusts David. David protests, and Achish expresses his regret, but the king sends David and his men back home. They will arrive to find their families captured and their city burnt (1 Samuel 30:1).

First Samuel introduces the key figures who led Israel after the era of the judges. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel were originally part of a single text, split in certain translations shortly before the birth of Christ. Some of the Bible’s most famous characters are depicted in this book. These including the prophet Samuel, Israel’s first king, Saul, her greatest king, David, and other famous names such as Goliath and Jonathan. By the end of this book, Saul has fallen; the book of 2 Samuel begins with David’s ascension to the throne.

Accessed 10/29/2025 3:00:47 PM