6 As the troops were coming back, when David was returning from killing the Philistine, the women came out from all the cities of Israel to meet King Saul, i singing and dancing with tambourines, with shouts of joy, and with three-stringed instruments. 7 As they celebrated, the women sang:

Saul has killed his thousands,

but David his tens of thousands. j

8 Saul was furious and resented this song. k “They credited tens of thousands to David,” he complained, “but they only credited me with thousands. What more can he have but the kingdom?” l 9 So Saul watched David jealously from that day forward.

Saul Attempts to Kill David

10 The next day an evil spirit sent from God took control of Saul, m and he began to rave n inside the palace. David was playing the lyre as usual, o but Saul was holding a spear, p 11 and he threw it, thinking, “I’ll pin David to the wall.” q But David got away from him twice.

12 Saul was afraid of David, r because the Lord was with David s but had left Saul. t 13 Therefore, Saul reassigned David and made him commander over 1,000 men. David led the troops u 14 and continued to be successful in all his activities because the Lord was with him. v 15 When Saul observed that David was very successful, he dreaded him. 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David w because he was leading their troops.