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As the army was coming back from battle, when David was returning from striking down the Philistine, women came out from all the cities of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful music, with hand drums, and with noisemakers.[a] The women sang to each other as they played:

Saul has slain his thousands,
and David his ten thousands.

Saul became furious, because he resented this statement. He said, “They have credited David with tens of thousands, but to me they have credited only thousands. What more can be given to him but the kingship?”

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 18:6 The Hebrew term shalish very likely refers to a type of noisemaker known as a sistrum, but some think it refers to a three-stringed instrument or a type of song.

When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing,(A) with joyful songs and with timbrels(B) and lyres. As they danced, they sang:(C)

“Saul has slain his thousands,
    and David his tens(D) of thousands.”

Saul was very angry; this refrain displeased him greatly. “They have credited David with tens of thousands,” he thought, “but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?(E)

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