1 Samuel 18:8Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him; and he said, "They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands. What can he have more but the kingdom?"
The setting
Israel, ~1020 BC. Women dancing in the streets after David killed Goliath, singing comparison songs. Modern-day central Israel.
The emotion here: consumed with jealous rage and political paranoia
The original word
ḥārāh (חָרָה) — burning anger, literally 'to burn' or 'be kindled'
Why it matters
Ancient victory songs often ranked warriors by kill counts - this was normal celebration, not intentional insult
Read with care
What most readers miss in 1 Samuel 18:8
Saul's question 'What can he have more but the kingdom?' shows he immediately saw the political threat
Common misconceptionPeople think Saul was just insecure, but he correctly identified David as a political threat - his jealousy was mixed with legitimate concern for his dynasty.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 1 Samuel 18:8
Bible Genome reading
1 Samuel 18:8 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
1 Samuel 18:8 comes from the book of 1 Samuel, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Saul. The dominant emotion in this verse is angry, with a comfort power of 10% and a tone that is lamenting. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include jealousy, anger. Notable phrases: very angry; displeased him.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same angry
“Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, 'I am strong.'”
— Joel 3:10
“You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!”
— Matthew 23:24
“Listen to this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who tell their husba…”
— Amos 4:1
“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I can't stand your solemn assemblies.”
— Amos 5:21
“Your eyes shall not pity; life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
— Deuteronomy 19:21
Your reflection
What does 1 Samuel 18:8 mean to you, today?
A short note. A question. A prayer. Saved privately to your Soul Garden, dated, and tied to this verse forever.
Speak your heart →Get 3 verses for "angry"
Delivered to your inbox right now. Free.