1 Samuel 29:5Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, 'Saul has slain his thousands, David his ten thousands?'"
The setting
Aphek, Israel, ~1010 BC. Philistine military camp. David stands with enemy soldiers who suddenly remember he's the one who killed their champion Goliath and thousands of their people...
The emotion here: suspicious and calculating
The original word
machol (מָחוֹל) — celebratory dance, the kind done after military victory
Why it matters
This song became so famous it was still being sung years later across enemy territory
Read with care
What most readers miss in 1 Samuel 29:5
David is literally standing with the enemies of Israel, and they're quoting Israeli victory songs about him
Common misconceptionPeople think this shows David was proud of his military success, but actually it reveals how his fame became a dangerous liability that followed him everywhere.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 1 Samuel 29:5
Bible Genome reading
1 Samuel 29:5 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
1 Samuel 29:5 comes from the book of 1 Samuel, written during the judges period. These words are attributed to Philistine princes. The dominant emotion in this verse is anxious, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is urgent. It belongs to the dialogue genre of biblical literature. Key themes include reputation, fear of betrayal. Notable phrases: Saul has slain his thousands; David his ten thousands.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same anxious
“And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.”
— 2 Corinthians 11:14
“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
— 2 Timothy 3:12
“The evil spirit answered, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?"”
— Acts 19:15
“I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'”
— Acts 22:7
“When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is har…”
— Acts 26:14
Your reflection
What does 1 Samuel 29:5 mean to you, today?
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