The Meaning of 1 Samuel 18:30 Explained

1 Samuel 18:30

KJV: Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it came to pass, after they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by.

YLT: And the princes of the Philistines come out, and it cometh to pass from the time of their coming out, David hath acted more wisely than any of the servants of Saul, and his name is very precious.

Darby: And the princes of the Philistines went forth; and it came to pass, whenever they went forth, that David succeeded better than all the servants of Saul; and his name was much esteemed.

ASV: Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it came to pass, as often as they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then the princes  of the Philistines  went forth:  and it came to pass, after  they went forth,  [that] David  behaved himself more wisely  than all the servants  of Saul;  so that his name  was much  set by. 

What does 1 Samuel 18:30 Mean?

Context Summary

1Sa 18:22-30 - Prospered In Spite Of Plots
The affection of Michal for the young warrior suggested a way of luring David into personal conflict with the Philistines. Saul's secret hope was that he might fall a victim to their prowess. David at first took no notice of the royal proposals, because the king had already failed to keep his word; but when the courtiers explained the terms, David accepted the challenge. Saul was playing his game with great adroitness. On the one hand, his attendants genuinely believed that he delighted in David and desired the alliance; while on the other, see his true motive in 1 Samuel 18:25.
Once more Saul was foiled, for, within the appointed time, David secured double the king's requirement, and Michal became his wife. If jealous people would only ponder this story, they would discover the uselessness of setting themselves athwart God's manifest purpose in another's life. See Psalms 7:11-13; Psalms 7:16, r.v. Don't sulk, don't detract, don't sow suspicions. Take your father's side, you elder brother! Go into the banqueting-hall, salute your younger brother, and enter into the general joy. If you choose the generous course, and affirm it, you will find the joy welling in your heart. Stand your ground in Christ against your unworthy, selfish, lower self! [source]

Chapter Summary: 1Sa 18

1  Jonathan befriends David
5  Saul envies his praise
10  seeks to kill him in his fury
12  fears him for his good success
17  offers him his daughters for snare
23  David persuaded to be the king's son-in-law,
25  gives two hundred foreskins of the Philistines for Michal's dowry
28  Saul's hatred and David's glory increase

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 18:30 mean?

And went out [to war] the princes of the Philistines and so it was whenever they went out [that] behaved more wisely David than all the servants of Saul so that became esteemed His name highly -
וַיֵּצְא֖וּ שָׂרֵ֣י פְלִשְׁתִּ֑ים וַיְהִ֣י ׀ מִדֵּ֣י צֵאתָ֗ם שָׂכַ֤ל דָּוִד֙ מִכֹּל֙ עַבְדֵ֣י שָׁא֔וּל וַיִּיקַ֥ר שְׁמ֖וֹ מְאֹֽד ס

וַיֵּצְא֖וּ  And  went  out  [to  war] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
שָׂרֵ֣י  the  princes 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: סָרַר 
Sense: prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain.
פְלִשְׁתִּ֑ים  of  the  Philistines 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: פְּלִשְׁתִּי  
Sense: an inhabitant of Philistia; descendants of Mizraim who immigrated from Caphtor (Crete?) to the western seacoast of Canaan.
וַיְהִ֣י ׀  and  so  it  was 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
מִדֵּ֣י  whenever 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בְּדֵי 
Sense: sufficiency, enough.
צֵאתָ֗ם  they  went  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person masculine plural
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
שָׂכַ֤ל  [that]  behaved  more  wisely 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׂכַל 
Sense: to be prudent, be circumspect, wisely understand, prosper.
דָּוִד֙  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
מִכֹּל֙  than  all 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
עַבְדֵ֣י  the  servants 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
שָׁא֔וּל  of  Saul 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁאוּל  
Sense: a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the st king of Israel.
וַיִּיקַ֥ר  so  that  became  esteemed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָקַר  
Sense: to esteem, be prized, be valuable, be precious, be costly, be appraised.
שְׁמ֖וֹ  His  name 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
מְאֹֽד  highly 
Parse: Adverb
Root: מְאֹד  
Sense: exceedingly, much subst.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation