The Meaning of 1 Samuel 18:12 Explained

1 Samuel 18:12

KJV: And Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and was departed from Saul.

YLT: And Saul is afraid of the presence of David, for Jehovah hath been with him, and from Saul He hath turned aside;

Darby: And Saul was afraid of David, because Jehovah was with him, and had departed from Saul.

ASV: And Saul was afraid of David, because Jehovah was with him, and was departed from Saul.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Saul  was afraid  of  David,  because the LORD  was with him, and was departed  from Saul. 

What does 1 Samuel 18:12 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 18:10-21 - Protected From Dastardly Assaults
The Lord was evidently with David. Mark how the sacred chronicle keeps this fact in view, 1 Samuel 18:12; 1 Samuel 18:14; 1 Samuel 18:28. And David behaved himself wisely, 1 Samuel 18:5; 1 Samuel 18:14-15; 1 Samuel 18:30. How judicious it would have been for Saul to bind David to himself! Instead of this he cherished his mad passion until it broke out in irresistible fury. Oh, beware of jealousy! It opens the soul's door to the devil. The best way of meeting it, apart from prayer, is to compel yourself to take an interest in your rival, and to put yourself loyally in his place. Overcome your mean and wicked soul, in the power of the Lord Jesus. "Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh," Romans 13:14.
The evil spirit that possessed Saul is said to have come from God; that is, God permitted it to come. It came according to the ordered rule of the universe. "God," says one, "must be something to us; what He shall be depends on ourselves and on what we are to Him." See Psalms 18:25-26. The king, having failed to murder David, encouraged him in dangerous undertakings. But if David had fallen in battle, his death would still have been justly laid at Saul's door. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Samuel 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 18:12 mean?

And was afraid Saul of David because was Yahweh with him but from had departed
וַיִּרָ֥א שָׁא֖וּל מִלִּפְנֵ֣י דָוִ֑ד כִּֽי־ הָיָ֤ה יְהוָה֙ עִמּ֔וֹ וּמֵעִ֥ם סָֽר

וַיִּרָ֥א  And  was  afraid 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.
שָׁא֖וּל  Saul 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁאוּל  
Sense: a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the st king of Israel.
דָוִ֑ד  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
כִּֽי־  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
יְהוָה֙  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
עִמּ֔וֹ  with  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: עִם  
Sense: with.
וּמֵעִ֥ם  but  from 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m
Root: עִם  
Sense: with.
סָֽר  had  departed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: סוּר 
Sense: to turn aside, depart.