An Exegetical Commentary by Nate Wilson, updated in the year of our Lord 2021
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Saul feels so threatened by David in his palace that he orders David killed in order to prevent David from becoming king, but Jonathan saves the day. Surely Jonathan knew that is was in his best interest to allow David to be killed. Jonathan was prince in line to the throne, and David was a threat to that. Jonathan could have stayed away from David. David had enough savvy to know that his life was in danger, and if someone else killed David, then Jonathan would get the throne. But it is wrong to stand by while innocent people are murdered, when God has given you the resources to do something to stop it! (This could be applied to abortion, too!) Jonathan was right-on to rebuke his father. Nobody else was going to interfere.
“Jonathan dealeth with his father for David, urging specially these three reasons: the first ab honesto, it was no credit or honestie for Saul to persecute an innocent and harmelesse man, that had not offended him, nor sinned against him: secondly ab utili, because David was for his profit, and for the defence of the people: he had done many worthie exploits in sauing and delivering Israel: thirdly, from Saul's owne testimonie, who had formerly approoued David's service, and commended it. Saul by these perswasions was moved, and swore that David should not die…” ~Andrew Willett, 1607 A.D.
Are there any people whose reputation or safety you could protect by speaking to those in power over them?
In this case, there is a command from the king to kill David, but Jonathan the prince refuses to obey that command. But he doesn’t stop with merely disobeying an unrighteous decree; he goes on to try to persuade the lawmaker to change the law. This is an important example for us at a time when civil disobedience has been something many of us have considered recently. Don’t just disobey unrighteous laws if you have a shot at changing them.
Each of us in our places of work have opportunities to use the power God has given us to fight injustice. It may be
with patients in the hospital
or with students in the school
or coworkers in the office
or with children in the home.
And we all have the right to call our legislators in the county, state, or fed and reason with them. They are all accountable to you. Are you using your influence for God’s glory?
The converse is also true, if you are in authority and someone under your authority respectfully asks you to repeal your decision, “We must be willing to hear reason, and to take all reproofs and good advice even from our inferiors, parents from their own children.” ~Matthew Henry
Maybe you’re not in a position of great power, but it can show up in little things like not giving bad internet reviews for problems that a company can’t help, or writing good reviews when others have maligned a company or its product unfairly.
After Jonathan had brought reconciliation between David and Saul, “David continued his good services to his king and country [through playing his guitar for Saul and through leading his thousand-man division in battle against enemies]. Though Saul had requited him evil for good, yet he did not therefore retire in sullenness and decline public service. Those that are ill paid for doing good, yet must ‘not be weary of well doing’.” (Henry) All the same, it must have been nerve-wracking to try to sing and play in front of Saul when he was fondling his spear!
And it didn't take long for Saul to waffle; He got jealous again after David's next military victory, and he set out to kill David. In so doing, Saul added another nail to his coffin for breaking his oath before God that he had made earlier in the chapter not to kill David.
David runs to his house where his wife Michal is, but Saul posts guards at David’s house with orders to kill him in the morning1. Apparently they only stood guard at the door, but there was a back window they weren’t watching.
Michal clearly wanted to save David’s life2, so she helps David escape through the window and buys time for him to get away by claiming that he is sick and by arranging a statue in the bed so that anyone who peeped in the window would think David was still there in bed.
So it was that the woman Saul hoped would be a “snare,” turned out to be one of David’s deliverers. Matthew Henry commented on this: “Often is the devil out-shot with his own bow.”
I might also add that it is a very Biblical thing to do to escape through a window when people are trying to kill you for obeying God. (cf. Joshua & Caleb, and the Apostle Paul)
Well, the next day, when Saul’s henchmen finally storm the house to carry David on his bed to Saul, and they discover Michal’s ruse, they return to the palace dragging Michal behind them, and Saul gives her “what-for.”
Her explanation to Saul for why she aided David in his escape sounds fishy.
The narrative says nothing about David threatening to kill Michal if she wouldn’t cooperate, so I suspect she lied about it to her Dad in hopes of saving her life by playing the victim, knowing how often Saul killed political enemies.
It was a life-or-death situation for her, and her resort to a lie may have saved her life, but lies still have consequences, and that lie was probably the reason she was forced to remarry another man.
In this we see a contrast between Jonathan and his sister Michal: Jonathan spoke up for David before Saul, but Michal threw David under the buss when Saul interrogated her.
So David runs to the next town where Samuel has a school of prophets. The Targums call it “a house of doctrine” - probably a place where Samuel had gathered Levites together to copy the holy scriptures and study them together, and where he trained them to lead worship and teach throughout the nation.
The word “Naioth,” as it is rendered in most English Bibles, is from a Hebrew root that means “apartments/dwellings/retreat-center/compound3,” and it was to these quarters that David came, seeking the prophet Samuel and seeking safety.
It’s possible even that this served as a sort of “city of refuge” (although the official city of refuge was a bit further north in Shechem).
God told the Levites who ran the cities of refuge in the law of Moses (Num. 35) that they had to first determine whether or not the refugee was being unjustly treated before granting asylum. If he was a criminal, he was not to be protected.
(So-called sanctuary cities in our day and age don’t do this; they presume every refugee to be innocent and thus allow themselves to be filled with lawlessness; this is not the Biblical way.)
So David tells his story to Samuel, and Samuel decides that David is not the national traitor that Saul thinks he is. (The fact that Samuel had, upon God’s command, anointed David as the next king surely played into that decision.)
But that meant Samuel would take responsibility for protecting David. That had to have been a scary decision because it meant potentially being attacked by the army under King Saul. It must have taken great faith for Samuel to decide to take that risk, but God rewarded his faith.
The story really gets wild now! God protects David from Saul's hit men. Every time they come to get him, they start prophesying and forget all about their errand!
There is some debate as to the nature of this prophesying,
whether it was singing along with a scripture song that the prophets were playing,
or whether it was some kind of divinely-inspired speech,
or whether it was a form of insanity where men were reduced to meaningless gibbering.
I’m inclined toward the singing, and that’s also the sense of most of the commentators I read.4 So Samuel may have been standing there conducting them like a choir.
Now, it’s only two miles from Gibeah, as the crow flies, so Saul has reason to expect his soldiers back within about two hours, but when they don’t return after a couple of hours, he sends more men over to help capture David. Still he gets no response, so he sends still more. At this point, the earliest-known manuscripts of 1 Samuel add a phrase between vs. 20 and 21 that “Saul became very angry.” This is obvious from his actions, so it can go without saying,
but God warns us that sinful anger opens us up to Satanic influences: “Do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.” (Eph. 4:26b-27)
I also like Matthew Henry’s proverb: “[W]hen men lay the reins on the neck of their passions they grow more and more outrageous.”
So in the afternoon, after waiting all day to no avail for his messengers to come back, Saul finally goes after David himself. As seems to have been his custom (9:11), Saul asked the girls drawing water at the cistern for information, and they pointed him towards the Navit in Ramah, but Saul falls under the same power of God that his servants did – furthermore, stripping off clothes, and falling before Samuel, and prophesying for the rest of the day and then all night long!
It appears that the word “naked” could describe someone still wearing the modern equivalent of a t-shirt and boxer shorts, for Michal later accused David of indecency5 when he was wearing a linen ephod. So perhaps Saul just took off his armor and his royal robe and laid down his spear.6
There is also some question whether to translate the verb “fell”
literally (as in, “he fell down at Samuel’s feet”),
or with an additional figurative meaning (as in, “he fell into a trance,” like Baalam did in Numbers 247.)
The point of the story, however, is that God’s power & dominion are over all kings & authorities.
As Asaph said in Psalm 76:10, “Even the wrath of man shall praise You...!”
At any time He wants, God can protect His people and bring kings to their knees!
Notice how completely God is in control of King Saul:
First God sends an evil spirit and Saul goes mad, trying to kill David,
then God sends another spirit and Saul prophecies and become harmless!
Proverbs 21:1 “The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.” (NKJV) The same can be said of commissioners, governors, senators, legislators, presidents, and prime ministers.
God is ultimately the one who is in control of everything and everyone who threatens you, and it is God alone who can ensure your safety.
This chapter is just a small part of the larger story of Israel’s political transition from King Saul to King David, but it establishes the fact that David’s life really was in danger - Saul really was out to kill him, and it describes the beginning of David’s season of life as a political fugitive, fleeing from one place to another seeking safety.
Now, I have known some political fugitives, but chances are, you are not one, so what on earth can we learn from a narrative like this?
I may be allegorizing more than usual, but there’s a spiritual that goes, “O sinner man, where you gonna run to? O sinner man, where you gonna run to? O sinner man, where you gonna run to? Oh sinner man!” And in the song, he tries running to different places for safety, but they won’t save him, then the last verse affirms that Jesus is the one to run to for a sinner to find safety and salvation.
In this story, David initially rests upon the security of his friend in court, Prince Jonathan, looking out for him and putting in good words for him with the King.
And there’s nothing wrong with having friends in high places. In fact, that’s why I recommend interacting with your government officials and building relationships with your neighbors so that when you have a need (or when they have a concern about you), there is already a positive relationship established.
But ultimately, the help of friends will fail you. History is littered with accounts of government officials turning against Christians and persecuting us for our faith – and that is still going on today in many places. It is strategic to invest in community relationships, but ultimately they cannot keep you safe.
After the second assassination attempt by King Saul, David concludes that the palace in Gibeah is no longer a safe place, so David runs to the safety of his own home.
Now, a man should do all he can to make his home a safe place for his wife and children to live in. Home needs to be a place of peace where we can rest without fear.
But we don’t have control over all the things in life that could harm us, and we are not humanly capable of making our home secure from every potential threat.
I had to get my house insured against man-made objects falling from the sky, because my house is so close to an airport and to an Army firing range, but that doesn’t actually do me any good if a bomb or a plane crashes into my house. I’ll be dead; the insurance money will go to somebody else. Our homes cannot provide ultimate safety and security; they can only go so far.
So David escapes from his home, and makes it over to Samuel’s house and the school of the prophets, and it is with these people of God that he finds real safety.
In David’s day, there was a layer of human leadership between the people and God which no longer exists today, namely, the priests who were authorized to offer sacrifices and burn incense. Samuel had that function in David’s day. Now, an individual could still talk directly to God (and that is amply proved by David’s Psalms), but taking refuge with Samuel was a special way, in his day and age, of going to God for safety.8
David’s Psalms make it abundantly clear that David looked to God to keep him safe:
Psalm 7:1 {by David, which he sang to Yahweh over the words of the Cush Benjamite.} “Yahweh, my God, in You I have taken refuge. Cause to save me from all my pursuers, and cause to deliver me.” (NAW)
Psalm 11:1 “In Yahweh I have taken refuge...” (NAW)
Psalm 16:1 God, protect me, for I have taken refuge in You.” (NAW)
Psalm 18:1 {by David... uttered to Yahweh when... Yahweh caused him to escape from... the hand of Saul...} "I will show affection for you Yahweh, my strength. Yahweh is my rock-mountain, my stronghold, and my deliverer, my God, my landmark-rock. I will take refuge in Him, my shield and horn of my salvation, my high tower! He being praiseworthy, I will call Yahweh, and from my enemies I will be saved.” (NAW)
He may save through dramatic means, such as,
In 2 Kings 1, when army units of 50 soldiers were sent by the king to capture Elijah, and God destroyed the soldiers with fire from heaven every time Elijah prayed!
Or in John 7:32-46, when the Pharisees sent a squad to capture Jesus, the officers returned empty-handed, saying, “We’ve never heard such a speaker before!”
And then there’s the Apostle Paul, who was breathing out threats and murder against Christians one day and got baptized as a Christian the next, after his vision on the Damascus road!
But God’s deliverance isn’t always like that.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in their trial before king Nebuchadnezzar for not bowing down to his idol, acknowledged the possibility that God might not deliver them in the fiery furnace. (Dan. 3:18)
And there were plenty of other prophets whom God allowed to be murdered (Mat. 23:31), or as Steven put it, “Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute?” (Acts 7:52)9
Many have been delivered from sin and pain by God allowing them to die and go to heaven, and there is no safer place than heaven!
But it is God to whom we must go to find safety and salvation. How do we do that? Through prayer, laying your case out before God.
This is what the early church did when the priests threw Peter and John into jail and commanded them never again to preach Jesus: they immediately went to the other Christians and started praying, “...they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: "Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: 'WHY DID THE NATIONS RAGE, AND THE PEOPLE PLOT VAIN THINGS? THE KINGS OF THE EARTH TOOK THEIR STAND, AND THE RULERS WERE GATHERED TOGETHER AGAINST THE LORD AND AGAINST HIS CHRIST.' ... Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus." And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.” (Acts 4:24-31, NKJV)
And later on, when Herod threw Peter into jail, the Christians also went to prayer, and when the angel delivered Peter, “...he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John... Mark, where many were gathered together praying.” (Acts 12:12, NKJV)
Corollary to prayer is the importance of gathering together with other believers in corporate prayer. There’s a reason why we are not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together. “And where may the influences of the Spirit be expected but in the congregations of the saints?” (M. Henry)
Proverbs 14:26 “In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence, And His children will have a place of refuge.” (NKJV)
Septuagint |
Brenton |
VulgateB |
KJV |
NAW |
MT |
|
1 |
καὶ ἐλάλησεν Σαουλ πρὸς Ιωναθαν τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ πρὸς πάντας τοὺς παῗδας αὐτοῦ θανατῶσαι τὸν Δαυιδ καὶ Ιωναθαν υἱὸς Σαουλ ᾑρεῗτο τὸν Δαυιδ σφόδρα |
And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, to slay David. 2 And Jonathan, Saul's son, loved David much: |
And Saul spoke to Jonathan, his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, the son of Saul, loved David exceedingly. |
And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David. 2 But Jonathan Saul's son delighted much in David: |
1 Now Saul said to Jonathan his son – and to all his servants – to put David to death. But Jonathan, Saul’s son, was very pleased with David, |
וַיְדַבֵּר שָׁאוּל, אֶל-יוֹנָתָן בְּנוֹ וְאֶל-כָּל-עֲבָדָיו, לְהָמִית, אֶת- דָּוִד; וִיהוֹנָתָן, בֶּן-שָׁאוּל, חָפֵץ בְּדָוִד, מְאֹד. |
2 |
καὶ ἀπήγγειλεν Ιωναθαν τῷ Δαυιδ λέγων Σαουλ X X ζητεῗ θανατῶσαί σε φύλαξαι οὖν αὔριον πρωὶ καὶ κρύβηθι καὶ κάθισον κρυβῇ |
and Jonathan told David, saying, Saul X X seeks to kill thee: take heed to thyself therefore to-morrow morning, and hide thyself, and dwell in secret. |
And
Jonathan told David, saying: Saul, my father, seeketh to kill
thee: wherefore look to thyself, I beseech thee, in the morning
and thou shalt abide in |
and
Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeketh to kill thee:
now therefore, I pray thee, take heedC
to thyself until the morning, & abide in |
2 so Jonathan communicated to David saying, “Saul my father is trying to put you to death, so now please take care in the morning and hide yourself, and sit tight in the hiding-place. |
וַיַּגֵּד יְהוֹנָתָן לְדָוִד לֵאמֹר, מְבַקֵּשׁ שָׁאוּל אָבִי לַהֲמִיתֶךָ; וְעַתָּה הִשָּׁמֶר-נָא בַבֹּקֶר, וְיָשַׁבְתָּ בַסֵּתֶרD וְנַחְבֵּאתָ. |
3 |
καὶ ἐγὼ ἐξελεύσομαι καὶ στήσομαι ἐχόμενος τοῦ πατρός μου ἐν ἀγρῷ οὗ ἐὰν ᾖς ἐκεῗ καὶ ἐγὼ λαλήσω περὶ σοῦ πρὸς τὸν πατέρα μου καὶ ὄψομαι ὅ [τι ἐὰν ᾖ] καὶ ἀπαγγελῶ σοι |
And I will go forth, and stand near my father in the field where thou shalt be, and I will speak concerning thee to my father; and I will see what [his answer may be], and I will tell thee. |
And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where thou art: and I will speak of thee to my father, and whatsoever I shall see, I will tell thee. |
And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where thou art, and I will communeE with my father of thee; and what I seeF, that I will tell thee. |
3 And, as for me, I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are there, and I myself will speak about you to my father, and I will see what’s up, and I will have it communicated to you.” |
וַאֲנִי אֵצֵא וְעָמַדְתִּי לְיַד- אָבִי, בַּשָּׂדֶה אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה שָׁם, וַאֲנִי, אֲדַבֵּר בְּךָ אֶל- אָבִי; וְרָאִיתִי מָה, וְהִגַּדְתִּי לָךְ. ס |
4 |
καὶ ἐλάλησεν Ιωναθαν περὶ Δαυιδ ἀγαθὰ πρὸς Σαουλ τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτόν μὴ ἁμαρτησάτω ὁ βασιλεὺς εἰς τὸν δοῦλόν σου X Δαυιδ ὅτι οὐχ ἡμάρτηκεν εἰς σέ καὶ τὰ ποιήματα αὐτοῦ ἀγαθὰ σφόδρα X X |
And Jonathan spoke favorably concerning David to Saul his father, and said to him, Let not the king sin against thy servant X David, for he has not sinned against thee, and his deeds are very good X X. |
And
Jonathan spoke good |
And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father, and said unto him, Let not the king sin against his servant, against David; because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works have been to thee-ward very good: |
4 So Jonathan spoke good about David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king sin against his servant – against David, for he has not sinned against you, and in fact, his deeds have been very good for you. |
וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוֹנָתָן בְּדָוִד טוֹב, אֶל- שָׁאוּל אָבִיו; וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אַל-יֶחֱטָא הַמֶּלֶךְ בְּעַבְדּוֹ בְדָוִד, כִּי לוֹא חָטָא לָךְ, וְכִי מַעֲשָׂיו, טוֹב-לְךָ מְאֹד. |
5 |
καὶ
ἔθετοG
τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ
ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ
καὶ ἐπάταξεν
τὸν ἀλλόφυλον
καὶ ἐποίησεν
κύριος σωτηρίαν
μεγάλην |
And
he put his life in his hand, and smote the Philistine, and the
Lord wrought a great deliverance; |
And he put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, and the Lord wrought great salvation for all Israel. Thou sawest it and didst rejoice. Why therefore wilt thou sin against innocent blood, by killing David, [who is] without fault? |
For he did put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, and the LORD wrought a great salvationJ for all Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoice: wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause? |
5 Indeed, he put his life in his hand and struck down the Philistine, and Yahweh accomplished great salvation for all Israel. You saw it, and you were happy about it, so why sin against innocent blood by putting David to death gratuitously?” |
וַיָּשֶׂם אֶת-נַפְשׁוֹ בְכַפּוֹ וַיַּךְ אֶת- הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי, וַיַּעַשׂ יְהוָה תְּשׁוּעָה גְדוֹלָה לְכָל- יִשְׂרָאֵל--רָאִיתָ, וַתִּשְׂמָח; וְלָמָּה תֶחֱטָא בְּדָם נָקִי, לְהָמִית אֶת-דָּוִד חִנָּם. |
6 |
καὶ ἤκουσεν Σαουλ τῆς φωνῆς Ιωναθαν καὶ ὤμοσεν Σαουλ [λέγων] ζῇ κύριος εἰ ἀποθανεῗται |
And Saul hearkened to the voice of Jonathan; and Saul swore, saying, As the Lord lives, he shall not die. |
And
when Saul heard [this, he was appeased] with the |
And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul swareK, As the LORD liveth, he shall not be slain. |
6 And Saul gave heed to the voice of Jonathan, and Saul swore, “[May I be cursed by] the living God if he is put to death.” |
וַיִּשְׁמַע שָׁאוּל, בְּקוֹל יְהוֹנָתָן; וַיִּשָּׁבַע שָׁאוּל, חַי-יְהוָה אִם- Lיוּמָת. |
7 |
καὶ ἐκάλεσεν Ιωναθαν τὸν Δαυιδ καὶ ἀπήγγειλεν X αὐτῷ πάντα τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα καὶ εἰσήγαγεν Ιωναθαν τὸν Δαυιδ πρὸς Σαουλ καὶ ἦν ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ ὡσεὶ ἐχθὲς καὶ τρίτην ἡμέρανM |
And Jonathan called David, and X told him all these words; and Jonathan brought David in to Saul, and he was before him as in former times. |
Then Jonathan called David, and X told him all these words: and Jonathan brought in David to Saul, and he was before him, as he had been yesterday and the day before. |
And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan shewedN him all those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as in times past. |
7 So Jonathan called for David, and Jonathan communicated to him all these things. Then Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence like the last time and the time before. |
וַיִּקְרָא יְהוֹנָתָן, לְדָוִד, וַיַּגֶּד-לוֹ יְהוֹנָתָן, אֵת כָּל-הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה; וַיָּבֵא יְהוֹנָתָן אֶת-דָּוִד אֶל-שָׁאוּל, וַיְהִי לְפָנָיו כְּאֶתְמוֹל שִׁלְשׁוֹם.O ס |
8 |
καὶ
προσέθετο ὁ
πόλεμος γενέσθαι
[πρὸς Σαουλ]
καὶ |
And
there was again war [against Saul]; and David did |
And the war began again, and David went out, and fought against the Philistines, and defeated them with a great slaughter, and they fled from his face. |
And there was war again: and David went out, and fought with the Philistines, and slew them with a great slaughter; and they fled from him. |
8 Now, the war continued to drag on, so David went out and fought against the Philistines and conducted a strike among them – a huge strike, such that they fled from his presence. |
וַתּוֹסֶף הַמִּלְחָמָה, לִהְיוֹת; וַיֵּצֵא דָוִד וַיִּלָּחֶם בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּים, וַיַּךְ בָּהֶם מַכָּה גְדוֹלָה, וַיָּנֻסוּ, מִפָּנָיו. |
9 |
καὶ
ἐγένετο πνεῦμα
|
And
an evil spirit from |
And the evil spirit from the Lord came upon Saul; and he sat in his house, and [held] a spear in his hand: and David played with [his] hand. |
And the evil spirit from the LORD was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his javelinP in his hand: and David played with [his] hand. |
9 By and by, an evil spirit from Yahweh came {upon} Saul while he was sitting in his palace with his spear in his hand, while David was strumming with {his} hand. |
וַתְּהִי רוּחַ יְהוָה רָעָה, אֶל- שָׁאוּל, וְהוּא בְּבֵיתוֹ יֹשֵׁב, וַחֲנִיתוֹ בְּיָדוֹ; וְדָוִד, מְנַגֵּן בְּיָדQ. |
10 |
καὶ
ἐζήτει
Σαουλ πατάξαι
τὸ δόρυ εἰς
Δαυιδ X καὶ
ἀπέστη
|
And
Saul sought
to
smite
David
with the spear X; and |
And Saul endeavoured to nail David to the wall with his spear. And [David] slipt away out of the presence of Saul: and the spear [missed him, and] was fastened in the wall, and David fled, and escaped that night. |
And Saul soughtR to smiteS David even to the wall with the javelin; but he slipped awayT out of Saul's presence, and he smoteU the javelin into the wall: and David fled, and escaped that night. |
10 And Saul tried to make a strike with his spear through David and into the wall, but {David} broke free from Saul’s presence while he struck the spear into the wall. So David fled and escaped during that night. |
וַיְבַקֵּשׁ שָׁאוּל לְהַכּוֹת בַּחֲנִית, בְּדָוִד וּבַקִּיר, וַיִּפְטַרV מִפְּנֵי שָׁאוּל, וַיַּךְ אֶת-הַחֲנִית בַּקִּיר; וְדָוִד נָס וַיִּמָּלֵט, בַּלַּיְלָה הוּא. פ |
11 |
καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Σαουλ ἀγγέλους εἰς οἶκον Δαυιδ φυλάξαι αὐτὸν XW τοῦ θανατῶσαι αὐτὸν πρωί καὶ ἀπήγγειλεν τῷ Δαυιδ Μελχολ ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ λέγουσα ἐὰν μὴ σὺ σώσῃς τὴν ψυχὴν σαυτοῦ τὴν νύκτα ταύτην αὔριον θανατωθήσῃ |
that Saul sent messengers to the house of David to watch him, in order to slay him in the morning; and Melchol David's wife told him, saying, Unless thou save thy life this night, to-morrow thou shalt be slain. |
Saul
therefore sent [his] |
Saul also sent messengers unto David's house, to watch him, and to slayX him in the morning: and Michal David's wife told him, saying, If thou saveY not thy life to night, to morrow thou shalt be slain. |
11 Then, Saul sent messengers to David’s house to guard it and to put him to death in the morning. Then Michal his wife communicated it to David, saying, “If you don’t have an escape-plan for your self tonight, tomorrow you will be put to death!” |
וַיִּשְׁלַח שָׁאוּל מַלְאָכִים אֶל-בֵּית דָּוִדZ, לְשָׁמְרוֹAA ,וְלַהֲמִיתוֹ, בַּבֹּקֶר; וַתַּגֵּד לְדָוִד, מִיכַל אִשְׁתּוֹ לֵאמֹר, אִם- אֵינְךָ מְמַלֵּט אֶת- נַפְשְׁךָ הַלַּיְלָה, מָחָר אַתָּה מוּמָת. |
12 |
καὶ κατάγει ἡ Μελχολ τὸν Δαυιδ διὰ τῆς θυρίδος καὶ ἀπῆλθεν καὶ ἔφυγεν καὶ σῴζεται |
So Melchol lets David down by the window, and he departed, and fled, and escaped. |
X
|
So
Michal let David down through |
12 Then Michal let David down the back window, and he went and scurried away, so he escaped. |
וַתֹּרֶד מִיכַל אֶת-דָּוִד, בְּעַדAD הַחַלּוֹן; וַיֵּלֶךְ וַיִּבְרַח, וַיִּמָּלֵט. |
13 |
καὶ
ἔλαβεν ἡ Μελχολ
τὰ κενοτάφιαAE
καὶ ἔθετο ἐπὶ
τὴν κλίνην καὶ
|
And
Melchol took images, and laid them on the bed, and she put the
|
And
Michol took |
And
Michal took |
13 Michal then took the teraphim-statue and put it {on} the bed and put the goat-hair pillow under its head and covered it with his clothing, |
וַתִּקַּח מִיכַל אֶת- הַתְּרָפִים, וַתָּשֶׂם AJאֶל-הַמִּטָּה, וְאֵת כְּבִירAK הָעִזִּים, שָׂמָה מְרַאֲשֹׁתָיוAL; וַתְּכַס, בַּבָּגֶד. ס |
14 |
καὶ
ἀπέστειλεν
Σαουλ ἀγγέλους
λαβεῗν τὸν Δαυιδ
καὶ λέγ |
And
Saul sent messengers to take David; and |
And Saul sent officers to seize David; and it [was] answered that he was sick. |
And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He is sick. |
14 and when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, “He is sick.” |
וַיִּשְׁלַח שָׁאוּל מַלְאָכִים, לָקַחַת אֶת-דָּוִד; וַתֹּאמֶר, חֹלֶה הוּא. ס |
15 |
καὶ ἀποστέλλει X X X X ἐπὶ τὸν Δαυιδ λέγων ἀγάγετε αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τῆς κλίνης πρός με τοῦ θανατῶσαι αὐτόν |
And
|
And again Saul sent X X to see David, saying: Bring him to me in the bed, that he may be slain. |
And Saul sent the messengers again to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that [I may] slay him. |
15 So Saul sent a dispatch {} to see David, saying, “Y’all bring him up to me in his bed so that he may be put to death.” |
וַיִּשְׁלַח שָׁאוּל אֶת- הַמַּלְאָכִים, לִרְאוֹת אֶת-דָּוִד לֵאמֹר: הַעֲלוּ אֹתוֹ בַמִּטָּה אֵלַי, לַהֲמִתוֹ. |
16 |
καὶ ἔρχονται οἱ ἄγγελοι καὶ ἰδοὺ τὰ κενοτάφια ἐπὶ τῆς κλίνης καὶ ἧπαρ τῶν αἰγῶν πρὸς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ |
And the messengers come, and, behold, the images were on the bed, and the goat's liver at his head. |
And
when the messengers were come in, [they] |
And
when the messengers were come in, behold, there was |
16 So the messengers went, and there was the teraphim-statue on the bed with a goat-hair pillow under its head! |
וַיָּבֹאוּ, הַמַּלְאָכִים, וְהִנֵּה הַתְּרָפִים, אֶל-הַמִּטָּה; וּכְבִיר הָעִזִּים, מְרַאֲשֹׁתָיו. ס |
17 |
καὶ
εἶπεν Σαουλ
τῇ Μελχολ ἵνα
τί οὕτως παρελογίσω
με καὶ ἐξαπέστειλας
τὸν ἐχθρόν μου
καὶ διεσώθη
καὶ εἶπεν Μελχολ
τῷ Σαουλ αὐτὸς
εἶπεν X
ἐξαπόστειλόν
με |
And
Saul said to Melchol, Why hast thou thus deceived me, and suffered
my enemy to depart, and he has escaped? and Melchol said to Saul,
He said X X, let me go, |
And
Saul said to Michol: Why hast thou deceived me so, and let my
enemy go and flee away? And Michol answered Saul: [Because] he
said to me: Let me go, |
And Saul said unto Michal, Why hast thou deceived me so, and sent awayAN mine enemy, that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He said unto me, Let me go; why should I kill thee? |
17 Then Saul said to Michal, “Why did you deceive me like this and send my enemy off so that he would escape?” And Michal said to Saul, “It was him! He said to me, ‘Send me off, {or else} I will kill you!’” |
וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל אֶל-מִיכַל, לָמָּה כָּכָה רִמִּיתִנִיAO, וַתְּשַׁלְּחִי אֶת- אֹיְבִי, וַיִּמָּלֵט; וַתֹּאמֶר מִיכַל אֶל-שָׁאוּל, הוּא- אָמַר אֵלַי שַׁלְּחִנִי לָמָה אֲמִיתֵךְ. |
18 |
καὶ
Δαυιδ ἔφυγεν
καὶ διεσώθη
καὶ παραγίνεται
πρὸς Σαμουηλ
εἰς Αρμαθαιμ
καὶ ἀπαγγέλλει
αὐτῷ πάντα ὅσα
ἐποίησεν αὐτῷ
Σαουλ καὶ
ἐπορεύθη |
So
David fled, and escaped, and comes to Samuel to Armathaim, and
tells him all that Saul had done to him: and Samuel and |
But David fled and escaped, and came to Samuel in Ramatha, and told him all that Saul had done to him: and he and Samuel went and dwelt in Najoth. |
So David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth. |
18 David, meanwhile, scurried away and escaped and went to Samuel at Ramah and communicated to him all that Saul had done to him. Then he went – he along with Samuel, and they took up residence in the college. |
וְדָוִד בָּרַח וַיִּמָּלֵט, וַיָּבֹא אֶל-שְׁמוּאֵל הָרָמָתָה, וַיַּגֶּד- לוֹ, אֵת כָּל- אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה-לוֹ שָׁאוּל; וַיֵּלֶךְ הוּא וּשְׁמוּאֵל, וַיֵּשְׁבוּ בנויתAQ. |
19 |
καὶ ἀπηγγέλη τῷ Σαουλ λέγοντες ἰδοὺ Δαυιδ ἐν Ναυαθ ἐν Ραμα |
And it was told Saul, saying, Behold, David is in Navath in Rama. |
And it was told Saul [by some], saying: Behold David is in Najoth, in Ramatha. |
And it was told Saul, saying, Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah. |
19 Presently, it was communicated to Saul saying, “David is there in the college at Ramah.” |
וַיֻּגַּד לְשָׁאוּל, לֵאמֹר: הִנֵּה דָוִד, בנוית בָּרָמָה. |
20 |
καὶ
ἀπέστειλεν
Σαουλ ἀγγέλους
λαβεῗν τὸν Δαυιδ
καὶ εἶδ |
And
Saul sent messengers to take David, and |
So
Saul sent officers to take David: and when |
And
Saul sent messengers to take David: and when |
20 So Saul sent messengers to get David. But when {they} saw the group of prophets prophesying with Samuel standing presiding over them, the spirit of God came upon the servants of Saul, and they themselves also became prophets! |
וַיִּשְׁלַח שָׁאוּל מַלְאָכִים, לָקַחַת אֶת-דָּוִד, וַיַּרְאAV אֶת-לַהֲקַתAW הַנְּבִיאִים נִבְּאִים, וּשְׁמוּאֵל עֹמֵד נִצָּב עֲלֵיהֶם; וַתְּהִי עַל-מַלְאֲכֵי שָׁאוּל, רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים, וַיִּתְנַבְּאוּ, גַּם-הֵמָּה. |
21 |
καὶ
ἀπηγγέλ |
And
|
And
when |
And
when |
21 Now, when {this was} communicated to Saul, he sent follow-up messengers, but as for them, they became prophets too! So Saul again sent a third dispatch of messengers, and they also became prophets themselves! |
וַיַּגִּדוּAX לְשָׁאוּל, וַיִּשְׁלַח מַלְאָכִים אֲחֵרִים, וַיִּתְנַבְּאוּ, גַּם-הֵמָּה; ס וַיֹּסֶף שָׁאוּל, וַיִּשְׁלַח מַלְאָכִים שְׁלִשִׁים, וַיִּתְנַבְּאוּ גַּם-הֵמָּה. |
22 |
[καὶ
ἐθυμώθη ὀργῇ
Σαουλ]
καὶ
ἐπορεύθη καὶ
αὐτὸς εἰς
Αρμαθαιμ καὶ
ἔρχεται ἕως
τοῦ φρέατος
τοῦ |
[And
Saul was very angry,]
and
went himself also to Armathaim, and he comes as far as the well of
the |
X
Went also himself to Ramatha, and came as far as the great
cistern, which is in Socho, and he asked, and said: In what place
are Samuel and David? And it |
Then went he also to Ramah, and came to a great well that is in Sechu: and he asked and saidAZ, Where are Samuel and David? And one said, Behold, [they be] at Naioth in Ramah. |
22 {Then Saul became hot with rage} and he himself went to Ramah. And when he came to the big well at Seku, he asked and said, “Where are Samuel and David?” And a guy said, “Look in the college at Ramah.” |
וַיֵּלֶךְ גַּם-הוּא הָרָמָתָה, וַיָּבֹא עַד-בּוֹר הַגָּדוֹל אֲשֶׁר בַּשֶּׂכוּBA, וַיִּשְׁאַל וַיֹּאמֶר, אֵיפֹה שְׁמוּאֵל וְדָוִד; וַיֹּאמֶרBB, הִנֵּה בנוית בָּרָמָה. |
23 |
καὶ ἐπορεύθη ἐκεῗθεν εἰς Ναυαθ ἐν Ραμα καὶ ἐγενήθη καὶ ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ πνεῦμα θεοῦ καὶ ἐπορεύετο X προφητεύων ἕως τοῦ ἐλθεῗν αὐτὸν εἰς Ναυαθ ἐν Ραμα |
And he went thence to Navath in Rama: and there came the Spirit of God upon him also, and he went on X prophesying till he came to Navath in Rama. |
And
he went XBC
to Najoth, in Ramatha, and the Spirit of |
And he went thither to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went onBD, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah. |
23 So he went there toward the college at Ramah, and the Spirit of God came upon him – him too! And he went on, walking and prophesying until he came into the college in Ramah. |
וַיֵּלֶךְ שָׁם, אֶל- נוית בָּרָמָה; וַתְּהִי עָלָיו גַּם-הוּא רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים, וַיֵּלֶךְ הָלוֹךְ וַיִּתְנַבֵּאBE, עַד-בֹּאוֹ, בנוית בָּרָמָה. |
24 |
καὶ
ἐξεδύσατο
XBF
τὰ
ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ
καὶ ἐπροφήτευσεν
X
X ἐνώπιον
|
And
he X took
off his clothes, and X X prophesied before |
And
he stripped himself also of his garments, and X X prophesied |
And he stripped off his clothes also, and X X prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, Is Saul also among the prophets? |
24 Then he – even he – stripped off his clothes, and he – even he – prophesied before the face of Samuel, then he fell down, being naked all that day and all that night. (Therefore they say, “Is even Saul with the prophets?”) |
וַיִּפְשַׁט גַּם-הוּא בְּגָדָיו, וַיִּתְנַבֵּא גַם-הוּא לִפְנֵי שְׁמוּאֵל, וַיִּפֹּל עָרֹםBH, כָּל-הַיּוֹם הַהוּא וְכָל- הַלָּיְלָה; עַל-כֵּן, יֹאמְרוּ--הֲגַם שָׁאוּל, בַּנְּבִיאִםBI. פ |
The chapter opens while Saul is probably still prophecying over at Samuel’s place. David takes the opportunity to catch a word with Jonathan back at the palace in Gibeah.
Jonathan knew that his father had had demonic fits where he tried to get David killed, but Jonathan apparently thought that when Saul was in his right mind, he wouldn’t really kill David, so he didn’t take the threats too seriously. Jonathan was not jealous of David, so when David asked Jonathan why Saul was trying to kill him, he wasn’t sure David’s paranoia was well-founded. Nevertheless, Jonathan grants David a leave of absence from the royal New Moon festival and uses the holiday as an occasion to do some sleuthing.
What is the significance of feasting at the New Moon?
This is the first passage in the Bible describing a New Moon10 festival being observed.
Later, the husband of the woman of Shunem who hosted Elisha asked, "Why go to the man of God today; it is neither New Moon nor Sabbath?"
David's instructions to the Levites, as he was handing the kingdom over to Solomon, include New Moons with Sabbaths and fixed festivals (such as Passover and Booths), as days on which burnt offerings were to be made. Solomon adds that this was to be done "forever in Israel."
And in 2 Chronicles 31:3, it says that Hezekiah continued this practice "as it is written in the law of the Lord."
Where is it written in the law? There are two obscure passages in the book of Numbers, which mention it:
Num. 10:10 “Also in the day of your gladness, in your appointed feasts, and at the beginning of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; and they shall be a memorial for you before your God…" and
Num. 28:11 “At the beginnings of your months you shall present a burnt offering to the LORD: two young bulls, one ram, and seven lambs in their first year, without blemish” (NKJV)
Asaph also says in Psalm 81 that New Moons are an ordinance of God, adding that trumpets are to be blown, that it is a feast, that it was a statute for Israel, and that it was established in Joseph's time when he was in Egypt!
In Ezekiel 45:9&17&46, where it says that the princes or rulers of Israel should provide burnt offerings, grain offerings, and libations at the feasts, it mentions New Moons, Sabbaths, and other appointed feasts.
According to Amos 8:5, the New Moon was to be a day of rest from labour, too.
Now, the New Moon observance at Saul’s palace was over multiple days.
The New International Commentary on the Old Testament explains that “the New Moon festival sometimes lasts for two nights, because the new moon cannot be actually observed in the evening of the first day of the festival in certain months…. Depending on whether a new moon crescent was observable on the first day or the second, that is, normally on the 30th or the 1st day of a month...”
Andrew Willett added in his commentary that stretching the festival out to two days allowed folks to finish off the leftovers from the first day and allowed folks unclean on one day to still participate the next day because they were only “unclean until evening” after they washed, and it allowed Saul to show kingly magnanimity with a longer feast.
The only New Testament reference to the New Moon feast is in Colossians 2:16&17, claiming that the substance of it is Jesus Christ and that it is a shadow of things to come. The whole point of the book of Colossians is that the focus of our worship must be Jesus, and not on following rules and traditions of men. This does NOT mean that we should IGNORE all the laws God set forth in His word. We can still practice many of them out of love and worship of Jesus, but we need to look for Christ in them rather than seeing them as an end in themselves.
My take on the New Moon is that it was a tradition designed to honor God by formally keeping track of the calendar.
It was important for the Jews to know what month and day it was, so that they could celebrate the holidays on the days God said they should be observed.
Printed calendars, watches, and cell phones that keep track of the date just hadn't been invented yet, so, for quite practical reasons, the Jews decided to make a big deal of observing the first day of each month.
As soon as the sun went down, (marking the beginning of a new day) when someone observed that the moon was perfectly full, they'd run to the king's palace to announce that it was the New Moon, and the feast would officially begin throughout the land.
The keeping of a calendar was commanded by God, but the specific manner of doing so through New Moon feasts was of human origin. For this reason, the prophets could encourage the observation of the New Moon while the Apostles could state that the non-observance of the feast was not a matter for church discipline.
The story in this chapter revolves around a plan that David and Jonathan came up with to see how King Saul felt about David and a method of communicating that to David safely.
All but one of the seven commentaries I read said that the explanation that David wanted to go home to Bethlehem for an annual feast was not a lie11.
The fact that Jonathan expected David to change location in v.19 to their rendezvous spot indicates to me that he is assuming that David would go off to Bethlehem up until that time.
And v.24 says that David “hid in the field,” but it implies that he did so only until “when the New Moon came.” It doesn’t say that David stayed in the field the whole time.
Meanwhile Jonathan was testing out his father to see his reaction to David's absence during the New Moon festival.
Saul passes by David’s absence the first night (v.26). David’s job as a soldier meant that he was ceremonially unclean a lot because he touched dead bodies. And if you were ceremonially unclean, you weren’t supposed to show up at religious gatherings. But the Levitical law gave instructions to wash with water and then you’d be considered clean as soon as the sun set.
The next night, however was another story. Perhaps Saul was hoping to trap David at this time, but he got angry when he realized David was slipping through his grasp again. He takes it out on Jonathan instead. In v.30 Saul called Jonathan the equivalent in today’s slang of "son of a bitch." If David (the in-law) were to become king rather than Jonathan (the heir-apparent), folks might well ask, “Why?” A reason that might naturally be suggested would be that maybe Jonathan was not really Saul’s son. This, in turn would raise questions about his mom’s faithfulness to her husband. After rubbing that in Jonathan’s face, Saul goes on bluntly to remind Jonathan that he would never become king as long as David was alive. Then he capped off the evening with trying to kill Jonathan. Now, when Saul hurled a spear at you, he wasn't likely to miss; he was a seasoned warrior who had much experience in skewering people with spears, but God preserved Jonathan, and Jonathan lit out to tell David to flee.
So how do we apply all this? Here is a true friendship between two real men, Jonathan and David. Both were princes of a sort, and both mighty warriors. They were both probably married and not homosexual, as some misguidedly assume. They enjoy being together and talking – probably about military strategies and about God mostly. I want to focus our attention on the actions of friendship that Jonathan did in this chapter, and show how he did the same kinds of things Jesus did later as an example to us all.
v.17 “He loved him as he loved his own soul”
Saul pointed out in v.31, “as long as the son of Jesse lives, your kingdom will not be established,” so Jonathan supported David’s life at the expense of his own opportunity of becoming king. He loved unselfishly.
David returned that self-sacrificing love as he could. In v.8 he calls himself Jonathan’s "servant."
Jonathan and David lived out obedience to the second great commandment in Lev. 19:18b “...you must bear love toward your neighbor as to yourself...” (NAW)
Gal. 5:14 “For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement, even in this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’"
But even Jonathan and David’s example of unselfish love is eclipsed by the unselfish love of Jesus, “...the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Gal. 2:20b, NKJV)
Jesus “...did not consider being equal to God a prize to be clutched, but rather, emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And while He was found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself, becoming obedient unto death – even death by crucifixion.” (Phil. 2:6-8, NAW)
Eph. 5:2 “And so we are to walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.”
Are you a true Christian friend? Do you love unselfishly?
As David is coming unglued in his paranoia, what he needed most is for a true friend to say to him, as Jonathan did in v.2, “You shall not die.” You’re not gonna die; calm down!
A true friend knows where you’re struggling, and what you need to hear, and they say it.
I often struggle with feelings of being a failure in life and believing that everyone despises me because I have so little to show in terms of ministry results. This Valentines Day, my wife gave me a card that said, “You are one in a million, the best part of my day… and I am lucky to have you, grateful beyond belief, kind of astounded, really…” Those words of encouragement ministered deeply to my soul.
Any words of encouragement that we as Christians offer to each other are really just a reflection of the character of our God who encourages us in words through the Holy Scriptures.
When we worry that our sin is going to destroy us, Jesus gives us these words of encouragement:
John 3:15 “whoever believes in the Son of Man shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Matthew 18:11 “For the Son of Man came to save what has been set apart for destruction… 14 Thus it is not an option before your Father in the heavens that a one of these little ones might be destroyed.” (NAW)
And we can begin singing with David, “Goodness and lovingkindness will certainly pursue me all the days of my life, and I will settle down in Yahweh's house for ever.” (Ps. 23:6, NAW)
Will you be a true Christian friend and offer words of encouragement?
In v.4, Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you say I will do for you.” The unconditional-ness of this offer is striking. He didn’t say, like Herod, “I will give you anything you ask, even up to half my kingdom.” He just said, “Whatever you want, I’ll do. Just tell me what you want. I’ll do it.”
I am reminded of a conversation I had with Pastor Jim Lowry at Lighthouse Baptist a couple of months ago. I was feeling weary and burnt out, and I don’t remember why he called in the first place, but towards the end of the conversation, he said with total sincerity, “Is there any thing I can do for you, brother? Anything at all? I love you and would do anything for you.” And I believed him; he’s lived in this community all his life and he seems to know everybody and could probably pull any string he wanted for me. But those words blew me away. I couldn’t remember the last time anyone had made such an open, unconditional offer to me. There he was, surely every bit as overwhelmed as me, being a pastor himself, offering generously and unconditionally to serve me.
But of course these human examples also point us to Jesus, who said in John 14:12-14 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” (NKJV) Anything!
Do you believe Jesus’ unconditional offer of Himself to you? Will you reflect His character by making generous offers to brothers and sisters yourself?
In v.8, David says, “deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant in to a covenant of the LORD with you.”
v.16 mentions the making of a covenant between Jonathan and the house of David.
And in v.23, Jonathan says, “Yahweh is between you and me forever,” and later in
v.42 “we have sworn… in the name of Yahweh saying, ‘Yahweh will be between me and you and between my seed and your seed forever” (that is - “To witness our covenant and avenge any breach of it.” ~D. Tsumura)
The friendship of David and Jonathan resulted in making and keeping covenantal promises to each other before the Lord.
In v.14, as Jonathan realizes the full impact of his Dad’s vendetta against David, he realizes that he, too, may be in trouble, and makes David promise to protect his life, too. Saul could get seriously angry at Jonathan for playing into David's hands.
And whenever David became king, David and his descendants could consider Jonathan to be a threat to their power and kill them off - just as Saul was trying to kill David. It wouldn’t take but one grandson of David reading the history of Saul’s attempts against David’s life and getting a burr under his saddle, and who knows how many of Jonathan’s descendants he might assassinate?
But, as the Apostle John wrote, “Fear is not in love, but rather, perfect love throws out fear,” (1 Jn. 4:18, NAW) Jonathan didn’t make this covenant out of fear, he did it out of love for David.
Covenants involve 3 things: A promise, accountability to God, & consideration of succession.
One of the reasons why covenant-making and vow-taking is so uncommon in our culture today is the belief that there is no God. If there is no God, then there is no authority that can hold you accountable to your promises, and if there is no God, there is not enough sovereign direction of the future to make plans for future generations. Our culture today is about consuming what can be consumed when it can be consumed. Warranties and insurance have become a joke because you can’t make the companies who have already been paid do anything they don’t want to. They have no fear of God or of breaking promises. This is one area where we as Christians can push back against secular culture. It’s why we have church membership vows and church officer vows, and it’s why we take vows in wedding ceremonies.
“Unless a friendship is seasoned by a taste of trust in the One who is beyond the two of them, that friendship cannot be ‘wonderful’ as Jonathan’s friendship with David was.” ~David Tsumura, NICOT, 2007 AD
A covenant also considers future generations: “True friends cannot but covet to transmit to theirs after them their mutual affections.” ~Matthew Henry, 1714 AD
David and Jonathan bound their descendants to be nice to each other. That meant they would have to teach this to all their children and make sure their children taught it to their children and so forth.
Covenant-making is what Jesus did too:
Matt. 26:27-28 “Then after He took the cup and gave thanks, He gave it to them saying, ‘Drink out of it, all of you, for this is the blood which is mine, of which is the New Covenant, [and] which is being poured out for the many for the purpose of forgiveness of sins.’” (NAW)
Hebrews 9:15 “So, on account of death having taken place for the redemption of the transgressions upon the first covenant, He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that the ones who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.” (NAW)
Jesus calls us His friends, and He made the New Covenant for us His friends, promising forgiveness of sins and eternal life!
Will you be a true Christian friend consider what sort of covenant promises you can make and keep, and how they can affect future generations?
In v.9, Jonathan told David, “If I knew for a fact that evil had been determined by my father to come against you, would I not tell it to you?” (NAW) Then later in vs.12-13, “I will sound out my father … and make it known to you…” (NASB)
A friend shares important information – warnings, news, helpful tips.
Jonathan went to great pains to make sure David had the intelligence he needed to survive Saul’s assassination attempts.
In my life, I have a neighbor who knows I’m a little oblivious to the weather, so, often when there is a tornado warning for our area, they will call my family and tell us we’re under a tornado warning and invite us to come over and join them in their special tornado saferoom.
Conversely, when people keep you in the dark and don’t explain things to you, maybe even withhold important information from you and leave you to blunder, that doesn’t feel like friendship.
Our Lord Jesus is also a true friend in this sense. He makes sure we have the information we need. John 14:2-4 “In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know… 15:15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you." (NKJV)
Will you be a true Christian friend and share important information? There’s a flip side too, and that is...
In v.11, “Jonathan said to David, ‘Come let us go out into the field…’” The reason for this is not fully explained, but it seems to have to do with privacy. Jonathan wanted to keep other people in the court from hearing his conversation with David, so he moved the conversation outdoors.
Later on in v.20-22, we see Jonathan communicating with David in a pre-arranged secret way through his archery target-practice. No one – not even the servant boy fetching the arrows – knew that Jonathan was communicating with David or what his message to David was.
As friendships develop, you find out things about the weaknesses of your friends, some of it downright embarrassing. A true friend doesn’t gossip about that to parties who have no need to know, and certainly doesn’t use that knowledge to strengthen enemies against them.
I got a phone call last week from an agency that wanted me to give them the names and contact information of everybody in our church. I didn’t think any of y’all would appreciate me doing that, so I declined.
In the book of Revelation 2:17, we read that there are secrets Jesus keeps with His people, “To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.” and we see in Revelation 12:10, that Jesus gives the Devil no ammunition to accuse us: "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down...” (NKJV)
Are you a true Christian friend who wisely keeps information out of the hands of hostile parties?
In vs.28ff Jonathan explains to Saul why David is not at the royal New Moon Festival. He shares David’s excuse quite positively and compellingly. If Saul had not been so jealous about keeping his kingdom from going to David, he should have been quite satisfied with Jonathan’s explanation. Sure they wanted David to be with them for the holiday, but hey, no problem, David wants to spend the holiday with family, let him spend the holiday with his family. Maybe he didn’t go through all the proper channels to get permission; maybe he didn’t do it far enough in advance, but at least he asked Jonathan before he left, and Jonathan, like a true friend, covered for him.
1 Peter 4: 7-11 “...be reasonable and alert for the purpose of prayers, holding before all things extensive love toward yourselves (because love will cover over a lot of sins), [and] [being] hospitable toward one another without grumblings, serving up grace toward yourselves just as each has received it, like good administrators of the diverse grace of God. When someone speaks, let it be like God's words; when someone serves, let it be like it's out of the strength which God stages, in order that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to Whom belong the glory and the power forever and ever, Amen.” (NAW)
Jesus has shown us the grace of God by covering for us: “...God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them... For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Cor. 5:19-21, NKJV)
Will you be a true Christian friend who bears others’ burdens?
v.30 “Saul’s anger burned against Jonathan,” and he “shamed” Jonathan, and v.33 hurled his spear at him to strike him down.” So, v.34 “Jonathan… grieved over David because his father had dishonored him.”
“Jonathan resents the wrong done to David more than the insult to himself.” ~Goldman
The concept of SHAME is mentioned here twice. First Saul accuses his son for bringing shame to himself and to his mother by associating with a rival to the throne, then Jonathan becomes indignant that Saul would publicly shame David.
In the USA, we don't have as strong a sense of shame as have Eastern cultures. Honor was something you would live and die for – not only your personal honor, but that of all your ancestors. Shame was not something you could laugh about and forget; it was serious business.
Saul felt a deep sense of shame that he wasn't able to keep his own throne. He knew that God had taken the privilege away from him, for Samuel had told him not too long before. Saul was ashamed of something that was his own fault, and sinfully shifted the blame to David.
Jonathan, on the other hand, knew that David would not usurp the throne in a selfish power-grab, so it was dishonoring for Saul to accuse David of trying to become king instead of Jonathan. Because David was Jonathan's best friend, this shame upon David's name was something Jonathan accepted seriously himself! Jonathan was more interested in preserving David's honor than in becoming king – he even risked his life for David.
Jonathan points to a greater friend who, it says in Isaiah 53:4-5, “Surely our griefs He Himself carried, and our sorrows, He bore them... He pierced from our rebellion - beaten from our iniquity. Chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes there is healing for us.” (NAW)
The righteous anger of God against us due to our rebellion against God, as well as the shame of our sin was accepted by Jesus upon Himself. He identified with us because He loves us.
Are you willing to to be treated shamefully because you will not break your friendship?
In v.31 Saul said, “Bring David to me, for he must surely die. But Jonathan replied, “Why? What has he done worthy of death?”
This wasn’t the first time Jonathan had stood up for David and argued for his innocence against the false accusations of King Saul.
It took some guts. It meant risking his life. Most of the commentators I read indicate that Jonathan anticipated his Dad flying off the handle, so that’s why he “stood up” in v.25 and gave his seat next to Saul, to Abner instead and then sat a little further away from his Dad. When he questioned Saul’s unjust judgment against David, Saul tried to kill Jonathan with his spear.
I remember being in an organization where I felt I was being unjustly treated, and one of my co-workers who was sympathetic to me went to bat for me with the leadership. That felt like true friendship.
Proverbs 17:17 “A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.” (NKJV)
But of course, “there is a friend who is closer than a brother,” and of Him the Scriptures say,
“...if someone sins, we have an advocate before the Father: righteous Jesus Christ. And He Himself is appeasement concerning our sins… (1 John 2:1-2, NAW)
Hebrews 2:14-17 Jesus, through His death, “put out of commission the one who has the power of death (that is, the Devil), that He might release… those who were liable to slavery... that He might be a merciful and faithful high-priest concerning these things in front of God for the purpose of the propitiation of the sins of the people…” (NAW)
You can’t forgive sins like Jesus, but will you be a true Christian friend who stands up for those who are being unjustly treated?
In v.35, “Jonathan went out into the field for the appointment with David.”
Jonathan kept his word about when and where he would meet. This seems like a little thing, but little things add up to build trust between friends.
1 Cor. 13:14 “Love never fails…”
And, of course, also, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise” (2 Peter 3:9, NKJV) to return and bring justice to the earth.
Will you be a true Christian friend who keeps appointments, comes on time, and is trustworthy?
v.40-41 “David bowed to the ground three times… they kissed each other and wept together…”
David’s respect and thankfulness toward Jonathan is intense. He shows it by bowing all the way down to touch the ground in front of Jonathan three times.
Their physical expression of affection for each other is shown by brotherly kisses on the sides of the face.
Does God show intense emotion in friendship like that? Of course!
In the parable of the Prodigal Son, Jesus characterizes God the Father this way: "And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.” (Luke 15:20, NKJV)
“Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings...” (Romans 8:26, NKJV) That’s intense emotion!
Zephaniah 3:17 “The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing." (NKJV)
Will you be a true Christian friend who shows appropriate affection and emotion?
In v.13, Jonathan speaks this blessing to David, “May the Lord be with you as he was with my father”
Jonathan uses the past tense “was” because he believed Yahweh had been with his father in the past, but was no longer. (Tsumura)
But this is a blessing. Distinct from words of encouragement, words of blessing are prayers for God to bless a friend.
I have found that it works very naturally to bring blessings of God into good-byes with statements like, “God be with you,” “God bless you,” “Go with God!”
From the beginning, in Genesis chapter 1, we see God doing this too: “Then God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion..." (Genesis 1:28, NKJV),
And when Jesus departed from His disciples, “...He lifted up His hands and blessed them.” (Luke 24:50, NKJV)
Will you be a true Christian friend and call God’s blessings into the lives of your friends?
Well, there we have 12 characteristics of friendship exemplified by Jonathan for us to follow. May God give us unselfish love like Jonathan’s, and may God give you good friends like Jonathan!
LXX |
Brenton |
DRB |
KJV |
NAW |
MT |
1 Καὶ ἀπέδρα Δαυιδ ἐκ Ναυαθ ἐν Ραμα καὶ ἔρχεται ἐνώπιον Ιωναθαν καὶ εἶπεν Τί πεποίηκα [καὶ] τί τὸ ἀδίκημά μου καὶ τί ἡμάρτηκα ἐνώπιον τοῦ πατρός σου ὅτι ἐπιζητεῖ τὴν ψυχήν μου; |
1 And David fled from Navath in Rama, and comes into the presence of Jonathan; and he said, What have I done, [and] what is my fault, and wherein have I sinned before thy father, that he seeks my life? |
1 But David fled from Najoth, which is in Ramatha, and came and said to Jonathan: What have I done? what is my iniquity, and what is my sin against thy father, that he seeketh my life? |
1 And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life? |
1 Presently, David scurried away from the college in Ramah and came before Jonathan and said, “What have I done? What is my iniquity or what is my sin before your father, that he is trying to take my life?” |
1 וַיִּבְרַח דָּוִד מִנּוִֹותBK בָּרָמָה וַיָּבֹא וַיֹּאמֶר לִפְנֵי יְהוֹנָתָן מֶה עָשִׂיתִי BLמֶה- עֲוֹנִי וּמֶה- חַטָּאתִי לִפְנֵי אָבִיךָ כִּי מְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת-נַפְשִׁי: |
2 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Ιωναθαν Μηδαμῶς [σοι]BM, οὐ μὴ ἀποθάνῃς· ἰδοὺ οὐ μὴ ποιήσῃ ὁ πατήρ μου ῥῆμα μέγα ἢ μικρὸν καὶ οὐκ ἀποκαλύψει τὸ ὠτίον μουBN· καὶ τί ὅτι κρύψει ὁ πατήρ μου τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο; οὐκ ἔστιν τοῦτο. |
2 And Jonathan said to him, Far be it [from thee]: thou shalt not die: behold, my father will not do any thing great or small without discovering it to [X X] me; and why should my father hide this matter from me? This thing is not so. |
2 And he said to him: (God forbid, thou shalt not die: for my father will do nothing, great or little, without [first] telling X X me: hath then my father hid this word only from me? no, this shall not be. |
2 And he said unto him, God forbid; thou shalt not die: behold, my father will do nothing either great or small, but that he will shew it X X me: and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so. |
2 And he said to him, “This is a disgrace! You will not be put to death! Look, my father has not done a great thing – or a small thing – and not revealed it to my ear, so why should my father hide this thing from me? There is nothing to this.” |
2 וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ חָלִילָהBO לֹא תָמוּת הִנֵּה לוֹ־ עָשָׂהBP אָבִי דָּבָר גָּדוֹל אוֹ דָּבָר קָטֹן וְלֹא יִגְלֶה אֶת-אָזְנִי וּמַדּוּעַ יַסְתִּיר אָבִי מִמֶּנִּי אֶת- הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה אֵין זֹאת: |
3
καὶ
|
3
And
David |
3 And he swore again to David. And [David] said: Thy father certainly knoweth that I have found grace in thy sight, and he will say: Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved. But truly as the Lord liveth, and thy soul liveth, there is but one step (as I may say) between me and death. |
3 And David sware moreover, and said, Thy father certainly knoweth that I have found grace in thine eyes; and he saith, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved: but truly as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death. |
3 Then David swore again and said, “Your father definitely knows that I have found favor in your eyes, and he says that Jonathan must not know about this, otherwise he will be grieved. However, as Yahweh is alive and your soul is alive, there is about a step between me and death.” |
3 וַיִּשָּׁבַע עוֹדBS דָּוִד וַיֹּאמֶר יָדֹעַ יָדַע אָבִיךָ כִּי- מָצָאתִי חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ וַיֹּאמֶר אַל-יֵדַע-זֹאת יְהוֹנָתָן פֶּן-יֵעָצֵב וְאוּלָם חַי-יְהוָה וְחֵי נַפְשֶׁךָBT כִּי כְפֶשַׂעBU בֵּינִי וּבֵין הַמָּוֶת: |
4
καὶ
εἶπεν Ιωναθαν
πρὸς Δαυιδ Τί
|
4
And
Jonathan said to David, What does thy soul |
4 And Jonathan said to David: Whatsoever thy soul shall say [to me], XBV I will do for thee. |
4
Then
said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul |
4 Then Jonathan said to David, “Then I will do for you what your soul says!” |
4 וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוֹנָתָן אֶל-דָּוִד מַה- תֹּאמַר נַפְשְׁךָ וְאֶעֱשֶׂה-לָּךְ: פ |
5 καὶ εἶπεν Δαυιδ πρὸς Ιωναθαν Ἰδοὺ δὴ νεομηνία αὔριον, καὶ ἐγὼ καθίσας [οὐ] καθήσομαι μετὰ τοῦ βασιλέως φαγεῖν, καὶ ἐξαποστελεῖς με, καὶ κρυβήσομαι ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ ἕως δείλης X X. |
5
And
David said to Jonathan, Behold, to-morrow is the new moon, and I
shall
[not]
|
5 And David said to Jonathan: Behold to morrow is the new moon, and I, [according to custom], am wont to sit beside the king to eat: let me go [then] that I may be hid in the field till the evening of the third [day]. |
5
And
David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to morrow is
the
new moon, and I
should
[not]
|
5 David then said to Jonathan, “Look, the new moon will be tomorrow, and as for me, I absolutely must sit with the king to eat, but send me on an errand so I may hide myself in the field until the third evening. |
5 וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד אֶל-יְהוֹנָתָן הִנֵּה-חֹדֶשׁ מָחָר וְאָנֹכִי יָשֹׁב- אֵשֵׁב עִם- הַמֶּלֶךְ לֶאֱכוֹל וְשִׁלַּחְתַּנִי וְנִסְתַּרְתִּי בַשָּׂדֶה עַד הָעֶרֶב הַשְּׁלִשִׁית: |
6 ἐὰν ἐπισκεπτόμενος ἐπισκέψηταί με ὁ πατήρ σου, καὶ ἐρεῖς Παραιτούμενος παρῃτήσατοBW ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ Δαυιδ δραμεῖν ἕως εἰς Βηθλεεμ τὴν πόλιν αὐτοῦ, ὅτι θυσία τῶν ἡμερῶν ἐκεῖ ὅλῃ τῇ φυλῇ. |
6 And if thy father do in anywise enquire for me, then shalt thou say, David earnestly asked [leave] of me to run to Bethleem his city, for there is there, a yearly sacrifice for all the family. |
6
If
thy father look and inquire for me, X thou shalt answer him: David
asked me that he might run to Bethlehem, his own city: because
there are |
6 If thy father at all miss me, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Bethlehem his city: for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family. |
6 If your father really holds me accountable [for attendance], then say, ‘David urgently requested of me to run to his hometown of Bethlehem for the animal-sacrifice for the holidays there for his whole family.’ |
6 אִם-פָּקֹדBX יִפְקְדֵנִי אָבִיךָ וְאָמַרְתָּ נִשְׁאֹל נִשְׁאַל מִמֶּנִּי דָוִד לָרוּץ בֵּית-לֶחֶם עִירוֹ כִּי זֶבַח הַיָּמִיםBY שָׁם לְכָל-הַמִּשְׁפָּחָה: |
7
ἐὰν
τάδε εἴπῃ Ἀγαθῶς,
εἰρήνη
τῷ
δούλῳ σου·
καὶ ἐὰν σκληρῶς
|
7
If
he shall say thus, Well, --[all]
is
safe
for
thy servant: but if he shall |
7
If
he shall say X: It is well: thy servant shall have peace:
but if he be X
angry,
know that his malice is |
7 If he say thus, It is well; thy servant shall have peace: but if he be very wroth, then be sure that evil is determined by him. |
7 If he says something like, ‘Good,’ there is peace for your servant, but if it is very inflammatory to him, know that this evil is terminal within him. |
7 אִם-כֹּהCB יֹאמַר טוֹב שָׁלוֹם לְעַבְדֶּךָ וְאִם- חָרֹה יֶחֱרֶהCC לוֹ דַּע כִּי-כָלְתָהCD הָרָעָה מֵעִמּוֹ: |
8
καὶ
ποιήσεις ἔλεος
μετὰ τοῦ δούλου
σου, ὅτι εἰσήγαγες
εἰς διαθήκην
κυρίου τὸν
δοῦλόν σου
μετὰ σεαυτοῦ·
καὶ εἰ ἔστιν
ἀδικία ἐν |
8
And
thou shalt deal mercifully with thy servant; for thou hast brought
thy servant into a covenant of the Lord with thyself: and if there
is iniquity in |
8
Deal
mercifully then with thy servant: for thou hast brought [me,]
thy
servant, into a covenant of the Lord with thee. But if there be
[any] iniquity
in me, do thou kill me, and bring me |
8 Therefore thou shalt deal kindly with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of the LORD with thee: notwithstanding, if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father? |
8 Then execute lovingkindness {with} your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of Yahweh with you. But if there is any iniquity in me, put me to death yourself. Why bring me all the way to your father in that case?” |
8 וְעָשִׂיתָ חֶסֶד עַלCE-עַבְדֶּךָ כִּי בִּבְרִית יְהוָה הֵבֵאתָ אֶת-עַבְדְּךָ עִמָּךְ וְאִם-יֶשׁ-בִּי עָוֹן הֲמִיתֵנִי אַתָּה וְעַד-אָבִיךָ לָמָּה- זֶּה תְבִיאֵנִי: פ |
9 καὶ εἶπεν Ιωναθαν Μηδαμῶς σοι, ὅτι ἐὰν γινώσκων γνῶ ὅτι συντετέλεσται ἡ κακία παρὰ τοῦ πατρός μου τοῦ ἐλθεῖν ἐπὶ σέ· καὶ ἐὰν μή, εἰς[ τὰς πόλεις σου] ἐγὼ ἀπαγγελῶ σοι. |
9 And Jonathan said, That be far from thee: for if I surely know that evil is determined by my father to come upon thee, although it should not be against [thy cities], I will tell thee. |
9 And Jonathan said: Far be this from thee: for if I should certainly know that evil is determined by my father X against thee, X I could do no otherwise than tell thee. |
9 And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee: for if I knew certainly that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee? |
9 Then Jonathan said, “It would be to your disgrace, because if I really knew that this evil was terminal within my father to go against you, then that is not what I would have communicated to you!” |
9 וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוֹנָתָן חָלִילָה לָּךְ כִּי אִם-יָדֹעַ אֵדַע כִּי-כָלְתָה הָרָעָה מֵעִם אָבִי לָבוֹא עָלֶיךָ וְלֹאCF אֹתָהּ אַגִּיד לָךְ: ס |
10 καὶ εἶπεν Δαυιδ πρὸς Ιωναθαν Τίς ἀπαγγελεῖ μοι, X ἐὰν ἀποκριθῇ ὁ πατήρ σου σκληρῶς; |
10 And David said to Jonathan, Who can tell me X if thy father should answer roughly? |
10 And David answered Jonathan: Who shall bring me word, X if thy father should answer thee harshly [concerning me]? |
10 Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me? or what if thy father answer thee roughly? |
10 Then David said to Jonathan, “Who will communicate to me, and what if your father answers you harshly?” |
10 וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד אֶל-יְהוֹנָתָן מִי יַגִּיד לִי אוֹ מַהCG- יַּעַנְךָ אָבִיךָ קָשָׁה: ס |
11
καὶ
εἶπεν Ιωναθαν
πρὸς Δαυιδ
Πορεύου καὶ
|
11
And
Jonathan said to David, Go, and |
11 And Jonathan said to David: Come, and let us go out into the field. And when they were both of them gone out into the field, |
11 And Jonathan said unto David, Come, and let us go out into the field. And they went out both of them into the field. |
11 And Jonathan said to David, “Come and let’s go out to the field.” So the two of them went out to the field, |
11 וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוֹנָתָן אֶל-דָּוִד לְכָה וְנֵצֵא הַשָּׂדֶה וַיֵּצְאוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם הַשָּׂדֶה: ס |
12
καὶ
εἶπεν Ιωναθαν
πρὸς Δαυιδ
Κύριος ὁ θεὸς
Ισραηλ [οἶδεν]
ὅτι
ἀνακρινῶCI
τὸν πατέρα μου
ὡς ἂν ὁ καιρὸς
τρισσῶς, καὶ
ἰδοὺ ἀγαθὸν
ᾖ περὶ Δαυιδ,
καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀποστείλω
πρὸς σὲ X
X εἰς
X
|
12
And
Jonathan said to David, the Lord God of Israel [knows]
that
I will sound my father as I have an opportunity,
three several times,
and, behold, if good [should be determined]
concerning
David, and I do not send to thee X X to |
12 Jonathan said to David: [O] Lord God of Israel, if I shall discover my father's mind, X X to morrow, [or the day] after, and there be [any thing] good for David, and I send not immediately to thee, and make it known to X thee, |
12 And Jonathan said unto David, [O] LORD God of Israel, when I have sounded my father about to morrow any time, or the third day, and, behold, if there be good toward David, and I then send not unto thee, and shew it X thee; |
12 and Jonathan swore to David by Yahweh, the God of Israel, “I will survey my father around this time the third day from now. If there is goodwill toward David, will I not then send a dispatch to you and communicate it to your ear? |
12 וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוֹנָתָן אֶל-דָּוִד יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵלCK כִּי- אֶחְקֹר אֶת-אָבִי כָּעֵת מָחָר הַשְּׁלִשִׁית וְהִנֵּה- טוֹב אֶל-דָּוִד וְלֹא-אָז אֶשְׁלַח אֵלֶיךָ וְגָלִיתִי אֶת-אָזְנֶךָ: |
13
τάδε
ποιήσαι ὁ |
13
|
13
May
the Lord do so and so to Jonathan, and add still more. [But if]
my
father shall |
13 The LORD do so and much more to Jonathan: [but if] it please my father to do X thee evil, then I will shew it X thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and the LORD be with thee, as he hath been with my father. |
13 Thus may Yahweh do to Jonathan and moreso. If this evil against you seems good to my father, then I will reveal it to your ear, and I will send you, and you will go towards peace. Then may Yahweh be with you, just as he used to be with my father. |
13 כֹּה-יַעֲשֶׂה יְהוָה לִיהוֹנָתָן וְכֹה יֹסִיף כִּי- יֵיטִב אֶל-אָבִי אֶת-הָרָעָה עָלֶיךָ וְגָלִיתִי אֶת-אָזְנֶךָ וְשִׁלַּחְתִּיךָ וְהָלַכְתָּ לְשָׁלוֹם וִיהִי יְהוָה עִמָּךְ כַּאֲשֶׁר הָיָה עִם-אָבִי: |
14 καὶ X μὲν ἔτι μου ζῶντος καὶ X ποιήσεις ἔλεος X μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ, καὶ ἐὰν X θανάτῳ [ἀποθάνω], |
14
And
if |
14 And if I X X live, thou shalt X shew me the kindness of the Lord: but if I X die, |
14 And [thou shalt] not only while yet I live X X shew me the kindness of the LORD, that I die not: |
14 If, while I continue to be alive, you practice the lovingkindness of Yahweh with me, then when I die, |
14 וְלֹאCL אִם-עוֹדֶנִּי חָי וְלֹא-תַעֲשֶׂה עִמָּדִי חֶסֶד יְהוָה וְלֹא אָמוּת: |
15 X οὐκ ἐξαρεῖςCM ἔλεός σου ἀπὸ τοῦ οἴκου μου ἕως τοῦ αἰῶνος· καὶ εἰ μὴ ἐν τῷ ἐξαίρειν κύριον τοὺς ἐχθροὺς Δαυιδ ἕκαστον ἀπὸ προσώπου τῆς γῆς |
15 X thou shalt not withdraw thy mercy from my house for ever: and [if thou doest] not, when the Lord cuts off the enemies of David each from the face of the earth, |
15
X
Thou shalt not take
away thy
kindness from my house for ever, when the Lord shall have |
15 But also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever: no, not when the LORD hath cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth. |
15 you must not cut off your lovingkindness from being with my house for ever, not even when Yahweh has cut off each of David’s enemies from upon the face of the earth.” |
15 וְלֹא-תַכְרִת אֶת-חַסְדְּךָ מֵעִם בֵּיתִי עַד-עוֹלָם וְלֹא בְּהַכְרִת יְהוָה אֶת-אֹיְבֵי דָוִד אִישׁ מֵעַל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה: |
16
X
|
X
[should it happen that the name of] Jonathan |
16 Jonathan therefore made a covenant with the house of David: and the Lord required it at the hands of David's enemies. |
16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, Let the LORD even require it at the hand of David's enemies. |
16 So Jonathan covenanted with the house of David so that Yahweh would take control from David’s enemies. |
16 וַיִּכְרֹת יְהוֹנָתָן עִם-בֵּית דָּוִד וּבִקֵּשׁ יְהוָה מִיַּדCO אֹיְבֵי דָוִד: |
17 καὶ προσέθετο ἔτι Ιωναθαν ὀμόσαιCP τῷ Δαυιδ, ὅτι ἠγάπησεν X X X ψυχὴν ἀγαπῶντος αὐτόν. |
17 And Jonathan X swore yet again to David, because he loved X X X the soul of him that loved him. |
17
And
Jonathan X swore again to
David,
because he loved him: for he loved him X |
17 And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he loved him [as he] love[d] his [own] soul. |
17 And Jonathan again swore {to} David by his love for him; he loved him as he loved himself. |
17 וַיּוֹסֶף יְהוֹנָתָן לְהַשְׁבִּיעַ אֶת- דָּוִדCQ בְּאַהֲבָתוֹ אֹתוֹ כִּי-אַהֲבַת נַפְשׁוֹ אֲהֵבוֹCR: ס |
18 καὶ εἶπεν X X Ιωναθαν Αὔριον νουμηνία, καὶ ἐπισκεπήσῃCS, ὅτι ἐπισκεπήσεται καθέδρα σου. |
18 And Jonathan said X X, To-morrow is the new moon, and thou wilt be enquired for, because thy seat will be observed [as vacant]. |
18 And Jonathan said to him: To morrow is the new moon, and thou wilt be missed: 19 For thy seat will be empty |
18 Then Jonathan said to David, To morrow is the new moon: and thou shalt be missed, because thy seat will be empty. |
18 Then Jonathan said to him, “Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be held accountable because an account is made of your seat, |
18 וַיֹּאמֶר-לוֹ יְהוֹנָתָן מָחָר חֹדֶשׁ וְנִפְקַדְתָּ כִּי יִפָּקֵד מוֹשָׁבֶךָ: |
19
καὶ
τρισσεύσεις
[καὶ]
|
19
And
thou shalt [stay]
three
[days], [and]
|
Till
X
|
19 And when thou hast stayed three [days], then thou shalt go down quickly, and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself X when X the business was in hand, and shalt remain by the stone Ezel. |
19 so, on the third, you should go down expeditiously and come to the place where you have hid yourself there, on the day of our business, and you should sit tight beside the Ezel stone. |
19 וְשִׁלַּשְׁתָּ תֵּרֵד מְאֹדCV וּבָאתָ אֶל- הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר- נִסְתַּרְתָּ שָּׁם בְּיוֹם הַמַּעֲשֶׂהCW וְיָשַׁבְתָּ אֵצֶל הָאֶבֶן הָאָזֶל: |
20 καὶ ἐγὼ τρισσεύσω ταῖς σχίζαιςCX XCY ἀκοντίζων ἐκπέμπων X XCZ εἰς τὴν αματταριDA· |
20
And
I [will shoot DB]
three
arrows X, aiming X |
20 And I will shoot 3 arrows near it, [and will shoot as if I were] exercising myselfDD at a mark. |
20
And
I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof,
as
though I |
20 Now, as for me, I will shoot three of these arrows aside, dispatching them for myself toward a target. |
20 וַאֲנִי שְׁלֹשֶׁת הַחִצִּים צִדָּה אוֹרֶה לְשַׁלַּח-לִי לְמַטָּרָהDE: |
21 καὶ ἰδοὺ ἀποστελῶ τὸ παιδάριον [λέγων] Δεῦρο εὑρέ [μοι] τὴν σχίζανDF· ἐὰν εἴπω λέγων τῷ παιδαρίῳ Ὧδε ἡ σχίζα ἀπὸ σοῦ καὶ ὧδε, λαβὲ αὐτήν, παραγίνου, ὅτι εἰρήνη σοι καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν λόγος, ζῇ κύριος· |
21
And
behold, I will send |
21
And
X I
will send |
21
And,
behold, I will send |
21 Then, see, I will send the servant-boy. (‘Go find the arrows {for me}!’) If I urgently say to the servant-boy, ‘Look, the arrows are away from you,’ then, there you have it, get him and come, for there is peace for you, and there is nothing the matter, as Yahweh is living. |
21 וְהִנֵּה אֶשְׁלַח אֶת-הַנַּעַר לֵךְ מְצָא אֶת-הַחִצִּים אִם-אָמֹר אֹמַר לַנַּעַר הִנֵּה הַחִצִּים מִמְּךָ וָהֵנָּה קָחֶנּוּDG וָבֹאָה כִּי-שָׁלוֹם לְךָ וְאֵין דָּבָרDH חַי-יְהוָה: |
22 ἐὰν τάδε εἴπω τῷ νεανίσκῳ Ὧδε ἡ σχίζα ἀπὸ σοῦ καὶ ἐπέκεινα, πορεύου, ὅτι ἐξαπέσταλκέν σε κύριος. |
but
if I should say thus to the young man, The arrowX
|
But if I shall speak thus to the boy: Behold the arrows are beyond thee X X: go [in peace], for the Lord hath sent thee away. |
22 But if I say thus unto the young man, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee X X; go [thy way]: for the LORD hath sent thee away. |
22 But, if I speak this way to the youngster, ‘See, the arrows are away from you and beyond,’ go, for Yahweh has sent you. |
22 וְאִם-כֹּה אֹמַר לָעֶלֶם הִנֵּה הַחִצִּים מִמְּךָ וָהָלְאָהDI לֵךְ כִּי שִׁלַּחֲךָ יְהוָה: |
23 καὶ τὸ ῥῆμα, ὃ ἐλαλήσαμεν ἐγὼ καὶ σύ, ἰδοὺ κύριος [μάρτυς] ἀνὰ μέσον ἐμοῦ καὶ σοῦ ἕως αἰῶνος. |
23 And [as for] the word which thou and I have spoken, behold, the Lord is [witness] between me and thee for ever. |
23 And [concerning] the word which I and thou have spoken, X the Lord be between thee and me forever. |
23 And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, the LORD be between thee and me for ever. |
23 And, as for the matter of which we spoke – you and I, look, Yahweh will be between me and you for ever.” |
23 וְהַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְנוּ אֲנִי וָאָתָּה הִנֵּה יְהוָה בֵּינִי וּבֵינְךָ עַד- עוֹלָםDJ: ס |
24
Καὶ
κρύπτεται Δαυιδ
ἐν ἀγρῷ, καὶ
παραγίνεται
ὁ μήν, καὶ |
24
So
David hides himself in the field, and the new month arrives,
and the king |
24 So David was hid in the field, and the new moon came, and the king sat down to eat X bread. |
24 So David hid himself in the field: and [when] the new moon was come, the king sat him down to eat X meat. |
24 So David hid in the field while the new moon came and the king sat down to eat his food. |
24 וַיִּסָּתֵר דָּוִד בַּשָּׂדֶה וַיְהִי הַחֹדֶשׁ וַיֵּשֶׁב הַמֶּלֶךְ DKעַל- הַלֶּחֶם לֶאֱכוֹל: |
25
καὶ
ἐκάθισεν ὁ
βασιλεὺς ἐπὶ
τὴν καθέδραν
αὐτοῦ ὡς
ἅπαξ καὶ ἅπαξDL,
ἐπὶ τῆς καθέδρας
παρὰ τοῖχον,
καὶ |
25
And
X he sat upon his seat as
in former times,
[even] on
[his] seat
by the wall, and |
25 And [when] the king sat down upon his chair, (according to custom) X XDN which was beside the wall, X Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul's side, and David's place appeared empty. |
25 And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, even upon a seat by the wall: and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul's side, and David's place was empty. |
25 And the king sat upon his seat, as he did time after time, at the seat by the wall. Then Jonathan got up, and Abner sat beside Saul. Meanwhile, an account was made of David’s place, |
25 וַיֵּשֶׁב הַמֶּלֶךְ עַל-מוֹשָׁבוֹ כְּפַעַם בְּפַעַם אֶל-מוֹשַׁבDO הַקִּיר וַיָּקָםDP יְהוֹנָתָן וַיֵּשֶׁב אַבְנֵר מִצַּד שָׁאוּל וַיִּפָּקֵדDQ מְקוֹם דָּוִד: |
26
καὶ
οὐκ ἐλάλησεν
Σαουλ οὐδὲν
ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ,
ὅτι εἶπεν ΣύμπτωμαDR
|
26
And
Saul said nothing on that day, for he said, It |
26
And
Saul said nothing that day, for he |
26
Nevertheless
Saul spake not any thing that day: for he |
26 but Saul did not say anything during that day, because he said, “It happens, so he is not ceremonially-clean... just not ceremonially-clean.” |
26 וְלֹא-דִבֶּר שָׁאוּל מְאוּמָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא כִּי אָמַר מִקְרֶהDS הוּא בִּלְתִּי טָהוֹר הוּא כִּי-לֹא טָהוֹר: ס |
27
καὶ
ἐγενήθη τῇ
ἐπαύριον τοῦ
μηνὸς [τῇ ἡμέρᾳ]
τῇ
δευτέρᾳ καὶ
ἐπεσκέπη
ὁ
τόπος τοῦ Δαυιδ,
καὶ εἶπεν Σαουλ
πρὸς Ιωναθαν
τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ
Τί ὅτι οὐ παραγέγονεν
ὁ υἱὸς Ιεσσαι
καὶ ἐχθὲς καὶ
σήμερον |
27
And
it came to pass on the morrow, on the second [day]
of
the month, that the place of David was empty;
and Saul said to Jonathan his son, Why has not the son of Jessae
attended both yesterday and today |
27 And when the second [day] after the new moon was come, David's place appeared empty again. And Saul said to Jonathan, his son: Why cometh not the son of Isai to meat neither yesterday, nor to day? |
27 And it came to pass on the morrow, which was the second day of the month, that David's place was empty: and Saul said unto Jonathan his son, Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday, nor to day? |
27 Then after the second day of the new moon, the place of David was made an account of, and Saul said to Jonathan his son, “Why has the son of Jesse not come, either yesterday or today, to the {table}?” |
27 וַיְהִי מִמָּחֳרַת הַחֹדֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִיDT וַיִּפָּקֵד מְקוֹם דָּוִד ס וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל אֶל-יְהוֹנָתָן בְּנוֹ מַדּוּעַ לֹא-בָא בֶן-יִשַׁי גַּם- תְּמוֹל גַּם-הַיּוֹם אֶל-הַלָּחֶםDU: |
28 καὶ ἀπεκρίθη Ιωναθαν τῷ Σαουλ [καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ] Παρῄτηται Δαυιδ παρ᾿ ἐμοῦ ἕως εἰς Βηθλεεμ [τὴν πόλιν αὐτοῦ πορευθῆναι] |
28 And Jonathan answered Saul, [and said to him], David asked leave of me [to go] as far as Bethleem [his city]; |
28 And Jonathan answered Saul: X He asked [leave] of me earnestly [to go] to Bethlehem. |
28 And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem: |
28 And Jonathan responded to Saul {and said}, “David requested to be away from me out at Bethlehem, |
28 וַיַּעַןDV יְהוֹנָתָן אֶת-שָׁאוּלDW נִשְׁאֹלDX נִשְׁאַל דָּוִד מֵעִמָּדִי עַד- בֵּית לָחֶם: |
29
καὶ
εἶπεν ἘξαπόστειλονDY
δή με, ὅτι θυσία
τῆς φυλῆςDZ
ἡμῖν ἐν τῇ πόλει,
καὶ X
ἐνετείλαντο
πρός
με |
29
and
he said, Let me go, I pray thee, for we have a family sacrifice in
the city, and my brethr |
29
And
he said: Let me go, for there is a |
29 And he said, Let me go, I pray thee; for our family hath a sacrifice in the city; and my brother, he hath commanded me to be there: and now, if I have found favour in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my brethren. Therefore he cometh not unto the king's table. |
29 and he said, ‘Please send me, for there will be an animal-sacrifice for our family in that town, and as for me, my brother{s} have made it mandatory for me. So now, if I have found favor in your eyes, please let me slip away and see my brothers.’ That’s why he hasn’t come to the king’s table.” |
29 וַיֹּאמֶר שַׁלְּחֵנִי נָא כִּי זֶבַח EBמִשְׁפָּחָה לָנוּ בָּעִיר וְהוּא צִוָּהEC-לִי אָחִי וְעַתָּה אִםED- מָצָאתִי חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ אִמָּלְטָה נָּא וְאֶרְאֶה אֶת- אֶחָי עַל-כֵּן לֹא- בָא אֶל-שֻׁלְחַן הַמֶּלֶךְ: ס |
30 καὶ ἐθυμώθη ὀργῇ Σαουλ ἐπὶ Ιωναθαν [σφόδρα] καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Υἱὲ κορασίων αὐτομολούντωνEE, οὐ [γὰρ] οἶδα ὅτι μέτοχοςEF εἶ σὺ τῷ υἱῷ Ιεσσαι εἰς αἰσχύνην σου καὶ εἰς αἰσχύνην ἀποκαλύψεωςEG μητρός σου; |
30 And Saul was [exceedingly] angry with Jonathan, and said to him, Thou son of traitorous damsels! [for] do I not know that thou art an accomplice with the son of Jessae to thy same, and to the shame of thy mother's nakedness? |
30
Then
Saul being angry against Jonathan, said to him: Thou son of a
woman that is the ravisher [of a man], do I not know that thou
lovest
the
son of Isai to thy own confusion, and to the confusion of thy
|
30 Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother's nakedness? |
30 Then Saul’s anger {really} ignited against Jonathan, and he said to him, “Son of rebellious {girls}! Didn’t I know that you have been campaignnig for the son of Jesse, to your shame and to the shame of your mother’s exposure? |
30 וַיִּחַר-אַףEH שָׁאוּל בִּיהוֹנָתָןEI וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ בֶּן- נַעֲוַתEJ הַמַּרְדּוּת הֲלוֹא יָדַעְתִּי כִּי-בֹחֵר אַתָּה לְבֶן-יִשַׁי לְבָשְׁתְּךָ וּלְבֹשֶׁת עֶרְוַת אִמֶּךָ: |
31
ὅτι
πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας,
ἃς ὁ υἱὸς Ιεσσαι
ζῇ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς,
οὐχ ἑτοιμασθήσ
|
31
For
|
31
For
|
31
For
|
31 - that all the days in which the son of Jesse lives upon the earth {} your kingdom will not be established? So now, send servants and capture {this young man}, for he is worthy of death.” |
31 כִּי כָל- הַיָּמִים אֲשֶׁר בֶּן-יִשַׁי חַי עַל- הָאֲדָמָה לֹא תִכּוֹן אַתָּהEM וּמַלְכוּתֶךָ וְעַתָּה שְׁלַח וְקַח אֹתוֹ אֵלַיEN כִּי בֶן-מָוֶת הוּא: ס |
32 καὶ ἀπεκρίθη Ιωναθαν τῷ Σαουλ X X X X Ἵνα τί ἀποθνῄσκει; τί πεποίηκεν; |
32 And Jonathan answered Saul X X X X X X, Why is he to die? What has he done? |
32 And Jonathan answering Saul, his father, X said X X: Why shall he die? What hath he done? |
32 And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain? what hath he done? |
32 But Jonathan answered Saul his father and said {}, “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?” |
32 וַיַּעַן יְהוֹנָתָן אֶת-שָׁאוּל אָבִיו וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיוEO לָמָּה יוּמַת מֶה עָשָׂהEP: |
33
καὶ
|
33
And
Saul |
33
And
Saul |
33 And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David. |
33 Then Saul hurled his spear at him to strike him, (So Jonathan knew that it was fully-intnded with his father to put David to death.) |
33 וַיָּטֶלEQ שָׁאוּל אֶת-הַחֲנִית עָלָיו לְהַכֹּתוֹ וַיֵּדַע יְהוֹנָתָן כִּי-כָלָה הִיאER מֵעִם אָבִיו לְהָמִית אֶת-דָּוִד: ס |
34
καὶ
|
34 And Jonathan sprang up from the table in great anger, and did not eat bread on the 2nd day of the month, for he grieved bitterly for David, because his father determined [on mischief against] him. |
34 So Jonathan rose from the table in great anger, and did not eat bread on the second day [after] the new moon. For he was grieved for David, because his father had put him to confusion. |
34 So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no meat the second day of the month: for he was grieved for David, because his father had done him shame. |
34 and Jonathan {leapt} from the table, burning with anger, and he did not eat food on that second day of the new moon, because he was grieved on behalf of David, since his father had dishonored him. |
34 וַיָּקָםEU יְהוֹנָתָן מֵעִםEV הַשֻּׁלְחָן בָּחֳרִי- אָף וְלֹא-אָכַל בְּיוֹם-הַחֹדֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִי לֶחֶם כִּי נֶעְצַב אֶל-דָּוִד כִּי הִכְלִמוֹ אָבִיו: ס |
35 Καὶ ἐγενήθη πρωὶ καὶ ἐξῆλθεν Ιωναθαν εἰς ἀγρόν, [καθὼς ἐτάξατο] εἰς τὸ μαρτύριον ΔαυιδEW, καὶ παιδάριον μικρὸν μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ. |
35 And morning came, and Jonathan went out to the field, [as he appointed to do] for a signal to David, and a little boy was with him. |
35 And when the morning came, Jonathan went into the field according to the appointment with David, and a little boy with him. |
35 And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad with him. |
35 So it was, that, in the morning, Jonathan went out to the field for the appointment with David, and a small servant-boy was with him. |
35 וַיְהִי בַבֹּקֶר EX וַיֵּצֵא יְהוֹנָתָן הַשָּׂדֶה לְמוֹעֵד דָּוִד וְנַעַר קָטֹן עִמּוֹ: |
36 καὶ εἶπεν τῷ παιδαρίῳ X Δράμε, εὑρέ μοι τὰς σχίζαςEY, ἐν αἷς ἐγὼ ἀκοντίζω· [καὶ] τὸ παιδάριον ἔδραμε, καὶ αὐτὸς ἠκόντιζε τῇ σχίζῃ [καὶ] παρήγαγενEZ αὐτήν. |
36
And
he said to the
boy,
Run, find me the arrows which I shoot: [and]
the
boy ran, and [Jonathan]
shot
|
36
And
he said to his boy: Go, and |
36
And
he said unto his lad, Run, find out now the arrows which I shoot.
And
as
the lad ran, he shot |
36 And he said to {the} servant-boy, “Run, find {for me} the arrows that I am shooting.” {And} while the servant-boy ran, he himself shot the arrow past him {toward the town}. |
36 וַיֹּאמֶר לְנַעֲרוֹFA רֻץ מְצָא נָא אֶת- הַחִצִּיםFB אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מוֹרֶה הַנַּעַרFC רָץ וְהוּא-יָרָה הַחֵצִי לְהַעֲבִרוֹFD: |
37
καὶ
ἦλθεν τὸ παιδάριον
ἕως τοῦ τόπου
τῆς σχίζης, οὗ
ἠκόντιζεν
Ιωναθαν, καὶ
ἀνεβόησεν Ιωναθαν
ὀπίσω τοῦ νεανίου
καὶ εἶπεν |
37
And
the boy came to the place where the arrow was which Jonathan shot;
and Jonathan cried out after the lad, and said, The arrow is
|
37
The
boy therefore came to the place of the arrow which Jonathan
had shot: and Jonathan cried after the boy, and said: |
37 And when the lad was come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the lad, and said, Is not the arrow beyond thee X X? |
37 Then, when the servant-boy came up to the landing-place of the arrow that Jonathan had shot, Jonathan called out after the servant-boy and said, “{See,} the arrow is further from you and beyond!” |
37 וַיָּבֹא הַנַּעַר עַד-מְקוֹם הַחֵצִי אֲשֶׁר יָרָה יְהוֹנָתָן וַיִּקְרָא יְהוֹנָתָן אַחֲרֵי הַנַּעַר וַיֹּאמֶר הֲלוֹאFE הַחֵצִי מִמְּךָ וָהָלְאָה: |
38
καὶ
ἀνεβόησεν
Ιωναθαν ὀπίσω
τοῦ παιδαρίου
[αὐτοῦ]
λέγων
Ταχύνας σπεῦσον
καὶ μὴ στῇς·
καὶ ἀνέλεξεν
τὸ παιδάριον
Ιωναθαν τὰς
σχίζ |
38 And Jonathan cried out after his boy, saying, Make all speed, and stay not. And Jonathan's boy gathered up the arrow[s], and brought [the arrows] to his master. |
38 And Jonathan cried [again] after the boy, saying: Make haste speedily, stand not. And Jonathan's boy gathered up the arrow[s], and brought them to his master: |
38 And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste, stay not. And Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrow[s], and came to his master. |
38 Jonathan also called out after the servant-boy, “Please hustle quickly; don’t stand around,” so Jonathan’s servant-boy picked up the arrow{s} and {brought them} to his master. |
38 וַיִּקְרָא יְהוֹנָתָן אַחֲרֵי הַנַּעַרFG מְהֵרָה חוּשָׁה אַל-תַּעֲמֹד וַיְלַקֵּט נַעַר יְהוֹנָתָן אֶת- הַחֵצִי FH וַיָּבֹאFI אֶל- אֲדֹנָיו: |
39 καὶ τὸ παιδάριον οὐκ ἔγνω οὐθέν, πάρεξ Ιωναθαν καὶ Δαυιδ ἔγνωσαν τὸ ῥῆμα. |
39 And the boy knew nothing, only Jonathan and David knew X XFJ. |
39 And he knew not at all what was doing: [for] only Jonathan and David knew the matter. |
39 But the lad knew not any thing: only Jonathan and David knew the matter. |
39 (The servant-boy, however, did not know anything; only Jonathan and David knew about the matter.) |
39 וְהַנַּעַר לֹא- יָדַע מְאוּמָה אַךְ יְהוֹנָתָן וְדָוִד יָדְעוּ אֶת-הַדָּבָרFK: |
40 καὶ Ιωναθαν ἔδωκεν τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὸ παιδάριον X X αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν τῷ παιδαρίῳ αὐτοῦ Πορεύου [εἴσ]ελθε [εἰς] τὴν πόλιν. |
40 And Jonathan gave his weapons to his boy X X, and said to his boy, Go, enter [into] the city. |
40 Jonathan therefore gave his arms to the boy X X, and said to him: Go, and carry them into the city. |
40 And Jonathan gave his artillery unto his lad X X, and said unto him, Go, carry them to the city. |
40 Anyway, Jonathan gave his gear to the servant-boy who was with him and said to him, “Go, bring them to town.” |
40 וַיִּתֵּן יְהוֹנָתָן אֶת-כֵּלָיו אֶלFL- הַנַּעַר אֲשֶׁר-לוֹ וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ לֵךְ הָבֵיא הָעִירFM: |
41
|
41
|
41
|
41 And as soon as the lad was gone, X David arose out of a place toward the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded. |
41 {And} when the servant-boy had gone, David got up from the southern side and fell with his nose to the ground and bowed himself three times, then the men kissed as friends, and each wept over his friend, David making a big deal of it. |
41 FRהַנַּעַר בָּא וְדָוִד קָם מֵאֵצֶל הַנֶּגֶבFS וַיִּפֹּל לְאַפָּיו אַרְצָה וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ שָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִים וַיִּשְּׁקוּ אִישׁ אֶת-רֵעֵהוּ וַיִּבְכּוּ אִישׁ אֶת-רֵעֵהוּ עַד- דָּוִד הִגְדִּילFT: |
42 καὶ εἶπεν Ιωναθαν Πορεύου εἰς εἰρήνην, καὶ ὡς ὀμωμόκαμεν ἡμεῖς ἀμφότεροι ἐν ὀνόματι κυρίου λέγοντες Κύριος ἔσται [μάρτυς] ἀνὰ μέσον ἐμοῦ καὶ σοῦ καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ σπέρματός μου καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ σπέρματός σου ἕως αἰῶνος. (21:1) καὶ ἀνέστη [Δαυιδ] καὶ ἀπῆλθεν, καὶ Ιωναθαν εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὴν πόλιν. |
42 And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, and as we have both sworn in the name of the Lord, saying, The Lord shall be [witness] between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever--even so let it be. And [David] arose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city. |
42
And
Jonathan said to David: Go in peace: |
42 And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the LORD, saying, The LORD be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever. And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city. |
42 Presently Jonathan said to David, “Go into the peace, which the two of us have sworn out for ourselves in the name of Yahweh saying, ‘Yahweh will be between me and you, and between my offspring and your offspring for ever.’” Then {David} got up and started walking, and Jonathan went to his town. |
42 וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוֹנָתָן לְדָוִד לֵךְ לְשָׁלוֹם אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְנוּ שְׁנֵינוּ אֲנַחְנוּFU בְּשֵׁם יְהוָה לֵאמֹר יְהוָה יִהְיֶה בֵּינִי וּבֵינֶךָ וּבֵין זַרְעִי וּבֵין זַרְעֲךָ עַד-עוֹלָם: פ 21:1 וַיָּקָםFV וַיֵּלַךְ וִיהוֹנָתָן בָּא הָעִיר |
Reviewing up to this point in 1 Samuel, we have seen tensions rise between Saul the reigning king of Israel, and David, the “better man” anointed by the prophet Samuel to be the next king.
In chapters 16-18, David was welcomed into Saul’s palace as an accomplished musician, an esteemed Army captain, and as a son-in-law.
But it didn’t rest easy with King Saul, and this culminated in multiple attempts on David’s life in chapter 19, then a definitive cutting of ties with Saul’s court in chapter 20 with Prince Jonathan’s full approval and support.
Now for the rest of the book, David will be a fugitive with no place that he can live legally and no place that he can work legally. He will spend the rest of this book living on-the-run with the Israeli Army and the Police trying to capture and kill him.
Take note of where David goes first in chapter 21 as an official political fugitive: to God’s special house12!
Neither Naioth in Ramah nor Nob were cities of refuge; David did not choose to go that route, perhaps because people would have thought he was truly guilty of something.
But, for the second time, when David was scared and looking for companionship and protection, David fled to a man of God – a priest.
Matthew Henry also suggested that David “comes to the tabernacle… To take an affecting leave of it, for he knows not when he shall see it again, and nothing will be more afflictive to him in his banishment than his distance from the house of God, and his restraint from public ordinances, as appears by many of his psalms.”
Achimelek the priest immediately senses that something is wrong when he sees David all by himself without his escort of a thousand soldiers.
We are not told whether Achimelek was trembling with concern for David to see him so alone, or whether he was trembling with concern for himself, knowing that this was a political power keg he was entering into.
Achimelek13 means “my brother - king” – and we know from chapter 14 that his brother Ahijah was a chaplain for King Saul, so there were family connections to Saul, and Achimelek had to have known that the political situation was extremely volatile.
David does not answer Achimelek’s question; he just makes up a lie about being on a secret mission for Saul. “The king told me to keep it a secret; I can’t tell you why I’m here.”
None of the commentators I read even attempted to defend David’s integrity over this.
It’s easy to understand why he lied in the midst of his fear: he was genuinely running for his life, but that still doesn’t excuse him; he blew it, and there were consequences.
Perhaps, due to this lie, David’s life as a fugitive became harder than it otherwise would have been.
Perhaps if David had not lied, Doeg would not have suspected a conspiracy from David. As it was, Doeg knew David had lied by saying he was on a special mission from the king, and he knew that David had taken other men with him, and that would smack of conspiracy. If David had said that he was running for his life from Saul, who was unjustly pursuing him, maybe Doeg would not have suspected David of conspiracy; I don’t know.
If David had told the truth, perhaps the priests at Nob wouldn’t have been killed. David admits later in chapter 22, v.22, that it was his fault that those priests were murdered, and that must have been a terrible burden of guilt to carry.
Jesus promises to punish liars in the lake of fire forever (Rev. 21:8), but also in the short run, lies bring confusion, fear of being found out, and the necessity to lie more to cover up. So tell the truth, no matter how hard it may be.
David follows up with an attempt to set Achimelek at ease about his lack of companions by saying that he had men with him, but they were off on errands and would be convening later with him at a certain place.
I’m inclined to think that David was not lying about there being men with him because when Jesus recounts this event in the Gospels, Jesus’ wording takes for granted that there were indeed men with David.
David is not chatty or polite, he quickly asks for anything that Achimelek has on hand to eat. Five loaves of bread would hardly feed the thousand troops he was over. It would be just enough for him to survive on for a few days.
It is strange, particularly in the context of a Middle Eastern country where hospitality is one of the highest values there is, that no priest pipes up and says, “Hey, why don’t you come over to my house, and we’ll see that you get a square meal.” I think Matthew Henry was right in his commentary that this points toward something problematic in Achimelek’s character, that he “kept no good house, but wanted[lacked]... a heart to be hospitable...”
In verse 4, the priest reminds David that this is not a grocery store; this is the tabernacle, and the only bread they kept on hand was something special for the holy place.
Leviticus 24 explains that the high priest “...must arrange the lamps upon the lamp-stand of purity continuously before the face of Yahweh. You must also get fine flour and bake it into twelve bread-loaves – two bags per one bread-loaf, and you must place them in arrangements of twos (six being the arrangement) upon the table of purity before the face of Yahweh. Then you must put clarified frankincense on top of each arrangement, and instead of the bread it will be [used] for a memorial burnt-offering for Yahweh. From Day of Rest to Day of Rest he shall arrange it [the bread] to be a lasting covenant before the face of Yahweh continuously from the children of Israel. It [the covenant] will also be for Aaron and for his children so that they shall eat it [the bread] in a holy place because it is a holy thing [among] holy things belonging to him from among the burnt-offerings of Yahweh. This is a lasting statute.” (vs.4-9, NAW)
So this “shewbread/holy bread/bread of the presence” was to be switched out every Sabbath with a batch of fresh, hot loaves, and the week-old loaves were to be eaten only by Aaron and his descendants, and only in a holy place14.
So how could Achimelek give any of this holy bread to David, who was not a priest? My favorite commentator, Andrew Willett, explained this well: “Some things are not sacred in their nature, but according to the institution, as the ceremonies of the law, which now are prophaned and abrogated by Christ: so the elements used in the Sacraments, are sanctified by the word for that spiritual use: but that holy action being finished, they return to their nature [in other words, we flush the extra water down the drain after a baptism, and we throw away or eat the leftover bread and juice after the communion service because they have fulfilled their holy purpose and they go back to their common purpose]: such was the shew bread here given unto David, it was holy by the ceremonie, but... common in regard of David's necessitie… [T]he ceremonial law is wholly to give place to the moral, when as both can not be kept together: as the health, life, and safetie of man, wherein our love and charitie is seen, is to be preferred before a ceremonie… [T]he Priest and David both [w]ould have sinned, if he... ha[d] suffered David to perish, and David... ha[d] chosen rather to die than to eat of the hallowed bread…” ~Willett
In the New Testament we also have a commentary on Achimelek’s decision to give holy bread to David: Matthew 12:1-8 “During that time on the Sabbaths, Jesus proceeded through the grainfields. Now, His disciples were hungry, so they began to pick and eat kernels. And upon seeing [this], the Pharisees said to Him, ‘Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on a Sabbath!’ But He said to them, ‘Did you not read what David did because He was hungry – he and those with him, how he entered into the house of God and ate the loaves set out, which it was not lawful for him to eat – nor for those with him, but only for the priests? And did y'all not read in the Law that on the Sabbaths the priests in the temple desecrate the Sabbath yet continue to be innocent? Well, I'm telling you that here is something greater than the temple! And, if y'all had known what it means, “It is mercy that I am wishing for and not sacrifice,” you would not have ruled against the innocent. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.’” (NAW)
The parallel passage in the Gospel of Mark (2:28) records an additional comment from Jesus, “For the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”
Mathew Henry commented: “[I]t is not enough for us to know the scriptures, but we must labor to know the meaning of them… Ignorance is the cause of our rash and uncharitable censures of our brethren.”
You see, the Pharisees did not understand the meaning of Hosea 6:6 “I desire mercy over sacrifice.” If they had understood its meaning, they would have understood that the Sabbath (as with all the 10 Commandments) was not intended by God to be an occasion of condemning and controlling fellow men with rules, but rather was intended by God to give freedom and blessing to His people.
“It is the practice of compassion that should distinguish the people of God rather than the punctilious observance of outward regulations, no matter how sacred.” ~Leon Morris
The word “sacrifice” stands for all the outward worship ceremonies of the law. And “mercy” is fleshed out here as feeding the hungry.
Jesus comes to the rescue of his falsely-accused disciples and exposes the Pharisee’s misinterpretation of the first table of God’s law as a neglect of the second table of the law.
Are you going to bow in submission to Jesus as your ultimate authority, or are you going to try to add your rules to condemn and control other people?
I think that an application of this point came in our COVID quarantining.
Under normal conditions we are called to meet together, but when health and life are threatened by disease, the ceremonial aspect of an in-person assembly had to give way to the moral duty of protecting the lives of our neighbors.
There is the ceremonial ideal of meeting in person, which you could use Hebrews as a prooftext for not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together, and some people have made that their only criterion for decision-making, but there are many other Biblical criteria, such as submitting to the elders, submitting to magistrates, being considerate of weaker brothers – especially the sick, considering the interests of others above your own, Levitical quarantining for contagious diseases, and church membership covenants to support the worship of the church. If we bring the whole counsel of scripture to bear on the question, we may find that the weight of God’s counsel allows for exceptions to the simple principle of always meeting in person.
The issue that Achimelek had to grapple with is something we’ve had to grapple with too. It’s easy to get our priorities confused, but Achimelek made the right call by not saying, “Sorry David, God said that only a priest could eat this bread,” rather Achimelek gave David the priest’s bread when that was all God had provided and David had a real need for it.
I like how Matthew Henry framed it: “[T]hat may be done in a case of an urgent providential necessity which may not otherwise be done.”
Looking for loopholes in the law, of course, can be taken to an unhealthy extreme.
I’m reminded of our confessional statement from Romans 6: “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?”
So decisions about exceptional things certainly must be tempered by wisdom and submitted to God for guidance.
Achimelek added a stipulation to his grant. He said that David and his men could have the leftover shewbread as long as they were not ceremonially unclean, particularly in the matter of sexual purity.
For what it’s worth, despite what most English translations say, Achimelek used the word “woman” in the singular, which usually means one’s wife; he’s not accusing them of sleeping around.
David’s answer that “of course” his men have not become ceremonially unclean with a woman because they’ve been on the road for three days, makes me think David is including the previous weekend when he hid out in the field during the New Moon festival. Nob is only two miles, as the crow flies15, from Gibeah of Saul, and would have only taken a couple of hours to hike to, not three days.
The Apostle Paul also exhorted Christians to keep our “vessel” or “body16” pure in his letter to the church at Thessalonica: “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness.” (1 Thessalonians 4:3-7, NKJV)
The particulars of keeping distance between you and your wife on Friday night don’t apply to Christians like it did to the Israelites, but the general rule of not committing adultery in any of its forms remains applicable to us as Christians.
V.7 brings a jarring interruption to the story of David, commenting that Doeg the Edomite, the chief of Saul’s shepherds, was there at the tabernacle, “detained before the LORD.” This raises some questions:
What was an Edomite doing in the tabernacle?
Jewish commentators have said that he can’t have been a Gentile, so he must have been a Jew who had merely lived in Edom.
But, the last time that the word “Edomite” occurred in the Bible, it was in God’s command in Deuteronomy 23:3 & 7, "An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter the assembly of the LORD; even to the tenth generation... [but] You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother...” (NKJV)
Certainly there was rivalry between the descendants of Jacob and Esau, but God wanted the nations – especially the Edomites – to be drawn into worshipping Him. He said as much to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob back in the book of Genesis, “through you all the families/nations of the earth will be blessed.”17
The New International Commentary on the Old Testament suggested that Doeg might have became Saul’s servant after the victory over Edom mentioned in 1 Sam. 14:47.
As for Doeg’s job of overseeing all of Saul’s shepherds, that could have been an important position in a nation where shepherding formed the core of the economy.
Now, what does it mean that Doeg was “detained before the LORD”?
It’s the same Hebrew verb as the one in v.6 where David says his men have been “kept/restrained” from being with a woman.
God’s presence is depicted as a place of “restraint” where you can’t do just anything you please; you are limited by God’s authority.
Perhaps Doeg was keeping a vow or undergoing some sort of purification ceremony, but I wonder if his detention was something like Saul’s embarrasing situation over at Naioth of Ramah where he was trying to grab David and kill him, but God overcame him, and all he could do was lie on the floor at Samuel’s feet and sing worship songs. Whatever Doeg’s detention was, it meant that God was in control of him. And if God was in control, then it was God’s control that resulted in Doeg being there when David stopped by. If Doeg had not been detained before the LORD, he would not have seen David, and Doeg would not have gotten the priests in trouble with Saul. Do you see that God set this situation up so that Doeg would get Achimelek in trouble with Saul for helping David? God is likewise skillfully shaping the actions and outcomes even of corrupt politicians today.
God was just as much at work in the lives of minor characters like Doeg and Achimelek (and you and me) as He was in the lives of the main characters in the Bible like David and Saul. No one is overlooked by God. This could have been part of God’s merciful calling to repentance one more time for Doeg. At the same time, this was all part of God’s plan, for God had to fulfill his promise to Eli about the elimination of his priestly line (Achimelek being Eli’s great-grandson), and who better to bring such a troubling day of reckoning than the already-compromised sleazeball Saul.
At any rate, Doeg, in the next chapter (22:10) claims that he saw Achimelek “inquire of the LORD” for David.
That isn’t mentioned explicitly here in chapter 21, but perhaps it is obliquely referred to by the mention of the ephod which may have included the Urim and Thummim by which the high priest asked God for advice.
Maybe it was through that process that God told Achimelek that it was o.k. to give David the shewbread as long as he was ceremonially clean.
Maybe it was through that process that God told David to get out of Saul’s jurisdiction and leave the country.
Maybe that was why Achimelek trembled.
There’s a lot we don’t know.
But v.8 returns to the storyline with David, whom we are told in the next chapter, recognized Doeg as one of Saul’s servants, so David knew to be careful, and he casts about for some weapons to defend himself.
Goliath’s sword was among the valuables hidden in the treasury.
Now, it was an act of worship in those days to put your enemy’s armor in your god’s temple. The Philistines did that with Saul’s armor in the temple of Dagon at the end of the book, but in David’s case, he had put Goliath’s sword into the tabernacle to make the statement that Yahweh, not David, was the one to whom credit was due for delivering the nation of Israel from Goliath.
It was also a way to display more publicly this reminder of God’s saving power. If David had kept Goliath’s sword at his house, only a limited number of guests would have gotten to see it, but every man in Israel was supposed to show up at the tabernacle at least three times a year, so putting it in the temple was a way to show everybody this reminder of God’s saving power. Do you have any tangible reminders of God’s saving work that you could display more publicly?
But now it was time for David to reappropriate Goliath’s sword for self-defense, so David grabs it and hightails it out of the country.
It was entirely appropriate for him to arm himself when he knew there were enemies out to kill him and when he knew it was God’s calling on his life to finish the job that Joshua had started of removing the Canaanites from the Promised Land.
Those of you who carry weapons to defend your life and the lives of others (assuming you’re being wise and safe with them) are following in David’s footsteps and doing a good and right thing.
That sword would also be a reminder to David that when he trusted God and stood for God’s glory, God would keep him safe, just as he did in the case of Goliath.
But I want you to notice something. God protected David in this chapter even when David was so afraid and overwhelmed that he was doing stupid things that put his own life and the lives of others at risk.
David lied to the priest.
David was rude to the priest.
David pushed the boundaries of God’s ceremonial standards.
And even though David knew that a follower of Saul was there watching, he had the priest arm him with a sword!
Then David did nothing to protect the priests from the inevitable backlash from Saul.
Furthermore, David idiotically sought assylum in Goliath’s hometown while he was toting Goliath’s own sword!
He was doing one stupid thing after another and yet – and yet,
God still loved him and made sure he had something to eat.
God still answered David’s inquiry for guidance.
God still kept David safe from enemy after enemy.
Do you think God is going to give up on you? NO! You may be frustrated at how many stupid things you have done and you may think you are hopeless, but you keep on desiring to be close to God, and you keep on serving God with His people, and you keep on asking Him to forgive you and save you, and He will! He will, just as He did with David!
LXX |
Brenton |
DRB |
KJV |
NAW |
MT |
2
Καὶ
ἔρχεται Δαυιδ
εἰς Νομβα πρὸς
Α |
1
And
David comes to Nomba to A |
1
And
David came to Nobe, to Achimelech, the priest and Achimelech was
astonished
at
David's |
1 Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was afraidGA at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee? |
1 So David went to Nob, to Achimelek the priest, but Achimelek was skittish about welcoming {him}, and he said to him, “Why is it that you are by yourself, and there is not a man with you?” |
2 וַיָּבֹא דָוִד נֹבֶהGB אֶל-אֲחִימֶלֶךְ הַכֹּהֵן וַיֶּחֱרַד אֲחִימֶלֶךְ לִקְרַאת דָּוִד וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ מַדּוּעַ אַתָּה לְבַדֶּךָ וְאִישׁ אֵין אִתָּךְGC: |
3
καὶ
εἶπεν Δαυιδ
τῷ XGD
ἱερεῖ
Ὁ βασιλεὺς
ἐντέταλταί
μοι
ῥῆμα
[σήμερον]
καὶ
εἶπέν μοι Μηδεὶς
γνώτω X τὸ ῥῆμα,
[περὶ]
οὗ
ἐγὼ ἀποστέλλω
σε καὶ [ὑπὲρ]
οὗ
ἐντέταλμαί
σοι·
καὶ τοῖς παιδαρίοις
|
2
And
David said to X
the
priest, The king |
2
And
David said to Achimelech, the priest: The king hath commanded
me
a business,
and said X X: Let no man know X the thing
[for]
which
|
2 And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath commandedGG me a businessGH, and hath said unto me, Let no man know any thing of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I have appointedGI my servants to such and suchGJ a place. |
2 And David said to {} the priest, “The king commanded a thing of me, and said to me, ‘No one should know anything about this thing for which I am sending you and which I have commanded you.’ Furthermore, I have {made an appointment} with my servants at such-and-such a place. |
3 וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד לַאֲחִימֶלֶךְ הַכֹּהֵן הַמֶּלֶךְ צִוַּנִי דָבָר וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלַי אִישׁ אַל-יֵדַע מְאוּמָה אֶת-הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר- אָנֹכִי שֹׁלֵחֲךָ וַאֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִךָ וְאֶת- הַנְּעָרִים יוֹדַעְתִּיGK אֶל-מְקוֹם פְּלֹנִי אַלְמוֹנִיGL: |
4
καὶ
νῦν |
3
And
now |
3
Now
therefore |
3 Now therefore what is under thine hand? give me five loaves of bread in mine hand, or what there is presentGN. |
3 So now {if} there are 5 bread-loaves under your management, give them into my hand – or whatever can be found.” |
4 וְעַתָּה מַה-יֵּשׁ תַּחַת-יָדְךָ חֲמִשָּׁה- לֶחֶם תְּנָה בְיָדִי אוֹ הַנִּמְצָא: |
5
καὶ
ἀπεκρίθη ὁ ἱερεὺς
τῷ Δαυιδ καὶ
εἶπεν Οὐκ εἰσὶν
ἄρτοι βέβηλοι
X
ὑπὸ
τὴν χεῖρά μου,
ὅτι |
4
And
the priest answered David, and said, There are no common
loaves
under my hand, for [I have none]
but
holy
loaves: if the young men have been kept at
least from
wom |
4
And
the priest answered David, saying: I have no common
bread
at X hand, but
only holy
bread X, if the young men |
4
And
the priest answered David, and said, There
is no
commonGP
bread
under mine hand, but
there
is hallowedGQ
bread; if the young men have kept themselves at
least from
wom |
4 And the priest answered David and said, “There is no ordinary bread under my management, but there is holy bread. If your servants have kept themselves at least from a woman, {then let them eat of it}.” |
5 וַיַּעַן הַכֹּהֵן אֶת- דָּוִד וַיֹּאמֶר אֵין-לֶחֶם חֹל אֶלGR-תַּחַת יָדִי כִּי-אִם-לֶחֶם קֹדֶשׁ יֵשׁ אִם-נִשְׁמְרוּ הַנְּעָרִים אַךְ מֵאִשָּׁהGS: פ |
6
καὶ
ἀπεκρίθη Δαυιδ
τῷ ἱερεῖ καὶ
εἶπεν αὐτῷ Ἀλλὰ
[ἀπὸ]
γυναικὸς
ἀπεσχ |
5
And
David answered the priest, and said to him, Yea,
|
5
And
David answered the priest, and said to him: Truly,
as to what concerneth
wom |
5
And
David answered the priest, and said unto him, Of
a truthGV
wom |
5 Then David replied to the priest and said to him, “Indeed {we have restrained ourselves} from a woman {since} 3 days ago when I went out, and the persons of my servants have continued to be holy although it is an ordinary journey - now all the more so today in the person there will be holiness!” |
6 וַיַּעַן דָּוִד אֶת-הַכֹּהֵן וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ כִּי אִם-אִשָּׁה עֲצֻרָהGZ-לָנוּ כִּתְמוֹלHA שִׁלְשֹׁם בְּצֵאתִי וַיִּהְיוּ כְלֵי- הַנְּעָרִים קֹדֶשׁ וְהוּא דֶּרֶךְ חֹל וְאַף כִּי הַיּוֹם יִקְדַּשׁ בַּכֶּלִי: |
7
καὶ
ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ
[ΑβιμελεχHB]
ὁ
ἱερεὺς [τοὺς
ἄρτους]
τῆς
|
6
So[Abimelech]
the
priest gave him the |
6 The priest therefore gave him hallowed [bread]: for there was no bread there, but only the loaves of proposition, which had been taken away from before the face of the Lord, that hot loaves might be set up X X X X. |
6
So
the priest gave him hallowedHD
bread:
for
there was no bread there but
the
shewbreadHE,
that was |
6 So the priest gave what was holy to him, for there was no bread there except the bread of the Presence which was removed from before the face of Yahweh to set out hot bread on the day it was to be taken. |
7 וַיִּתֶּן-לוֹ הַכֹּהֵן קֹדֶשׁ כִּי לֹא-הָיָה שָׁם לֶחֶם כִּי-אִם-לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים הַמּוּסָרִיםHG מִלִּפְנֵי יְהוָה לָשׂוּם לֶחֶם חֹם בְּיוֹם הִלָּקְחוֹ: |
8
καὶ
ἐκεῖ ἦν ἓν τῶν
παιδαρίων τοῦ
Σαουλ ἐν τῇ
ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ
συνεχόμενοςHH
[νεεσσαρανHI]
ἐνώπιον
κυρίου, καὶ
ὄνομα αὐτῷ Δωηκ
ὁ |
7
And
there was there on that day one of Saul's servants detained before
the Lord, and his name was Doec the |
7
Now
a certain man of the servants of Saul was there X that day, |
7 Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there X that day, detained before the LORD; and his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chiefest of the herdmen that belonged to Saul. |
7 Now on that day, there was a man there from the servants of Saul who was restrained before the face of Yahweh, and his name was Doeg the Edomite, chief of the shepherds which [worked] for Saul. |
8 וְשָׁם אִישׁ מֵעַבְדֵי שָׁאוּל בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא נֶעְצָר לִפְנֵי יְהוָה וּשְׁמוֹ דֹּאֵג הָאֲדֹמִי אַבִּיר הָרֹעִים אֲשֶׁר לְשָׁאוּל: |
9
καὶ
εἶπεν Δαυιδ
πρὸς Α |
8
And
David said to A |
8
And
David said to Achimelech: Hast thou X here at hand a spear, or a
sword? for I brought not X my [own]
sword,
nor my [own]
weapons
with X me, for the king's business
|
8
And
David said unto Ahimelech, And is there not here under thine hand
spear or sword? for I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons
with X me, because the king's business
|
8 Anyway, David said to Achimelek, “Now, isn’t there a spear or a sword under your management here? For I did not take in my hand either my sword or my weapons, since the word of the king was urgent.” |
9 וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד לַאֲחִימֶלֶךְ וְאִין יֶשׁ-פֹּה תַחַת-יָדְךָ חֲנִית אוֹ-חָרֶב כִּי גַם-חַרְבִּי וְגַם-כֵּלַי לֹא-לָקַחְתִּי בְיָדִי כִּי-הָיָה דְבַר-הַמֶּלֶךְ נָחוּץHN: ס |
10
καὶ
εἶπεν ὁ ἱερεύς
[Ἰδοὺ]
ἡ
ῥομφαία Γολιαθ
τοῦ ἀλλοφύλου,
ὃν ἐπάταξας ἐν
τῇ κοιλάδι
ΗλαHO,
|
9
And
the priest said, [Behold]
the
sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou smotest in the valley
of Ela; |
9 And the priest said: [Lo], here is the sword of Goliath, the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the valley of Terebinth, X X wrapped up in a cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt take this, take it X, for here there is no other but this X X. And David said: There is none like that, give it me. |
9 And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt take that, take it: X X for there is no other save that X here. And David said, There is none like that; give it me. |
9 And the priest said, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine which you struck down in the valley of Elah, see, it is covered in the cloak behind the ephod. If it is for you to take for yourself, take it, for there is no other in here except it.” And David said, “There is none like it; Give it to me!” |
10 וַיֹּאמֶר הַכֹּהֵן חֶרֶב גָּלְיָת הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי אֲשֶׁר-הִכִּיתָ בְּעֵמֶק הָאֵלָה הִנֵּהHQ-הִיא לוּטָהHR בַשִּׂמְלָה אַחֲרֵי הָאֵפוֹדHS אִם-אֹתָהּ תִּקַּח-לְךָ קָח כִּי אֵין אַחֶרֶת זוּלָתָהּ בָּזֶה וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד אֵין כָּמוֹהָ תְּנֶנָּה לִּי: |
11 [καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτὴν αὐτῷ]· καὶ ἀνέστη Δαυιδ καὶ ἔφυγεν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ἐκ προσώπου Σαουλ. Καὶ ἦλθεν [Δαυιδ] πρὸς Αγχους βασιλέα Γεθ. |
10 [And he gave it him;] and David arose, and fled in that day from the presence of Saul: and [David] came to Anchus king of Geth. |
10 And David arose and fled that day from the face of Saul: and came to Achis, the king of Geth: |
10
And
David arose, and fled that day |
10 Then David got up and fled on that day from the presence of Saul, so he went to Acish, king of Gath. |
11 וַיָּקָם דָּוִד וַיִּבְרַחHU בַּיּוֹם- הַהוּא מִפְּנֵי שָׁאוּל וַיָּבֹא אֶל-אָכִישׁ מֶלֶךְ גַּת: |
Why did David seek asylum in Gath, a Philistine city? Surely he knew someone would recognize him as the man who had killed so many of the Philistines and would take revenge on him! Surely they would recognize that he was the one who had killed Gath’s hometown hero, Goliath, and was carrying Goliath’s own sword18.
Of course, that would probably be the last place Saul would have expected David to take asylum, so he may have been safe from Saul, anyway. David was looking for a way to get completely out of Saul’s jurisdiction.
And David might have reasoned that the “enemy of my enemy is my friend,” so if the Philistines hated Saul and the Israelite army, as much as Saul and the Israelite army hated David, maybe the Philistines would take him under their protection. Maybe they would even appreciate a champion coming over to their side. Maybe the respect they had for war champions would be enough to give him an “in.”
But no. The Philistines of Gath wanted nothing to do with David. He was too dangerous to have around. He had killed Philistines by the tens of thousands according to the pop song. And they had heard that song too!
And the Philistines considered David a “king!” Maybe the word “king” meant a regional “champion/hero” to the Philistines19, or maybe they knew he had been anointed as king, but they knew that two kings aren’t going to live peaceably side-by-side in the same city. They already had a king, and to let another king into the city would just cause trouble.
Their king’s name was Akish, although Psalm 34, which was written about this incident, calls Akish by his title, Abimelech, kinda like if you were to go to a meeting with the President of the United States, his name might be Joe, but you would show some respect by calling him by his title, “Mr. President.” Abimelech just means “My Dad was king before me,” so it’s not a different person from Akish20.
Psalms 34 and 56, which were written at this time, reveal what David was thinking…
Psalm 56 a Michtam of David When the Philistines Captured Him in Gath. Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up; Fighting all day he oppresses me. My enemies would hound me all day, For there are many who fight against me, O Most High. Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God (I will praise His word), In God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me? All day they twist my words; All their thoughts are against me for evil. They gather together, They hide, they mark my steps, When they lie in wait for my life. Shall they escape by iniquity? In anger cast down the peoples, O God! You number my wanderings; Put my tears into Your bottle; Are they not in Your book? When I cry out to You, Then my enemies will turn back; This I know, because God is for me. In God (I will praise His word), In the LORD (I will praise His word), In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? Vows made to You are binding upon me, O God; I will render praises to You, For You have delivered my soul from death. Have You not kept my feet from falling, That I may walk before God In the light of the living? (NKJV)
David realized he might have just gotten himself into a real pickle, so he changed tactics and acted like he was insane.
He started scratching and banging on the city gate, then falling down and gesturing wildly with his hands21 and drooling.
The Jamieson, Faussett & Brown commentary noted that “an indignity to the beard... is considered in the East an intolerable insult... whether done by another, or one’s self.”
Surprisingly, the Philistine king bought David’s ruse, and, instead of taking revenge, he dismissed David, characterizing him as an irrelevant madman and expressing annoyance that his courtiers had even considered letting David in to live in their fortified city22. The Midrash (Tillim apud Abarbinel) suggested that Akish’s wife and daughter were insane, sparking the comment about not needing any more madmen.
One reason why these pagan Philistines didn’t want a crazy man in their town was their fear of unknown gods. They had already been whupped up on by Yahweh several years earlier, and now there’s this guy outside their city possessed by who-knows-what kind of spirit, and who knows what havoc that spirit might wreak. Best not to even let him in!
So, for the second time in chapter 21, David has used deception to save himself.
Andrew Willett commented that this act of deception was justified, however, because David:
“1) put his trust in God,
2) it was not in any religious matter which tended to the deniall of his faith, but [was merely] in his civill behaviour:
3) neither did any receive hurt thereby, but he intended his own deliverance without damage to any.”
Matthew Henry likewise commented, “[I]t may in some degree be excused, for it was not a downright lie and it was like a stratagem in war, by which he imposed upon his enemies for the preservation of his own life.”
Psalm 34 {By David, concerning his being duplicitous [in] the presentation of himself before the face of Abimelek, and when he expelled him and he moved on.} All the time I am going to bless Yahweh; His praise will always be in my mouth. Boasting about Yahweh is what my soul will do. Lowly men will hear and be happy. Cause Yahweh to be great with me, and let us exalt His name together! Didn’t He answer me when I sought Yahweh and He delivered me from all the things that terrified me? Eye him and they will beam, and their faces will not blush. [For] this lowly man called out, and Yahweh Himself heard and made him safe from all his crises. God’s angel is posted around in support of those who respect Him, and he will rescue them. How good Yahweh is! Y’all taste and see! Oh the blessings of the champion who takes refuge in Him! Insufficiency will not be in the experience of the one who respects Him, so respect Yahweh, you saints of His! Juvenile lions have experienced need and experienced famine, but seekers of Yahweh do not experience the insufficiency of anything good. Kindred, come listen to me; I will teach y’all respect for Yahweh. Life: who is the man so inclined, loving the days in order to see what is good? Maintain your tongue away from evil and your lips away from speaking deceit. Negate evil, and do good. Seek peace, and hunt it down! [Orientation of] Yahweh’s eyes is toward those who have been made righteous, and His ears are toward their hollering. Presence of Yahweh is among those who do evil in order to cut off their memory from the earth. [Querying] ones cried out, then Yahweh Himself heard, and from all their crises He gave them deliverance. Right next to those whose heart has been broken is [where] Yahweh is, and He will make safe those whose spirit is crushed. Some amount of evils happen to one who is righteous, but Yahweh will give him deliverance from all of them. Tending all his bones; not one from among them gets broken. Unrighteousness will slay an evil person, and those who hate a righteous person will bear guilt. Vassals of His, Yahweh is redeeming the life of, so all those who take refuge in Him will not bear guilt. (NAW)
This masterful alphabet acrostic is not the product of a madman.
The faith-filled words show a great confidence in God’s justice against the wicked and in God’s kindness toward His people.
May God give us like faith that we will not become overwhelmed with fear at the threats of godless men! Christians who stand up for God to obey Him have been hunted by totalitarian governments throughout history. It may around to us. Three things have to be kept in mind:
God is all -powerful. He can stop the hand of evil men even as He did for David when he fled to Samuel at Naioth of Ramah.
God is just. He not only can but will punish the evil men in the final tally.
God loves me, but I am not indispensable. So what if I die? Paul (Phil. 1:21-23) says that it would be "gain," for I will be with Jesus! In that day, God's people must fear God more than they fear man and simply obey God, no matter what. God will be more pleased with our faithfulness to Him than He would be with how long we manage to retain our possessions and our lives on earth!
The superscription in Psalm 34 adds a little detail at the end of this episode which is not found in 1 Samuel, namely that David “was expelled” by the King of Gath.
LXX |
Brenton |
DRB |
KJV |
NAW |
MT |
11 [καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτὴν αὐτῷ]· καὶ ἀνέστη Δαυιδ καὶ ἔφυγεν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ἐκ προσώπου Σαουλ. Καὶ ἦλθεν [Δαυιδ] πρὸς Αγχους βασιλέα Γεθ. |
10 [And he gave it him;] and David arose, and fled in that day from the presence of Saul: and [David] came to Anchus king of Geth. |
10 And David arose and fled that day from the face of Saul: and came to Achis, the king of Geth: |
10
And
David arose, and fled that day |
10 Then David got up and fled on that day from the presence of Saul, so he went to Akish, king of Gath. |
11 וַיָּקָםHX דָּוִד וַיִּבְרַחHY בַּיּוֹם- הַהוּא מִפְּנֵי שָׁאוּל וַיָּבֹא אֶל-אָכִישׁ מֶלֶךְ גַּת: |
12 καὶ εἶπαν οἱ παῖδες Αγχους πρὸς αὐτόν Οὐχὶ οὗτος Δαυιδ ὁ βασιλεὺς τῆς γῆς; οὐχὶ τούτῳ ἐξῆρχονHZ αἱ χορεύουσαι λέγουσαι Ἐπάταξεν Σαουλ ἐν χιλιάσιν αὐτοῦ καὶ Δαυιδ ἐν μυριάσιν αὐτοῦ; |
11 And the servants of Anchus said to him, Is not this David the king of the land? Did not the dancing women begin the song to him, saying, Saul has smitten his thousands, and David his ten thousands? |
11 And the servants of Achis, [when they saw David,] said to him: Is not this David, the king of the land? Did they not sing to him in their dances, saying: Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands? |
11 And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands? |
11 But the servants of Akish said to him, “Isn’t this David, king of the land? Wasn’t it about this guy that they were singing antiphonally during their circle-dances, saying, ‘Saul struck down his thousands, but David his multiplied tens of thousands’?” |
12 וַיֹּאמְרוּ עַבְדֵי אָכִישׁ אֵלָיו הֲלוֹא- זֶה דָוִד מֶלֶךְ הָאָרֶץ הֲלוֹא לָזֶה יַעֲנוּIA בַמְּחֹלוֹת לֵאמֹר הִכָּה שָׁאוּל בַּאֲלָפָָוֹIB וְדָוִד בְּרִבְבֹתוֹ בְּרִבְבֹתָיו: |
13 καὶ ἔθετο Δαυιδ τὰ ῥήματα ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐφοβήθη σφόδρα ἀπὸ προσώπου Αγχους βασιλέως Γεθ. |
12 And David laid up the words in his heart, and was greatly afraid of Anchus king of Geth. |
12 But David laid up these words in his heart, and was exceedingly afraid at the face of Achis, the king of Geth. |
12 And David laid up these words in his heart, and was soreIC afraid of Achish the king of Gath. |
12 Then David sank these words into his heart and became very scared of the presence of Akish, king of Gath. |
13 וַיָּשֶׂם דָּוִד אֶת-הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה בִּלְבָבוֹ וַיִּרָא מְאֹד מִפְּנֵי אָכִישׁ מֶלֶךְ-גַּת: |
14
καὶ
ἠλλοίωσενID
τὸ
πρόσωπον
αὐτοῦ
ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦXIE
καὶ
προσεποιήσατοIF
ἐν
τῇ |
13
And
he changed
his
appearance
before
|
13 And he changed his countenance before X them, and slipt down between their hands: and he stumbled against the doors of the gate, and his spittle ran down upon his beard. |
13 And he changed his behaviourII before X them, and feigned himself madIJ in their hands, and scrabbledIK on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fallIL down upon his beard. |
13 So he resorted to duplicity in his presentation of himself in their eyes, and acted insanely while in their control, and banged up the doors of the gate and let his drool run down his beard. |
14 וַיְשַׁנּוֹIM אֶת-טַעְמוֹ בְּעֵינֵיהֶםIN וַיִּתְהֹלֵלIO בְּיָדָם וַיְתַוIP עַל-דַּלְתוֹת הַשַּׁעַר וַיּוֹרֶד רִירוֹ אֶל-זְקָנוֹ: |
15 καὶ εἶπεν Αγχους πρὸς τοὺς παῖδας αὐτοῦ Ἰδοὺ ἴδετε ἄνδρα ἐπίλημπτονIQ· ἵνα τί εἰσηγάγετε αὐτὸν πρός με; |
14 And Anchus said to his servants, Lo! ye see the man is mad: why have ye brought him in to me? |
14 And Achis said to his servants: X You saw the man was mad: why have you brought him to me? |
14 Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad: wherefore then have ye brought him to me? |
14 And Akish said to his servants, “Look, y’all can see the man is raving-mad! What are you bringing him to me for? |
15 וַיֹּאמֶר אָכִישׁ אֶל-עֲבָדָיו הִנֵּה תִרְאוּ אִישׁ מִשְׁתַּגֵּעַ לָמָּה תָּבִיאוּ אֹתוֹ אֵלָי: |
16
ἦ
ἐλαττοῦμαι
ἐπιλήμπτων ἐγώ,
ὅτι εἰσαγειόχατε
αὐτὸν ἐπιλημπτεύεσθαι
πρός με; οὗτος
|
15
Am
I in want of madmen, that ye have brought him in to me to play the
madman? He shall |
15
Have
|
15 Have I need of mad men, that ye have brought this fellow to play the mad man in my presence? shall this fellow come into my house? |
15 Am I lacking in raving-madmen that y’all have to bring in this guy to rave for me? Is this guy going to come in to my house?” |
16 חֲסַר מְשֻׁגָּעִים אָנִי כִּי-הֲבֵאתֶם אֶת-זֶה לְהִשְׁתַּגֵּעַ עָלָי הֲזֶה יָבוֹא אֶל-בֵּיתִי: ס |
David narrowly escaped getting killed in Gath, and he escaped back up into the Judean hills to a wilderness area where there was a cave big enough to house several hundred men.
The Cave of Adullam [show photograph], which is a Hebrew word for “enclosed/refuge” was about 10 miles east of Gath, and about a dozen miles from his hometown of Bethlehem.
In this area there are “a number of pits or underground vaults, some nearly square, and all about fifteen or twenty feet deep, with perpendicular sides, in the soft limestone or chalky rocks.” ~Jamieson
It was from this hideout that David leaked word out to his family as to his whereabouts. So he kept tabs with his family, and they even came to visit him – maybe even to live with him for a time.
But, as David spent time with his brothers and their families, he realized that Saul was liable to go after them and kill them or maybe hold them for ransom, so he needed to get them out of the country to a safe place. That got him thinking about the neighboring country of Moab to the southeast, where his great grandma Ruth had grown up. To get there, he would have to travel across the wilderness of Judea, around the bottom of the Dead Sea, and up to Mitzpah23.
This is an improvement over David’s lack of concern for the safety of the priests at Nob.
Are there any people for whom God has given you a responsibility for their safety that you could take measures to make more secure? Those of us in middle age have a lot to think about when it comes to the care of aging parents; it is not an easy matter, but we need to think though this issue.
Now, how the King of Moab knew David and was willing to do him a favor, I don’t know.
Josephus suggested that it was just because the king of Moab considered Saul an enemy, since Saul had fought against Moab in chapter 14, so perhaps “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” thing worked with him.
Or perhaps this king, like the king of Gath, believed that David was going to be the next king and therefore was someone to patronize and not antagonize.
It’s interesting what David said to the king of Moab: “Please let my father go out with my mother to be with y’all until whenever I know what God is going to do for me.”
Here is David talking to a pagan king about his personal relationship with God! That’s exactly the king of thing God wants us to do! David trusts that God is going to fulfill the prophecy that he would become king, so he is waiting on God’s timing for it – and putting God’s reputation on the line with this pagan king, telling them about the prophecy and leading them into expectant waiting on God with him!
When you are in a tight spot and don’t know how you will get out – When you are in a financial crunch – When your heart is broken, will you follow David’s example and say, “Let’s wait and see what God is going to do for us!”
Well, the king of Moab gives the go-ahead, and David moves his parents over to Moab under the care of their king. Now, if Saul wanted to harass Jesse, he'd first have to start a war with the Moabite army, and hopefully that would be more trouble than he would want to go to!24
This is as exciting as any novel! Disenfranchised men kept coming to join David. God had already given David experience with a thousand men under his command in the Army earlier, so he was prepared to lead this group of 400 which would grow larger with time.
Three words are used to describe this outlaw band:
They were “distressed” (imagine being squeezed from different directions by people who want to get rid of you until you can’t hang in there any longer),
They were “indebted” (not able to make enough money to make ends meet - all you have to your name is debt, and your creditors – the loan sharks – are threatening you with slavery),
and they were literally “bitter of soul” – other versions translate it “discontent” (all you’ve had is hard, bitter experiences, and that has shrivelled and dried up your soul)
Apparently Saul was not that great a king, and the economy was really tanking.
And so it is that even in this David is a type of Christ in welcoming the weary and heavy laden under his yoke of lordship. “The Son of David is ready to receive distressed souls, that will appoint him their captain and be commanded by him.” ~M. Henry
The guys who joined David’s band were so fed up with Saul that they were ready to revolt.
David, however, was not interested in revolution; he may simply have been acting in self-defense to amass an army and establish a stronghold. He wanted to be ready when Saul sent out the next sortie to kill him.
Having a good self-defense is the best thing to prevent oppression. That's the basis of the second amendment to the US constitution.
When a robber or a tyrant knows you have a gun which you will use against him, he will not mess with you! Although you might never have to use the gun, its existence is important!
So after David dropped his parents off in Moab, he went to a stronghold, called Metsudah, which some think was in the Moabite capitol (Jamieson, K&D), and others think was a cave on the opposite side of the Dead Sea from Moab in the steep cliffs that drop off from the Judean hills down to the salty water.
David spoke often25 in the Psalms about God being his Metsudah-stronghold, such as in Psalm 18:2 “Yahweh is my rock-mountain, my stronghold, and my deliverer, my God, my landmark-rock. I will take refuge in Him, my shield and horn of my salvation, my high tower!” (NAW)
But this particular refuge overlooking the Dead Sea was not where God wanted David to stay, so God sent a message to a prophet in David’s camp to head back into Judah, presumably back to the cave of Adullam.
The fact that there are numerous prophets in the Bible, such as Gad, where only one – and sometimes none – of their prophecies is quoted in the Bible, indicates that not every prophecy was canonical, so nobody needs to get their knickers in a knot about prophecy still happening today after the canon of Scripture has been closed.
I believe that all the spiritual gifts and offices may still be operative today. Although I don't have any of the flashy charismatic gifts, I respect other people who genuinely have them, although I am cautious to test what they say and do by Scripture, and have found some to be false.
“[T]he Lord’s mercie appeareth to David, that leaveth him not in the midst of his affliction destitute of the word of God... whereas Saul yet flourishing in authoritie and wealth, was forsaken of God ~Willett It was the mercy of God to David to send him this prophecy.
And David moved on to a hideout in the Judean forest after the warning of Gad's prophecy.
“He went into the land of Judah as one that was confident of his own innocency, and... desirous, even in his present hard circumstances, to do some service to his tribe and country.” ~M. Henry
Notice that David does not argue with Gad. “Gad, dude, what do you know of military strategy? This stronghold is impregnable! We can stay here for years. Nobody would be able to defeat us here. This is where we’re safe, Gad. This is a nice, long distance from Saul, close to the border of a friendly foreign country. I’m not marching back into Judah to be a sitting duck next to Saul’s castle and Saul’s army; no way!” No, v.5 implies that David immediately obeyed God’s word without grumbling or arguing, just trusting that the God who took the trouble to speak a warning to him would also protect him from trouble.
Let us, too, be people who are quick to do what God says when we see His commands in the Bible, out of trust and love for Him.
It was probably during David’s sojourn in the cave of Adullam that he wrote Psalm 142 [A Contemplation Of David. A Prayer When He Was in the Cave.] I cry out to the LORD with my voice; With my voice to the LORD I make my supplication. I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare before Him my trouble. When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, Then You knew my path. In the way in which I walk They have secretly set a snare for me. Look on my right hand and see, For there is no one who acknowledges me; Refuge has failed me; No one cares for my soul. I cried out to You, O LORD: I said, "You are my refuge, My portion in the land of the living. Attend to my cry, For I am brought very low; Deliver me from my persecutors, For they are stronger than I. Bring my soul out of prison, That I may praise Your name; The righteous shall surround me, For You shall deal bountifully with me." (NKJV)
The Psalms reveal to us an example of thinking about God and praying in the midst of difficult circumstances.
I’d like to conclude our consideration of these three places David went to as a fugitive with three overview statements that I encountered in three different commentaries that gave me pause to think of applying David’s example to the life we live today:
“God's providences sometimes seem to run counter to his promises, for the trial of his people's faith, and the glorifying of his name, in the accomplishment of his counsels...” ~Matthew Henry
In other words, what God is doing in your life is purposeful – there’s a good reason for it, even when it looks, for the moment, like He is not fulfilling His promises to you.
God says in Romans 8 that He “works all things together for good for those who love Him,” but it may look to you like all things are working together for evil right now. Remember that the end game is not to indulge you with everything you want but for you to mature in faith, to glorify God, and for God to finish doing everything He said He is going to do. Faith exists only when you have to trust what is outside your control. God’s glory shines brightest when it overcomes evil, so it is pointless to wish for no evil in this life because that would reduce the exercise of faith and the brightness of God’s glory.
“In the midst of the deep trouble, David begins his psalm with the confession, ‘I will bless the Lord at all times’ (Ps. 34:1). Such is the confession of the one who trusts in the Lord regardless of the external situation.” ~David Tsumura (NICOT)
As you heard me read Psalm 18, Psalm 34, Psalm 56, and Psalm 142, did you hear how preoccupied David was with all the logistics of his travel? How anxious he was about what he would say? How carefully he was trying to control all the political intrigues? No? What was he focused on? God! His relationship with God and God’s mercy and justice in this world. That permeates every sentence he wrote, and that God-centered thought life stands as a shining example to us to be consumed with thinking about God, or as the Apostle Paul would write later in Colossians 3, “Set you minds on the things above... where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.”
Will you choose to bless God, even when times are bad and things are hard?
Will you sing the Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs anyway? (Col. 3:16)
Will you gather with the people of God on the Lord’s Day anyway?
“According to the counsels of God, David was not to seek for refuge outside the land; not only that he might not be estranged from his fatherland and the people of Israel, which would have been opposed to his calling to be the king of Israel, but also that he might learn to trust entirely in the Lord as his only refuge and fortress.” ~Keil & Delitzsch
Some difficulties are part of God’s calling to be endured. Are there things in your life that God has called you to face as part of His calling on your life, but which you have thought too hard to endure and which you have tried to avoid?
Maybe it’s something physically painful that drugs could help you escape from, but that God has called you to endure with a more sound mind than drugs would allow.
Maybe it’s an intolerable relationship that you could move away from, but which God has called you to invest in.
Maybe it’s a difficult work situation or parenting situation that you can’t control, that God wants to use in your life to teach you to trust Him.
God has His ways of returning us to our calling when we try to avoid it, like Jonah, who took passage in the opposite direction when God called him to deliver his word to Nineveh, but will you follow David’s example and march right into that scary situation trusting God to help you fulfill the calling He has placed on your life?
LXX |
Brenton |
DRB |
KJV |
NAW |
MT |
1 Καὶ ἀπῆλθεν ἐκεῖθεν Δαυιδ καὶ διεσώθη [καὶ ἔρχεται] εἰς τὸ σπήλαιον τὸ Οδολλαμ. καὶ ἀκούουσιν οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ XIS ὁ οἶκος τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ καταβαίνουσιν πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐκεῖ. |
1 And David departed thence, and escaped; [and he comes] to the cave of Odollam, and his brethren hear, and X the house of his father, and they go down to him there. |
1 David therefore went from thence, and fled to the cave of Odollam. And when his brethren, and all his father's house, had heard of it, they went down to him thither. |
1 David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father's house heard it, they went down thither to him. |
1 So David went out from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. Then his brothers and all his father’s household heard about it, and they went down there to him. |
1 וַיֵּלֶךְ דָּוִד מִשָּׁם וַיִּמָּלֵט אֶל-מְעָרַת עֲדֻלָּם וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ אֶחָיו וְכָל-בֵּית אָבִיו וַיֵּרְדוּ אֵלָיו שָׁמָּה: |
2 καὶ συνήγοντο πρὸς αὐτὸν πᾶς X ἐν ἀνάγκῃIT καὶ πᾶς X X ὑπόχρεως X X καὶ πᾶς X κατώδυνοςIU ψυχῇ, καὶ ἦν ἐπ᾿ αὐτῶν ἡγούμενος· καὶ ἦσαν μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ ὡς τετρακόσιοι ἄνδρες. |
2 And there gathered to him every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was troubled in mind; and he was a leader over them, and there were with him about four hundred men. |
2
And
all that were in distress, and |
2 And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented X, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men. |
2 Also, there assembled to him every one who was distressed and every one who had debt, and every one who was bitter in soul. So he became captain over them, and there were about 400 men with him. |
2 וַיִּתְקַבְּצוּ אֵלָיו כָּל-אִישׁ מָצוֹק וְכָל-אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר- לוֹ נֹשֶׁא וְכָל- אִישׁ מַר-נֶפֶשׁ וַיְהִי עֲלֵיהֶם לְשָׂר וַיִּהְיוּ עִמּוֹ כְּאַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת אִישׁ: |
3
καὶ
ἀπῆλθεν Δαυιδ
ἐκεῖθεν εἰς
Μασσηφα τῆς
Μωαβ καὶ εἶπεν
πρὸς βασιλέα
Μωαβ |
3
And
David departed thence to Massephath of Moab, and said to the king
of Moab, |
3
And
David departed from thence into Maspha of Moab: and he said to the
king of Moab: Let my father and my mother |
3 And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said unto the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, and be with you, till I know what God will do for me. |
3 Then David went to Mitzpah of Moab from there and spoke to the king of Moab: “Please let my father go out with my mother to be with y’all until whenever I know what God is going to do for me.” |
3 וַיֵּלֶךְ דָּוִד מִשָּׁם מִצְפֵּה מוֹאָב וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל-מֶלֶךְ מוֹאָב יֵצֵא-נָא אָבִי וְאִמִּי אִתְּכֶם עַד אֲשֶׁר אֵדַע מַה-יַּעֲשֶׂה-לִּי אֱלֹהִים: |
4
καὶ
|
4
And
he |
4
And
he |
4 And he brought them before the king of Moab: and they dwelt with him all the whileX that David was in the hold. |
4 So he led them into the presence of the king of Moab, and they settled down with him all the days of David’s being in the stronghold. |
4 וַיַּנְחֵם אֶת-פְּנֵי מֶלֶךְ מוֹאָב וַיֵּשְׁבוּ עִמּוֹ כָּל- יְמֵי הֱיוֹת-דָּוִד בַּמְּצוּדָה: ס |
5
καὶ
εἶπεν Γαδ ὁ
προφήτης πρὸς
Δαυιδ Μὴ κάθου
ἐν
τῇ περιοχῇ,
πορεύου καὶ
ἥξεις εἰς γῆν
Ιουδα. καὶ
ἐπορεύθη Δαυιδ
καὶ ἦλθεν [καὶ
ἐκάθισεν]
ἐν
|
5
And
Gad the prophet said to David, Dwell
not
in the hold: go, and thou shalt enter the land of Juda. So David
went, and came [and dwelt]
in
the |
5 And Gad the prophet said to David: Abide not in the hold, depart, and go into the land of Juda. And David departed, and came into the forest of Haret. |
5 And the prophet Gad said unto David, Abide not in the hold; depart, and get thee into the land of Judah. Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hareth. |
5 But Gad the prophet said to David, “Don’t settle down in the stronghold. Go and get yourself into the land of Judah.” So David went out and entered the forest of Charet. |
5 וַיֹּאמֶר גָּד הַנָּבִיא אֶל-דָּוִד לֹא תֵשֵׁב בַּמְּצוּדָה לֵךְIY וּבָאתָ-לְּךָ אֶרֶץ יְהוּדָה וַיֵּלֶךְ דָּוִד וַיָּבֹא יַעַר חָרֶת: ס |
Our story opens with King Saul sitting on a hill under a tamarisk tree with his officers gathered around him, and intelligence is shared on the whereabouts of David and his band.
Some of you might have translations that say “Ramah” instead of “hill,” but, the Hebrew word “ramah” just means “elevated,” and this Rama/elevated spot in Gibeah is not to be confused with the Ramah where Samuel lived a few miles away.
Saul’s first thought is to try to shore up loyalty among his officers towards himself. The Hebrew word “all of y’all” is extremely emphasized in the Hebrew grammar of verse 7, so the point Saul is making is, “See, I have given each and every one of you guys a place of importance in our country; I’ve made you wealthy and given you power, but if you go over to David, some of you are going to get left out and lose all this wealth and power. David can’t – or won’t – keep you on the gravy train like I can and will. Besides, you are my clansmen from the tribe of Benjamin; I will always look out for you because you are my relatives. David is the son of Jesse from the tribe of Judah; he’s not going to fill his government positions with Benjamites like I have; he’ll give preference to families of the tribe of Judah. You Benjamites will be left high and dry if you defect from me to David!”
Saul has dysfunctional relationships with his officials because he bought them with fields and political positions rather than with love and respect. Furthermore, Saul has demonstrated a tendency to lash out at anyone that threatens his power, so of course nobody in the court is going to be very open with their thoughts – they might be the next one Saul throws his spear at! (Angry people tend to shut down relationships.)
And Saul’s anxiety blows things out-of-proportion, to the extent that he worries that all his officers are out to get him and are keeping secrets from him and conspiring against him behind his back. (Does he really think that Jonathan set David up to ambush him from the cave of Addulam and take over the kingdom?)
If worries about what people are saying about you behind your back begin to overwhelm you, like they did Saul, and you find yourself demanding to know what everybody is saying about you, that is a time to step back and get right with God. Then you can proceed with obedience to God, and it won’t matter if anyone is criticizing you – it won’t bend you out-of-shape if someone tries to undermine your efforts because you are confident that you are doing the right thing before God. Unfortunately for Saul, he didn’t do that; he just ploughed forward in a rage.
In verse 8, Saul also reverts to self-pity and exaggeration.
When Saul voices these fears and hurts in his mire of self-pity in an attempt to emotionally manipulate his officers into feeling sorry for him and feel some obligation to support him, it makes the officers respect him even less. Nobody is inspired by a pity party; and those of us sympathetic enough to help merely due to a sense of obligation, will pretty quickly begin to resent it.
Saul laments that nobody tells him the information he needs to know, but part of the reason is that he has rebelled against God and so God has quit seeing to it that Saul has the revelation he needs.
The solution to self-pity is trust in God and renewal in the truth that counters the lies and distrust that feed self-pity. Even now, if Saul had confessed his disobediences against God and turned to follow God with all his heart, God could have rescued him from that self-pity, but Saul didn’t want to go there.
It’s also interesting to note in Saul that tendency of sinful humanity to accuse others of the very sin we are guilty of.
Have you noticed how intolerant people often accuse others of being intolerant?
In v.8, Saul accused David of “lying in wait to ambush” him, but who was lying in wait for who? Saul was the one who wanted to ambush David and kill him, not the other way around!
This is one of the reasons why Jesus told us in Matthew 7:3-5 “Why are you seeing the splinter which is in the eye of your brother, yet you are not taking cognizance of the timber-beam in your eye! Or how will you say to your brother, ‘Let me throw away the splinter from your eye,’ and look, the timber-beam is in your eye! Hypocrite! First throw away the timber-beam from your eye, and then you will see clearly to throw away the splinter from the eye of your brother.” (NAW)
When you start casting accusations at other people, stop and try those accusations out on your own self and see if there’s something you need to change first in your own life.
Doeg, who, I think, was not part of the King’s cabinet, but was there attending to matters with one of the cabinet members26, piped up and said he had seen David with the priests at Nob, and that Ahimelek the high priest had given David food, weapons, and advice.
If you are ever tempted to put a spin your account of someone else’s words and actions to prejudice your listeners against them by portraying them in the worst way possible, remember with horror how Doeg did this, and put your hand over your mouth!
What Doeg saw was an act of charity to to relieve David in his need, but Saul sees this as treason. Ahimelek the priest has just armed and provisioned and given military advice27 to King Saul’s #1 political enemy! This must be punished at once! Nobody should be allowed to aid and abet the king’s enemies!
Secretly, Saul may also have been jealous of a priest who could consult with God when God wouldn’t communicate to Saul. As Andrew Willet put it, “Saul, that cared more for the answers of Soothsayers and witches, than for the oracles of God, misliked that the Priest should have recourse unto God.”
So he goes after Ahimelek and grills him. Saul had a healthy respect for Samuel, but he had no qualms tangling with Ahimelek and speaking disrespectfully to him28.
It should be said, however, that there is nothing wrong with a king or civil magistrate holding a priest or church leader accountable for their behavior in matters where the civil government has jurisdiction.
For instance, if a pastor murders someone, it is the state’s job, according to Romans 13, to get involved and put the murderer to death, and it doesn’t matter if it is a pastor or a gang member.
Furthermore, if the stability of the state appears to be threatened by something that a church is doing, an investigation is certainly appropriate.
If, however, it is a dispute over whether to serve leavened or unleavened bread for the Lord’s Supper, or what songs to sing in worship, that is outside of the civil magistrate’s jurisdiction, and it would be wrong for the state to meddle in such matters.
Where Saul went wrong was in wielding His God-given sword against innocent parties.
Ahimelek responds to Saul’s accusation by saying that it was perfectly reasonable for him to trust David and not suspect him of treason, seeing how much Saul had honored him and let him marry his own daughter and given him a position of leadership in the army, and seeing as how often David had dropped what he was doing to respond to Saul, and how faithful he was. “I was not aiding and abetting a traitor, I was dutifully helping a trusted high military officer in good faith.”
Ahimelek’s speech bears the marks of someone who was not familiar with Saul and Saul’s way of doing things. As far as we know, Saul continued to keep his distance from the men of God in his kingdom, even as he did before he became king, so it’s understandable if Ahimelek was a bit naive about Saul. This accusation of treason totally blindsided Ahimelek.
Saul meanwhile wanted to make an example of this priest. If he killed Ahimelech, other people would be afraid to supply food and arms to David's band – and I'm sure it wasn't easy feeding and arming 400 men!
The death sentence came swiftly; the only delay was in finding someone willing to carry it out.
The Israelites in Saul’s court – probably including Abner and Amasa – continued to stand facing Saul, refusing to carry out his order to kill the nation’s priests. Here is a Biblical example of the “doctrine of the lesser magistrate,” showing both the legitimacy of it, but also its “Achilles Heel.”
The courtiers rightly refused to carry out the patently-unjust command from their authority (the king), and God’s word also gives us the right to disobey any authority that commands us to violate God’s commands.
Civil disobedience, however, does not solve the underlying problem of corruption in the authority structure, so the fundamental problems of that governing authority must also be reformed, or else those corrupt officials will just find some other lesser magistrate, who is not so conscientious, to do their dirty work for them, and that is exactly what Saul did.
Once again the Edomite29 does what no Israelite would do. Doeg turns around to face the priests that have come in behind him and conducts a horrifying massacre, not only of Ahimelek and the 84 priests with him, but also against the whole city of Nob, slaughtering every man, woman, and child – even the animals – in his eagerness to be given wealth and power by Saul, and in his barbaric hatred of the people of God30.
There is some ambiguity as to whether the person who attacked the town of Nob was Saul or Doeg. Doeg is the nearest referent in v.19, but in v.21, Saul is credited with having killed the priests. It could have been done by Doeg under Saul’s authority.
The Septuagint Greek version of the Bible passes on a tradition that there were some 300 persons killed. If that is the number of those killed in the town of Nob, then Josephus’ history, which totals the body count at 385, would make sense as the sum of the 85 killed in Saul’s court plus 300 more killed at Nob.
Doeg probably figured that all the land and goods of the people he killed would be given to him as spoil, so the more priests he slaughtered, the more wealth he stood to gain.
“Nothing so vile but those may be hurried to it who have provoked God to give them up to their hearts' lusts… [T]his could not but go to the heart of all pious Israelites, and make them wish a thousand times they had been satisfied with the government of Samuel and his sons [and never asked for a king].” ~Matthew Henry
If God is good, how could He allow such a wicked man as Doeg to stay on the loose murdering and plundering?
The first answer is that we must remember that God was at work in the lives of everyone in the story, not just in David’s life. And God had a score to settle with these particular priests. The priests of Nob were Eli’s descendants and relatives, and back in chapter 2, verse 27ff, God’s prophet had told Eli, Samuel’s predecessor, “Thus says Yahweh, ‘I fully revealed myself to the household of your forefather during their existence in Egypt {as slaves} for the household of Pharaoh, choosing the {household of your forefather} out of all the tribes of Israel for myself to be a priest, to step up onto my altar, to send incense up in smoke, to bear an ephod, and I gave to the household of your ancestor all the burnt-offerings of the sons of Israel {for food}. Why would you push back on my sacrificial-system and on my offering-system which I commanded on-location and honor your sons instead of me to make yourselves fat off of the top of all the food-offerings of Israel for my people?’ Therefore, {thus} says Yahweh, the God of Israel, ‘I said that your household and the household of your forefather would conduct themselves before my face for time-out-of-mind, but now,’ this is the declaration of Yahweh, ‘Far be it from me, because those who glorify me I will glorify, but those who despise me will become insignificant.’” v.31: “Look, days are coming when I will chop off your arm and the arm of your forefather’s house [from there being an old man in your house, and you will perceive distress on location with all of Israel that He makes good], and there will not be an elder of yours in my house all those days. Yet there is a man of yours [speaking of Abiathar who escaped] that I will not cause to be cut off from being at my altar to finish off his eyesight and to grieve his soul, though all the increase of your house will fall {by the sword of} men...” And then in chapter 3: Yahweh said to Samuel, “Look, I myself am doing something in Israel at which everyone who hears of it both of his ears will tingle! During that day, I will confirm to Eli all that I said concerning his household. I began, and I will finish it off. Indeed I declare to him that I am condemning his household for ever due to the iniquity which he knew about, for his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not put a damper on them. Now therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli [that I’ll be damned] if the iniquity of the house of Eli is covered by a sacrifice or by an offering for ever.” God was fulfilling His promise to wipe out Eli’s family for their faithlesness and carelesness.
Furthermore, God was fulfilling His word that the descendants of Aaron’s son Eliazar would be the priestly line. At some point, descendants of Aaron’s other son Ithamar had taken over over the priestly duties of Israel, and Eli and his family were part of the line of Ithamar (1 Ch. 24:3). By wiping out the Ithmarite priests, God began to restore the priesthood to the descendants of Eliazar, thus keeping His promise.
A second answer to the question of how God could allow such a terrible thing to take place is that God told us to expect to suffer and to see wicked things in this life, not because He can’t stop evil, but because He is working even the evil deeds of evil men “into good toward those who love Him and are called according to His purposes” (Rom. 8:28).
One of the ways God turns evil into good is that when believers are killed, they are freed from this earth’s pain and fear and sin, and they are “with the Lord” (Philippians 1), so it’s not ultimately bad for them if they die (even though murder is bad and should be prosecuted by the survivors).
Short of martyrdom, God uses all kinds of hard things to conform us to the image of His son. Our sanctification is one of the reasons why God has allowed sin to remain in this world!
In the New Testament book of 1 Peter chapter 4, he warns the church scattered throughout the world that, “Since Christ suffered in his flesh, y'all also must start arming yourselves with the same resolution [to undergo suffering, meanwhile] ... the nations will continue in immoralities... and illicit idolatries… and will hurt you when y'all do not run together into their flood of dissolute behavior. Those guys [nevertheless] will render an account to the One who is preparing to judge the living and the dead…”
This leads to a third answer to the question, and that is that God will indeed punish evil, but He will do it on His own timescale.
There usually are consequences for sin, although often there is a delay in time between the sin and its full consequences. God eventually sent a 3-year famine upon Israel as punishment for Saul’s massacres31.
And there is a Judgment Day coming in the future, and then Jesus see to it that there is a perfectly just conclusion to every injustice and evil that we see today.
God has not promised us total freedom from injustice and suffering until after that, when He creates the new heavens and the new earth for us.
At any rate, there was only one priest who escaped Doeg’s mad campaign against Nob, namely Abiathar, the son of Ahimelek the high priest. Perhaps his dad had left him at the tabernacle to cover the priestly duties while he went to meet with King Saul, and perhaps Abiathar caught wind of what was coming down and grabbed the Urim and Thumim and made a beeline for Keilah to see David (cf. 23:6).
So it was that Abiathar filled David in on the tragic story, and David talked Abiathar into staying with him, reasoning that if the same guy (Saul) was out for both of them, they might as well throw in their lots together and use both their wits to keep each other safe.
John Gill pointed out in his commentary that David remembered God’s promises that came with his anointing to give him confidence, “David was confident... that God would preserve him, and raise him to the kingdom, and therefore Abiathar might be sure of safety with him.”
David’s statement is an antithesis to Saul’s statement that opens this story. “Can the son of Jesse give all of you fields and vineyards and military appointments?” No, he can’t distribute real estate to everybody, but he can keep you safe. And pretty much the same can be said of the Son of David. He’s not in the business of making everybody wealthy, but Jesus does save.
It is at this point that...
A Contemplation of David When Doeg the Edomite Went and Told Saul, and Said to Him, "David Has Gone to the House of Ahimelech." Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man? The goodness of God endures continually. Your tongue devises destruction, Like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. You love evil more than good, Lying rather than speaking righteousness. Selah You love all devouring words, You deceitful tongue. God shall likewise destroy you forever; He shall take you away, and pluck you out of your dwelling place, And uproot you from the land of the living. Selah The righteous also shall see and fear, And shall laugh at him, saying, "Here is the man who did not make God his strength, But trusted in the abundance of his riches, And strengthened himself in his wickedness." But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever. I will praise You forever, Because You have done it; And in the presence of Your saints I will wait on Your name, for it is good.
As the Psalm says, “Doeg… was a lyer, accusing Ahimelech and David as conspirers against the king... Further, he sheweth himself a flatterer: calling David ‘the son of Jesse’ in disdaine, as Saul used to call him: therein conforming himself unto Saul's humour... Doeg entended nothing but to make himself great, and grow in honour and wealth and credit with Saul, though it were with the overthrow of others: as David chargeth him, that he ‘trusted in the multitude of his riches...’ but David prophesieth of his ende, ‘God shall destroy thee for ever, he shall take and plucke thee out of thy tabernacle, and root thee out of the land of the living…” ~A. Willett
David, on the other hand chose to make God his strength. David wanted to live in God’s house. David trusted in the mercy of God. This was all part of loving God with all his heart, soul, and strength. That love comes from God; it is returned by His people, and is reciprocated again by God to us.
David answers the question for us at the end of Psalm 52. “Is the God who allows such injustice as what happened at Nob a good god?” “YES! I will praise You forever... I will wait on Your name, for it is good.”
Yes, evil men like Saul and Doeg will rage,
but God is working out His master plan, making sure all His promises come true,
God is using evil to sanctify us and working all things (even death itself!) for good for us,
and Jesus will bring every act to account in His perfect timing (2 Cor. 5).
Will you trust this God? Will you “wait” on Him? Will you praise Him and confess that He is good?
LXX |
Brenton |
DRB |
KJV |
NAW |
MT |
6
Καὶ
ἤκουσεν Σαουλ
ὅτι |
6
And
Saul heard that David was discovered, and his men with him: now
Saul dwelt
in
the hill
below
the
|
6
And
Saul heard
that David was seen,
and the men that were with him. Now whilst Saul abode
in
Gabaa, [and was]
|
6
When
Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men that were
with
him, (now Saul abodeJC
in
Gibeah under |
6 Then Saul heard that [the whereabouts] was known of David and of the men who were with him. Now Saul was sitting at Gibeah under the tamarisk-tree at the high place, with his spear in his hand and all his servants attending upon him. |
6 וַיִּשְׁמַע שָׁאוּל כִּי נוֹדַע דָּוִד וַאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ וְשָׁאוּל יוֹשֵׁב בַּגִּבְעָה תַּחַת-הָאֶשֶׁל בָּרָמָה וַחֲנִיתוֹ בְיָדוֹ וְכָל-עֲבָדָיו נִצָּבִים עָלָיו: |
7 καὶ εἶπεν Σαουλ πρὸς τοὺς παῖδας αὐτοῦ τοὺς παρεστηκότας αὐτῷ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Ἀκούσατε δή, υἱοὶ [Βεν]ιαμιν· εἰ ἀληθῶς πᾶσιν ὑμῖν δώσει ὁ υἱὸς Ιεσσαι ἀγροὺς καὶ ἀμπελῶνας [καὶ] πάντας ὑμᾶς τάξει ἑκατοντάρχους καὶ χιλιάρχους; |
7 And Saul said to his servants that stood by him, Hear now, ye sons of [Ben]jamin, will the son of Jessae indeed give all of you fields and vineyards, [and] will he make you all captains of hundreds and captains of thousands? |
7 X X He said to his servants that stood about him: Hear [me] now, ye sons of Jemini: X will the son of Isai give every [one] of you fields, and vineyards, [and] make you all tribunes, and centurions: |
7 Then Saul said unto his servants that stood about him, Hear now, ye Benjamites; XJF will the son of Jesse give every [one] of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds; |
7 And Saul said to his servants attending upon him, “Give heed now, Benjamites, will it really be to all of y’all that the son of Jesse will give fields and vineyards? – to all of y’all that he will give appointments as officers over thousands or officers over hundreds? |
7 וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל לַעֲבָדָיו הַנִּצָּבִים עָלָיו שִׁמְעוּ-נָא בְּנֵי יְמִינִי JGגַּם-לְכֻלְּכֶם יִתֵּן בֶּן-יִשַׁי שָׂדוֹת וּכְרָמִים לְכֻלְּכֶםJH יָשִׂים שָׂרֵי אֲלָפִים וְשָׂרֵי מֵאוֹתJI: |
8
ὅτι
σύγκεισθεJJ
πάντες ὑμεῖς
ἐπ᾿ ἐμέ, καὶ οὐκ
ἔστιν ὁ ἀποκαλύπτων
τὸ ὠτίον μου
ἐν
τῷ
διαθέσθαι τὸν
υἱόν μου [διαθήκην]
μετὰ
τοῦ υἱοῦ Ιεσσαι,
καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν
πονῶνJK
περὶ
ἐμοῦ ἐξ ὑμῶν καὶ
ἀποκαλύπτων
τὸ ὠτίον μου
ὅτι ἐπήγειρεν
ὁ
υἱός μου τὸν
δοῦλόν μου
ἐπ᾿ ἐμὲ εἰς
|
8
That
ye X are conspiring against me, and there is no one that informs
me, whereas
my
son has made a covenant with the son of Jessae, and there is no
one of you that is sorry
for
me, or informs me, that my son has stirred
up
my
servant against me for
an |
8
That
all of you have conspired against me, and there is no one to
inform me, [especially]
when
[even]
my
son hath entered into league with the son of Isai? X There is not
one of you that pitieth
my
|
8
That
all of you have conspired against me, and there
is none
that sheweth me |
8 For all of y’all have conspired against me, and there was no one who revealed it to my ear when my son made a covenant with the son of Jesse, and there is no one among y’all who asked around for me and who revealed to my ear that my son set up my servant against me in an ambush, as it is this day!” |
8 כִּי קְשַׁרְתֶּםJP כֻּלְּכֶם עָלַי וְאֵין-גֹּלֶהJQ אֶת-אָזְנִי בִּכְרָתJR-בְּנִי עִם-בֶּן-יִשַׁי וְאֵין-חֹלֶהJS מִכֶּם עָלַי וְגֹלֶה אֶת-אָזְנִי כִּי הֵקִים בְּנִי אֶת-עַבְדִּי עָלַי לְאֹרֵב כַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה: ס |
9
καὶ
ἀποκρίνεται
Δωηκ ὁ |
9
And
Doec the |
9
And
Doeg, the Edomite, who stood
by,
[and was the chief]
|
9 Then answered Doeg the Edomite, which was setJU over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. |
9 Then Doeg the Edomite (who was attending upon the servants of Saul) answered and said, “I saw the son of Jesse going to Nob to Ahimelek, son of Achitub {the priest}, |
9 וַיַּעַן דֹּאֵג הָאֲדֹמִי וְהוּא נִצָּב עַל-עַבְדֵי-שָׁאוּל וַיֹּאמַר רָאִיתִי אֶת-בֶּן-יִשַׁי בָּא נֹבֶה אֶל-אֲחִימֶלֶךְ בֶּן-אֲחִטוּב: |
10 καὶ ἠρώτα αὐτῷ διὰ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἐπισιτισμὸν ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ καὶ τὴν ῥομφαίαν Γολιαδ τοῦ ἀλλοφύλου ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ. |
10 And [the priest] enquired of God for him, and gave him provision, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine. |
10 And he consulted the Lord for him, and gave him victual[s], and gave him the sword of Goliath, the Philistine. |
10 And he enquired of the LORD for him, and gave him victual[s], and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine. |
10 who inquired with {God} for him and gave carry-out-food to him and gave the sword of Goliath the Philistine to him.” |
10 וַיִּשְׁאַל-לוֹ בַּיהוָהJV וְצֵידָהJW נָתַן לוֹ וְאֵת חֶרֶב גָּלְיָת הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי נָתַן לוֹ: |
11
καὶ
ἀπέστειλεν
ὁ βασιλεὺς
καλέσαι τὸν
Α |
11
And
the king sent to call A |
11 Then the king sent to call for Achimelech, the priest, the son of Achitob, and all his father's house, the priests that were in Nobe, and they came all of them to the king. |
11 Then the king sent to callJY Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests that were in Nob: and they came all of them to the king. |
11 So the king sent someone to call Ahimelek the priest, son of Ahitub, and all his father’s household (the priests which were at Nob), and all of them came to the king. |
11 וַיִּשְׁלַח הַמֶּלֶךְ לִקְרֹא JZאֶת- אֲחִימֶלֶךְ בֶּן-אֲחִיטוּב הַכֹּהֵן וְאֵת כָּל-בֵּית אָבִיו הַכֹּהֲנִים אֲשֶׁר בְּנֹב וַיָּבֹאוּ כֻלָּם אֶל-הַמֶּלֶךְ: ס |
12 καὶ εἶπεν Σαουλ Ἄκουε δή, υἱὲ Αχιτωβ. καὶ εἶπεν Ἰδοὺ ἐγώKA· [λάλει], κύριε. |
12 And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Achitob. And he said, Lo! I [am here, [speak, my lord. |
12 And Saul said [to Achimelech]: Hear, thou son of Achitob. X He answered: Here I am, my lord. |
12 And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Ahitub. And he answered, Here I am, my lord. |
12 Then Saul said, “Give heed now, son of Achitub!” And he replied, “I am here, my Lord.” |
12 וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל שְׁמַע-נָא בֶּן-אֲחִיטוּב וַיֹּאמֶר הִנְנִי אֲדֹנִי: |
13
καὶ
εἶπεν αὐτῷ Σαουλ
Ἵνα τί συνέθουKB
κατ᾿ ἐμοῦ σὺ
καὶ ὁ υἱὸς
Ιεσσαι δοῦναί
σε αὐτῷ ἄρτον
καὶ ῥομφαίαν
καὶ ἐρωτᾶν αὐτῷ
διὰ τοῦ θεοῦ
θέσθαιKC
[αὐτὸν]
ἐπ᾿
ἐμὲ εἰς
|
13
And
Saul said to him, Why have thou and the son of Jessae conspired
against me, that thou shouldest give him bread and a sword, and
shouldest enquire of God for him, to raise
[him]
up
against me as
an |
13
And
Saul said to him: Why have you conspired against me, thou, and the
son of Isai, |
13 And Saul said unto him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread, and a sword, and hast enquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day? |
13 And Saul said to him, “Why did y’all conspire against me – you and the son of Jesse – when you gave bread and a sword to him and you inquired with God for him, to set him up against me in an ambush as it is this day?” |
13 וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלוֹKE שָׁאוּל לָמָּה קְשַׁרְתֶּם עָלַי אַתָּה וּבֶן-יִשָׁי בְּתִתְּךָ לוֹ לֶחֶם וְחֶרֶב וְשָׁאוֹל לוֹ בֵּאלֹהִים לָקוּם אֵלַי לְאֹרֵב כַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה: ס |
14 καὶ X ἀπεκρίθη τῷ βασιλεῖ καὶ εἶπεν Καὶ τίς ἐν πᾶσιν τοῖς δούλοις σου ὡς Δαυιδ πιστὸς καὶ γαμβρὸςKF τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ ἄρχων [παντὸς] παραγγέλματόςKG σου καὶ ἔνδοξος ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ σου; |
14 And X he answered the king, and said, And who is there among all thy servants faithful as David, and he is a son-in-law of the king, and he is executor of all thy commands, and is honourable in thy house? |
14 And Achimelech answering the king, said: And who amongst all thy servants is so faithful as David, who is the king's son in law, and goeth forth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thy house? |
14 Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who is so faithful among all thy servants as David, which is the king's son in law, and goeth at thy biddingKH, and is honourable in thine house? |
14 Then Ahimelek answered the king and said, “And who among all your servants is as faithful as David, even the king’s in-law, and the one who takes off at your bidding, and the one who is honored in your house? |
14 וַיַּעַן אֲחִימֶלֶךְ אֶת-הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיֹּאמַר וּמִי בְכָל-עֲבָדֶיךָ כְּדָוִד נֶאֱמָן וַחֲתַן הַמֶּלֶךְ וְסָרKI אֶל-מִשְׁמַעְתֶּךָKJ וְנִכְבָּד בְּבֵיתֶךָ: |
15a ἦ σήμερον ἦργμαι ἐρωτᾶν αὐτῷ διὰ τοῦ θεοῦ; μηδαμῶςKK μὴ δότωKL ὁ βασιλεὺς κατὰ τοῦ δούλου αὐτοῦ λόγον 15b
[καὶ]
|
15 Have I begun to-day to enquire of God for him? By no means: let not the king bring a charge against his servant, [and]
|
15 Did I begin to day to consult the Lord for him? far be this from me: let not the king suspect such a thing against his servant, [or any one] in all my father's house: for thy servant knew nothing of X this matter, [either] little or great. |
15
Did
I nor to all the house of my father: for thy servant knew nothing of all this X, less or more. |
15 Was it today that I began to inquire with God for him? What a disgrace to me! Let not the king register a case against his servant {or} against any of the house of my father, for your servant doesn’t know about any of this stuff – little or much!” |
15a הַיּוֹם הַחִלֹּתִי KOלִשְׁאָל-לוֹ בֵאלֹהִים חָלִילָה לִּי אַל-יָשֵׂם הַמֶּלֶךְ בְּעַבְדּוֹ דָבָר 15b KPבְּכָל-בֵּית אָבִי כִּי לֹא-יָדַע עַבְדְּךָ בְּכָל-זֹאת דָּבָר קָטֹן אוֹ גָדוֹל: |
16
καὶ
εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς
[Σαουλ]
Θανάτῳ
ἀποθανῇ, Α |
16
And
king [Saul]
said,
Thou shalt surely die, A |
16 And the king said: Dying thou shalt die, Achimelech, thou and all thy father's house. |
16 And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father's house. |
16 But the king said, “Ahimelek, you shall surely die, you and all the house of your father!” |
16 וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ מוֹת תָּמוּת אֲחִימֶלֶךְ אַתָּה וְכָל-בֵּית אָבִיךָ: |
17
καὶ
εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς
τοῖς παρατρέχουσιν
τοῖς
ἐφεστηκόσινKQ
ἐπ᾿
αὐτόν |
17
And
the king said to the footmen
that
attended
on
him, |
17
And
the king said to the messengers
that
stood
about
him: Turn, and kill the priests of the Lord, for X
their
hand is with David, X because they knew that he was fled, and they
|
17
And
the king said unto the footmenKT
that
stood
about
him, Turn, and slay the priests of the LORD; because their hand
also is
with
David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not shew it to
|
17 Then the king said to the errand-runners who attended upon him, “Turn around and put the priests of Yahweh to death, because their hands are with David and because they knew that he was fleeing but they did not reveal it to {my} ear!” But the king’s servants were not willing to venture to strike with their hands against the priests of Yahweh. |
17 וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ לָרָצִים הַנִּצָּבִים עָלָיו סֹבּוּ וְהָמִיתוּ כֹּהֲנֵי יְהוָה כִּי גַם-יָדָם עִם-דָּוִד וְכִי יָדְעוּ כִּי-בֹרֵחַ הוּא וְלֹא גָלוּ אֶת-אָזְנוֹKU וְלֹא-אָבוּ עַבְדֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ לִשְׁלֹחַ אֶת-יָדָם לִפְגֹעַ בְּכֹהֲנֵי יְהוָה: ס |
18
καὶ
εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς
τῷ Δωηκ ἘπιστρέφουKV
σὺ καὶ ἀπάντα
εἰς τοὺς ἱερεῖς.
καὶ ἐπεστράφη
Δωηκ ὁ |
18
And
the king said to Doec, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests: and
Doec the |
18 And the king said to Doeg: Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg, the Edomite, turned, and fell upon the priests, and slew in that day eighty-five men that wore the linen ephod. |
18 And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fellKZ upon the priests, and slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod. |
18 So the king said to Doeg, “You, go around and strike against the priests!” So Doeg the Edomite went around and struck against the priests, and he put to death on that day 85 men who bore linen shoulder-gear. |
18 וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ לְדוֵֹיגLA סֹב אַתָּה וּפְגַע בַּכֹּהֲנִים וַיִּסֹּב דּוֵֹיג הָאֲדֹמִי וַיִּפְגַּע- הוּא בַּכֹּהֲנִים וַיָּמֶת בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא שְׁמֹנִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה אִישׁ נֹשֵׂא אֵפוֹד בָּדLB: |
19 καὶ τὴν Νομβα τὴν πόλιν τῶν ἱερέων ἐπάταξεν ἐν στόματι ῥομφαίας ἀπὸ ἀνδρὸς ἕως γυναικός, ἀπὸ νηπίου ἕως θηλάζοντος καὶ μόσχου καὶ ὄνου καὶ προβάτου X X X. -- |
19 And he smote Nomba the city of the priest with the edge of the sword, both man, and woman, infant and suckling, and calf, and ox, and sheep X X X. |
19
And
Nobe, the city of the priests, he smote with the edge of the
sword, both m |
19
And
Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword,
both m |
19 Then he made a strike with swordsmen against Nob, the city of the priests. From man even to woman, child, and even infant, also ox and donkey and sheep, [he struck them down] with the edge of the sword. |
19 וְאֵת נֹב עִיר-הַכֹּהֲנִים הִכָּה לְפִי-חֶרֶב מֵאִישׁ וְעַד-אִשָּׁה מֵעוֹלֵל וְעַד-יוֹנֵק וְשׁוֹר וַחֲמוֹר וָשֶׂה לְפִי-חָרֶבLC: |
20 καὶ διασῴζεταιLD υἱὸς εἷς τῷ Αβιμελεχ υἱῷ Αχιτωβ, καὶ ὄνομα αὐτῷ Αβιαθαρ, καὶ ἔφυγεν ὀπίσω Δαυιδ. |
20 And one son of Abimelech son of Achitob escapes, and his name was Abiathar, and he fled after David. |
20
But
one of the son[s]
of
Achimelech, the son of Achitob, whose name was Abiathar, escaped,
and fled |
20 And one of the son[s] of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, X named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David. |
20 However, one son of Ahimelek son of Achitub escaped, and his name was Abiathar, and he fled following David. |
20 וַיִּמָּלֵט בֵּן-אֶחָד לַאֲחִימֶלֶךְ בֶּן-אֲחִטוּב וּשְׁמוֹ אֶבְיָתָר וַיִּבְרַח אַחֲרֵי דָוִד: |
21 καὶ ἀπήγγειλεν Αβιαθαρ τῷ Δαυιδ ὅτι ἐθανάτωσεν Σαουλ [πάντας] τοὺς ἱερεῖς τοῦ κυρίου. |
21 And Abiathar told David that Saul had slain [all] the priests of the Lord. |
21
And
X told |
21 And Abiathar shewedLE David that Saul had slain the LORD'S priests. |
21 So it was that Abiathar related to David that Saul had murdered the priests of Yahweh. |
21 וַיַּגֵּד אֶבְיָתָר לְדָוִד כִּי הָרַג שָׁאוּל אֵת כֹּהֲנֵי יְהוָה: |
22
καὶ
εἶπεν Δαυιδ
τῷ Αβιαθαρ Ἤιδειν
ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ
ὅτι X
Δωηκ
ὁ |
22
And
David said to Abiathar, I knew it in that day, that Doec the
|
22 And David said to Abiathar: I knew X that day when Doeg, the Edomite, was there, that without doubt he would tell Saul: I have been the occasion [of the death] of all the soul[s] of thy father's house. |
22 And David said unto Abiathar, I knew it X that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned the death of all the person[s] of thy father's house. |
22 And David said to Abiathar, I knew on that day that Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely relate it to Saul. I am {responsible} for every person in your father’s household! |
22 וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד לְאֶבְיָתָר יָדַעְתִּי בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא כִּי-שָׁם דּוֵֹיג הָאֲדֹמִי LGכִּי-הַגֵּד יַגִּיד לְשָׁאוּל אָנֹכִי סַבֹּתִיLH בְּכָל-נֶפֶשׁ בֵּית אָבִיךָ: |
23
κάθου
μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ, μὴ
φοβοῦ, ὅτι οὗ
ἐὰν ζητ |
23
Dwell
with me; fear not, for wherever |
23
Abide
thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life, seeketh thy
life also, and with me thou shalt be |
23 Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: but with me thou shalt be in safeguard. |
23 Settle down with me. Don’t be afraid, for whoever seeks my person seeks your person, thus you will have safekeeping with me.” |
23 שְׁבָה אִתִּי אַל-תִּירָא כִּי אֲשֶׁר-יְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת-נַפְשִׁי יְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת-נַפְשֶׁךָ כִּי-מִשְׁמֶרֶתLJ אַתָּה עִמָּדִיLK: |
This part of David’s story takes place while he is a political refugee, hiding in the woods in Judea, and it revolves around a particular military action he took to free the town of Q’eilah.
Q’eilah was a border-town in the Shephalah region between Judah and Philistine territory32, with grain fields around it and a walled city in the middle to which residents could escape if the Philistine army ever came at them, but they were having lots of trouble with marauding bands of Philistines stealing their food after harvest time.
Interesting that the inhabitants of Q’eilah appealed to David rather than to Saul to deliver them.
It is true that Q’eilah was closer to Adullam (where David and his band were), than to Gibeah of Saul, but on the other hand, Matthew Henry may be right in surmising that Saul was not doing a good job of protecting the nation any more, and that through Gad’s prophecy, God had called David back to Judah in order to protect the nation33.
And David enters into the necessary work of the defense of his nation willingly; he doesn’t say, “Why ask me? That’s Saul’s job; what’s wrong with him that he isn’t defending you? It’s not my business!”
This has more applications that I realized at first. There is obvious application to private property owners on the borders of our nation, when federal and state governments do not do their jobs of protecting them.
But it even extends to doing household chores when the one who is supposed to do them falls down on their task:
Husbands, if the division of labor in your household puts your wife in charge of doing laundry, and she falls behind, will you grouse at her for not being able to find any clean clothes, or will you take the attitude of David and wash some clothes, because you can and because it needs to be done.
In our house, we have teams of two or three kids in charge of putting away clean dishes from the dishwasher, but I can’t tell you how many times I have found the dishwasher full of clean dishes and the counter full of dirty dishes. Usually when I ask why, the kids tell me that the people on dishwasher duty are asleep or sick or away at somebody else’s house, so nobody emptied the dishwasher. Well, just empty the dishwasher yourself! Help the whole family by pitching in where you can, even if it’s technically somebody else’s job.
“Those are unlike to David who sullenly decline to do good…” ~M. Henry
There is, of course, a balancing principle: that we should not do what God has not called us to do. There are some things we have no business getting involved in.
For instance, in the dishwasher example, my wife realized that her calling is centered on childrearing, not modelling for Better Homes and Gardens, and though there is a divine calling for her to be a “keeper at home,” it is more faithful to her calling to train the children in housekeeping than to do all the housekeeping herself and leave the children at loose ends.
Furthermore, there are fine ministry endeavors which you might also be interested in, but which God may not intend for you to do. A missionary friend who serves in China wrote a couple of years ago about Chinese pastors coming to him for counsel because they were feeling burned out. He started noticing a pattern, “When they see a need, they pray, ‘God help me meet this need.’” And then they tried to meet every need themselves and burned themselves out. My missionary friend started teaching them to pray differently, “Pray this way, ‘God how will You meet this need? God, who will You use to meet this need? God, what are You asking me to do?’” This moved the pastors out of the center of the equation and brought in the resources of the rest of the church to act like the body God designed it to be34.
But here in 1 Samuel, we are talking about war.
And, as Andrew Willett rightly observed in his commentary on this passage, “...warre is not to be taken in hand rashly, but with counsell first from God, and then to be taken with men… David will not here enterprise battell, unless first he had consulted with God…”
This is a Biblical pattern, and you don’t have to go any further than the book of Judges to see it, where the Israelites consulted with God before their first battle in chapter 1 against the Canaanites and Perrizzites, and in the battle at the end of Judges against Benjamin.
So David inquired of the Lord:
Part of the question for David was, “Can I do any good with this small band of rabble I’ve got, or will we just get ourselves killed trying to defend Q’eilah?”
But another part of the question worthy of asking God was, as Matthew Henry put it, “[M]ight [I] lawfully take Saul's work out of his hand, and act without a commission from him?”
“To repel unprovoked assaults on unoffending people who were engaged in their harvest operations, was a humane and benevolent service. But it was doubtful how far it was David’s duty to go against a public enemy without the royal commission…” ~JFB
Now in those days, inquiring of the LORD was typically done through a priest or prophet. Abiathar the priest had not arrived yet from Nob, so commentators35 guess maybe that it was the prophet Gad who inquired of God for David at this point.
And God responded, “Go and conduct a strike among the Philistines, and save Q’eilah.”
I struggle a little bit with that because never in my fifty-odd years of life has God spoken audibly to me. I have run into folks who say that God spoke to them audibly or gave them visions, and in some cases I don’t doubt it, but why would God do that for David or for other Christians, but not for me? I can’t answer that definitively except to say that I must trust that God will do what is best.
David didn’t have access to nearly as much written scripture as I do, so maybe it was a way that God made up for that lack on his part.
Conversely, I’ve never been in the life-or-death situations that David was in, so maybe I don’t have as much need for a special revelation.
As it is with all personal relationships, I may want to hear more communication from someone, but I can’t make them communicate. If I want a real relationship, I have to accept the freedom of the other party to communicate however they want, without me controlling it. And how much moreso it is with God, who has no obligation to me other than what His own love for me motivates Him to communicate. I’ll engage in my side of the conversation and pray, but I have to accept God’s autonomy to respond or not respond however He wants, and trust that He will do what’s best.
Going back to our story, when David presents the battle-plan to his band of men, they balk at it, resulting in David having to go back to God with another prayer:
Moving the band out of the cover of the forests and caves into the Shephalah to fight the Philistines in the open fields outside the walls of Q’eilah would expose them “not only to the Philistines, before them, on the edge of their country, from whence they could have re-enforcements easily, but [also] to Saul and his army behind them; and so, being between two fires, [they] would be in danger of being [annihilated].” ~John Gill
Judging by the comments from David's men, it sounds like it was no small order to fight this Philistine army. David and his men were not at all likely to win against them if they were to fight, which is perhaps why David went back a second time to ask the Lord's counsel.
I’d think that if God told me directly to do something, it would insult Him to come back and ask for more confirmation – and there are times when our confidence in God’s word and our faith in Him are such that we should obey Him without hesitation and without seeking further confirmation, but God’s merciful kindness is such that He doesn’t snuff out the guttering wicks36 of little-faith followers like us when we must ask Him for more. In fact He seems to welcome it. 16th Century commentator Andrew Willet expounded:
“God [is] well pleased, twice in the same thing to be consulted with: 1. when a man desireth to be further strengthened and confirmed in his own faith, as Gideon asked two signs one after an other (Judges 6), 2. when upon God's answer, the event falleth out not answerable, then for their further resolution, they may again go unto God, as the Israelites did, being once overcome of the Benjaminites (Judges 20), 3. it is lawfull for the edifying of others, as David here doth, 4. or for a more full answer, if they receive not sufficient satisfaction at the first... This sheweth, that when men receive not full satisfaction by once hearing of the word of God, they should resort unto it often... as St. Paul saith in Philippians 3:1, that it was a sure thing for them to write the same things again.”
So David goes to God again in prayer, and God repeats the command to go down to Q’eilah, together with a promise that God would give them success in battle. So they head out of the woods and hills down toward the coast to Q’eilah.
It appears that the first thing David does before attacking the Philistines is to “lead away their livestock.” There is some debate as to what this means.
Perhaps the livestock were the Philistine soldiers’ food, and by removing their source of food, David shrewdly insured that the Philistines would not fight a prolonged battle against him because they would quickly run out of food.
Or perhaps the livestock were the Philistines’ transportation, and by removing all the enemies vehicles, as it were, David ensured that they wouldn’t be able to escape quickly and avoid slaughter.
Anyway, after taking this measure, David then attacks the Philistine soldiers with his men and wins the battle. And it’s been suggested that if the next numbering of David’s troops is two hundred more than the last time, David must not have sustained any losses in that battle either. (Gill)
The people of Q’eilah were probably hungry after having had their grain stolen off their threshing floors and having been beseiged within the walled city for who-knows-how-long, so I imagine they were pretty excited after the battle to see all the Philistines’ livestock! There would be milk for the children and steak for the victors and replenishment of the herds lost in the leadup to the seige!
This is also the point, it seems, when young Abiathar reconnoiters with David. Abiathar is carrying the ephod of the high priest in his hand, being himself next-in-line for the position that his father Achimelek had filled until being lately murdered by Doeg. The coming of a high-priest into his entourage had to have been an encouraging development for David, despite the tragic news Abiathar bore. It meant God’s special presence would be with David, and David could have constant access to God through the high priest stationed in his camp!
And now David sees the need to make use of this spiritual resource with yet another prayer of inquiry:
The dangers are escalating for David. By engaging in this battle with the Philistines, David revealed his whereabouts to King Saul and could become a sitting duck for Saul to pick off.
Several things about the depravity of Saul’s character are shared with us at this point to underscore how grave the situation was:
First, Saul despises David’s service to his nation and turns it into an opportunity to smash a faithful citizen. The King of the land should instead have appreciated what David had just done and offered him rich rewards for bravely protecting the people, but all Saul can think of is doing David a mischief. (M. Henry)
Secondly, Saul brazenly uses God-talk (that he doesn’t believe) in order to manipulate religious followers into doing evil with him against David.
He proclaims to his followers in v. 7, “God has delivered David over to my hand!” When nothing could be further from the truth.
The Hebrew word Saul uses is more pregnant with meaning than merely “delivered” – it implies rejection as well.
Someone at Saul’s court heard this religiously-abusive statement and must have relayed it to the prophet in David’s camp who wrote this account.
But “God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden....” (Eccl. 12:14, NASB) This blasphemous use of God’s character will not be taken lightly by God.
Third, Saul had summoned “all the people” to fight against David.
The last time there had been a summons of that order, it was in chapter 15, when 210,000 troops were mobilized. Saul is going all-out to obliterate David’s band of 400-60037 men.
Saul is going to drive them into the city, bar the gates, and kill them along with everybody in the city. The stakes are incredibly high.
Furthermore, vs. 8-9 imply that Saul deceived his own soldiers about the purpose for which he mobilized the army. The root meaning of the Hebrew word for the “plotting” Saul was doing against David has to do with “being quiet.”
Matthew Henry explains, “Saul... called all the people together to war, [that] they must with all speed march to Keilah, pretending to oppose the Philistines, but [instead it was Saul’s intent to use them] to besiege David and his men, though concealing that design; for it is said (v.9) that he ‘secretly [quietly] practised [plotted] mischief against him.’” Saul was hijacking the soldiers of Israel from legitimate state functions to perform his personal vendetta.
It’s entirely possible that this war party Saul mobilized is the same one that decimated the town of Nob and was now on their way to Q’eilah to destroy it.
The word David chooses in his prayer to God to describe the intelligence he had received as to what Saul was about to do to Q’eilah is strong: not just “destroy,” but “utterly lay waste to” the city, even as was done to Nob.
All this is shared with us to help us see what a snake David is dealing with, and how high the stakes are for David to survive and establish a throne of justice after Saul.
So David, as was his custom when he encountered trouble, turned to God and prayed for guidance and deliverance.
“God knows all men better than they know themselves, knows their... strength, what is in them, and what they will do if they come into such and such circumstances. He therefore knows not only what will be, but what would be if it were not prevented; and therefore ‘knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation,’ and how ‘to render to every man according to his works.’” ~M. Henry (quoting 2 Pet. 2:9 & Prov. 24:12)
Now that David has a priest with an ephod in his camp, he takes advantage of it and calls for Abiathar.
No one seems to know for sure how the ephod worked, but it was apparently a sanctified way for the priests of Israel to cast lots. The Urim and Thummim are thought to be like a coin that could be removed from the ephod and “flipped” to determine the Lord's will in a matter.
It just gave a yes or no answer, so the answers recorded to the inquiries in the following verses made by Abiathar with the ephod are much simpler than the earlier oracles David received from the prophet in the first 5 verses.
David asks two questions38 of God, this time, not asking what to do, but instead asking about the likelihood of risk in staying-put at Q’eilah. David intends to use the information God gives him to make his own decision about what to do next.
If you think about it, David was a homeless person who had become a local hero for saving a city, so it was natural that he should think about making that city his home. Why not settle down in Q’eilah with the good will of the people and the walls of the city as a safeguard against Saul? I think it is with this in mind that David asks God if Saul would consider attacking a walled city like this and if the leaders (literally the “baals”) of the city would rally around him and defend him from Saul.
God’s answers make it clear that David cannot trust in the walls of Q’eilah or in the people of Q’eilah to keep him safe, for only God can ultimately keep us safe.
God answers that if David were to stay in Q’eilah, Saul would indeed come after him there, and the lords of Q’eilah would betray him to Saul's army. (The Hebrew word here literally pictures them shoving David out the gate of the city and “shutting” it behind him so that he will be exposed outside and not be protected inside the walls.)
By the way, God’s answers are not as hypothetical as they seem, for the locals did indeed try to betray David to Saul later on, and Saul did come down against David after that.
But David asked GOD for guidance, rather than listening to false prophets or relying solely on his brains, and God gave him the information that would save his life and the lives of his people by avoiding a civil war.
Nowadays we don’t have temples with high priests and ephods, but we can learn a lesson from David to pray and seek guidance from God however we can. In David’s case, “No sooner is the ephod brought to him than he makes use of it: ‘Bring hither the ephod.’ We have the scriptures, those lively oracles, in our hands; let us take advice from them in doubtful cases. ‘Bring hither the Bible!’” ~M. Henry
Wisdom is, of course called-for in what to ask of God in prayer, but Jesus encourages us to ask:
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” (James 1:5, NKJV)
“...ask, and it will be given to y'all. Continue to search, and y'all will find. Continue to knock, and it will be opened up to you. For every one who is asking is receiving, and the one who is searching is finding, and to the one who is knocking it is being opened up!” (Matt. 7:7-8, NAW)
“And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it…. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” (John 14:13-14, 16:24, NKJV)
Of course, it has to be something God is willing to do: “And this is the confidence which we have before Him, that if we shall request something according to His will, He is hearing us. And if we know that He is hearing us – whatever we may be requesting – we know that we have the items that we had requested of Him.” (1 John 5:14-15, NAW)
So, search the scriptures for what He reveals of His will, and get to making prayer requests!
Our story closes with epilogues on David and Saul:
David chooses to trust God and wait rather than overthrow his government. “He keeps God's way, waits God's time, and is content to secure himself in woods and wildernesses…” ~Matthew Henry
“Two miles southeast of Hebron, and [12 miles39 southeast of Q’eilah,] in the midst of a level plain, is Tell-ziph, an isolated and conical hillock, about a hundred feet high, probably the acropolis... of the ancient city of Ziph, from which the surrounding wilderness was called. It seems, anciently, to have been covered by an extensive woods [but was deforested centuries ago].” ~JFB This is where we leave David.
Saul, meanwhile, in archtypical rivalry to the seed of the woman, like the dragon in Revelation 12:4 that “stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born,” Saul continues to seek David’s life in the same mad enterprise that the Devil and His minions continue against us, for, as the Apostle Paul reminds us in Galatians 4:29 “...as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now.” (NKJV)
But Saul could not get David because God would not allow Saul to get David. God is sovereignly controlling everybody and everything – even the most powerful kings and armies, so when He decides to save you, there’s nobody in the world who will be able to mess with you. Nobody.
God will never, ever deliver us over to the enemy.
Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand.” (John 10:27-29, NKJV)
“He has also said, ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.’” (Hebrews 13:5, NKJV)40.
“That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake, I’ll never, no never, no never forsake”
Jesus instructed us to pray, “Deliver us from the evil one.”
Are you praying that?
Will you stop and pray that before you do anything else, every time you encounter a problem? Stop and pray! As Philippians 4:6 says in the Contemporary English Version, “Don't worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God.” Will you do that?
LXX |
Brenton |
DRB |
KJV |
NAW |
MT |
1
Καὶ
ἀπηγγέλ |
1
And
|
1 And they told David, saying: Behold the Philistines fight against Ceila, and they rob the barns. |
1 Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they robLN the threshingfloors. |
1 Then they brought news to David saying, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Q’eilah, and they are plundering the threshing-floors!” |
1 וַיַּגִּדוּ לְדָוִד לֵאמֹר הִנֵּה פְלִשְׁתִּים נִלְחָמִים בִּקְעִילָה וְהֵמָּה שֹׁסִים אֶת- הַגֳּרָנוֹתLO: |
2 καὶ ἐπηρώτησεν Δαυιδ διὰ τοῦ κυρίου λέγων Εἰ πορευθῶ καὶ πατάξω τοὺς ἀλλοφύλους τούτους; καὶ εἶπεν κύριος Πορεύου καὶ πατάξεις ἐν τοῖς ἀλλοφύλοις [τούτοις] καὶ σώσεις τὴν Κεϊλα. |
2 And David enquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the Lord said, Go, and thou shalt smite [these] Philistines, and shalt save Keila. |
2 Therefore David consulted the Lord, saying: Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the Lord said to David: Go, and thou shalt smite the Philistines, and shalt save Ceila. |
2 Therefore David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go and smiteLP these Philistines? And the LORD said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah. |
2 So David inquired with Yahweh, saying, “Shall I go and conduct a strike against these Philistines?” And Yahweh said to David, “Go and conduct a strike among the Philistines, and save Q’eilah.” |
2 וַיִּשְׁאַל דָּוִד בַּיהוָה לֵאמֹר הַאֵלֵךְ וְהִכֵּיתִי בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּים הָאֵלֶּה סLQ וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-דָּוִד לֵךְ וְהִכִּיתָ בַפְּלִשְׁתִּים וְהוֹשַׁעְתָּ אֶת- קְעִילָה: |
3
καὶ
εἶπαν οἱ ἄνδρες
τοῦ Δαυιδ πρὸς
αὐτόν Ἰδοὺ
ἡμεῖς ἐνταῦθα
ἐν τῇ Ιουδαίᾳ
φοβούμεθα,
καὶ πῶς ἔσται
ἐὰν πορευθῶμεν
εἰς Κεϊλα;
εἰς τὰ |
3
And
the men of David said to him, Behold, we are afraid here in Judea;
and how shall it be if we go to Keila? Shall we go after the
|
3 And the men that were with David, said to him: Behold we are in fear here in Judea, how much more if we go to Ceila against the bands of the Philistines? |
3 And David's men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armiesLS of the Philistines? |
3 David’s men, however, said to him, “Look, we are afraid here in Judah, and will be even more so if we go to Q’eilah against the ranks of the Philistines!” |
3 וַיֹּאמְרוּ אַנְשֵׁי דָוִד אֵלָיו הִנֵּה אֲנַחְנוּ פֹה בִּיהוּדָה יְרֵאִים וְאַף כִּי-נֵלֵךְ קְעִלָה אֶל- מַעַרְכוֹת פְּלִשְׁתִּים: ס |
4
καὶ
προσέθετο
Δαυιδ ἐρωτῆσαι
ἔτι διὰ τοῦ
κυρίου, καὶ
ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῷ
κύριος καὶ
εἶπεν [πρὸς αὐτόν]
Ἀνάστηθι
[καὶ]
κατάβηθι
εἰς Κεϊλα,
ὅτι ἐγὼ παραδίδωμι
τοὺς ἀλλοφύλους
εἰς χεῖρ |
4 And David enquired yet again of the Lord; and the Lord answered him, and said [to him], Arise [and] go down to Keila, for I will deliver the Philistines into thy hand[s]LT. |
4 Therefore David consulted the Lord again. And X he answered and said to him: Arise, [and] go X to Ceila: for I will deliver the Philistines into thy hand. |
4 Then David enquired of the LORD yet again. And the LORD answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand. |
4 So David imposed again upon Yahweh to inquire, and Yahweh answered him and said, “Get up; go down to Q’eilah, for I am giving the Philistines into your control.” |
4 וַיּוֹסֶף עוֹד דָּוִד לִשְׁאֹל בַּיהוָה ס וַיַּעֲנֵהוּ יְהוָה וַיֹּאמֶר קוּם רֵדLU קְעִילָה כִּי-אֲנִי נֹתֵן אֶת-פְּלִשְׁתִּים בְּיָדֶךָ: |
5 καὶ ἐπορεύθη Δαυιδ καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες [οἱ μετ᾿] αὐτοῦ εἰς Κεϊλα καὶ ἐπολέμησεν ἐν τοῖς ἀλλοφύλοις, [καὶ ἔφυγον ἐκ προσώπου αὐτοῦ,] καὶ ἀπήγαγεν τὰ κτήνη αὐτῶν καὶ ἐπάταξεν ἐν αὐτοῖς πληγὴν μεγάλην, καὶ ἔσωσεν Δαυιδ τοὺς κατοικοῦντας Κεϊλα. |
5 So David and his men [with him] went to Keila, and fought with the Philistines; [and they fled from before him,] and he carried off their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter, and David rescued the inhabitants of Keila. |
5 David, therefore, and his men, went to Ceila, and fought against the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and made a great slaughter of them: and David saved the inhabitants of Ceila. |
5 So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattleLV, and smote them with a great slaughterLW. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah. |
5 So David (and his men) went down to Q’eilah and fought with the Philistines and led away their livestock and conducted a strike – a heavy strike – against them. Thus, David saved the residents of Q’eilah. |
5 וַיֵּלֶךְ דָּוִד וַאִנְשׁLXוֹ קְעִילָה וַיִּלָּחֶם בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּים וַיִּנְהַג אֶת- מִקְנֵיהֶםLY וַיַּךְ בָּהֶם מַכָּה גְדוֹלָה וַיֹּשַׁע דָּוִד אֵת יֹשְׁבֵי קְעִילָה: ס |
6 Καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ φυγεῖν Αβιαθαρ υἱὸν Αβιμελεχ πρὸς Δαυιδ [καὶ αὐτὸς μετὰ Δαυιδ] εἰς Κεϊλα κατέβη [ἔχων] εφουδ ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ. |
6 And it came to pass when Abiathar the son of Achimelech fled to David, [that he] went down [with David] to Keila, [having] an ephod in his hand. |
6 Now at that time, when Abiathar, the son of Achimelech, fled to David, to Ceila, he came down, [having] an ephod with X him. |
6 And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand. |
6 So it was when Abiathar son of Achimelek fled to David at Keilah, an ephod came down in his hand. |
6 וַיְהִי בִּבְרֹחַ אֶבְיָתָר בֶּן-אֲחִימֶלֶךְ אֶל-דָּוִד קְעִילָה אֵפוֹד יָרַד בְּיָדוֹLZ: |
7
καὶ
ἀπηγγέλη τῷ
Σαουλ ὅτι ἥκει
Δαυιδ εἰς
Κεϊλα, καὶ εἶπεν
Σαουλ ΠέπρακενMA
αὐτὸν
ὁ θεὸς εἰς
χεῖρ |
7 And it was told Saul that David was come to Keila: and Saul said, God has sold him into my hand[s], for he is shut up, having entered into a city that has gates and bar[s]. |
7
And
it was told Saul that David was come to Ceila: and Saul said: The
|
7 And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said, God hath delivered him into mine hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bar[s]. |
7 Then it was related to Saul that David had come to Q’eilah, and Saul said, “God has warranted him into my control, for he has shut himself in by going into a city that has double-doors with a bolt!” |
7 וַיֻּגַּד לְשָׁאוּל כִּי-בָא דָוִד קְעִילָה וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל נִכַּרMB אֹתוֹ אֱלֹהִים בְּיָדִי כִּי נִסְגַּר לָבוֹא בְּעִיר דְּלָתַיִם וּבְרִיחַ: |
8 καὶ παρήγγειλεν Σαουλ παντὶ τῷ λαῷ εἰς πόλεμον καταβαίνειν εἰς Κεϊλα συνέχεινMC τὸν Δαυιδ καὶ τοὺς ἄνδρας αὐτοῦ. |
8 And Saul charged all the people to go down to war to Keila, to besiege David and his men. |
8 And Saul commanded all the people to go down to fight against Ceila, [and] to besiege David and his men. |
8 And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men. |
8 So Saul had it announced to all the people that they should go down to Q’eilah to fight, in order to beseige David and his men. |
8 וַיְשַׁמַּעMD שָׁאוּל אֶת-כָּל- הָעָם לַמִּלְחָמָה לָרֶדֶת קְעִילָה לָצוּר אֶל-דָּוִד וְאֶל-אֲנָשָׁיו: |
9
καὶ
ἔγνω Δαυιδ ὅτι
|
9 And David knew that Saul spoke openlyMG of mischief against him: and [David] said to Abiathar the priest, Bring the ephod [of the LordMH]. |
9 Now when David understood that Saul secretly prepared evil against him, X he said to Abiathar, the priest: Bring hither the ephod. |
9 And David knew that Saul secretly practisedMI mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod. |
9 Now, David knew that Saul was against him, keeping quiet about his evil-intent, so he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring in the ephod.” |
9 וַיֵּדַע דָּוִד כִּי עָלָיו שָׁאוּל מַחֲרִישׁMJ הָרָעָה וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל- אֶבְיָתָר הַכֹּהֵן הַגִּישָׁה הָאֵפוֹד: ס |
10 καὶ εἶπεν Δαυιδ Κύριε ὁ θεὸς Ισραηλ, ἀκούων ἀκήκοεν ὁ δοῦλός σου ὅτι ζητεῖ Σαουλ ἐλθεῖν ἐπὶ Κεϊλα διαφθεῖραι τὴν πόλιν δι᾿ ἐμέ. |
10 And David said, Lord God of Israel, thy servant has indeed heard, that Saul seeks to come against Keila to destroy the city on my account. |
10 And David said: O Lord God of Israel, thy servant hath heard a report, that Saul designeth to come to Ceila, to destroy the city for my sake: |
10 Then said David, O LORD God of Israel, thy servant hath certainlyMK heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake. |
10 Then David said, “Yahweh, God of Israel, your servant has heard for sure that Saul is trying to come to Q’eilah to lay waste to the city on my account. |
10 וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שָׁמֹעַ שָׁמַע עַבְדְּךָ כִּי-מְבַקֵּשׁ שָׁאוּל לָבוֹא אֶל- קְעִילָה לְשַׁחֵת לָעִיר בַּעֲבוּרִי: |
11
εἰ
ἀποκλεισθήσεται;
[καὶ]
|
11
Will
[the place] be
shut
up X
X
X?
[And]
|
11
Will
the |
11
Will
the |
11 Will they shut me out? {} Will Saul come down like this [intelligence] your servant has heard? Yahweh, God of Israel, {} communicate with your servant!” And Yahweh said, “He will come down.” |
11 הֲיַסְגִּרֻנִי בַעֲלֵי קְעִילָה בְיָדוֹMO הֲיֵרֵד שָׁאוּל כַּאֲשֶׁר שָׁמַע עַבְדֶּךָ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הַגֶּד- נָאMP לְעַבְדֶּךָ ס וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה יֵרֵד: |
MQkai
eipen Dauid. ei paradwsousinMR
oi
|
MTAnd
David said, “Will the |
12
And
David said: Will the |
12
Then
said David, Will the |
12 Then David said, “Will the city-commissioners of Q’eilah shut me and my men out into Saul’s control?” And Yahweh said, “They will shut you out.” |
12 וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד הֲיַסְגִּרוּ בַּעֲלֵי קְעִילָה אֹתִי וְאֶת-אֲנָשַׁי בְּיַד-שָׁאוּל וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה יַסְגִּירוּ: ס |
13
καὶ
ἀνέστη Δαυιδ
καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες
[οἱ
μετ᾿]
αὐτοῦ
ὡς |
13
And
David arose, and the men [with]
him,
[in number]
about
|
13
Then
David and his men, who were about 600, arose, and departing from
Ceila, wandered
[up
and down, uncertain]
where
they should |
13 Then David and his men, which were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could goMV. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbare to go forthMW. |
13 So, David and his approximately 600 men got up and went out from Q’eilah, and they went wherever they could go. When it was communicated to Saul that David had made his escape from Q’eilah, then he brought an end to the expedition. |
13 וַיָּקָם דָּוִד וַאֲנָשָׁיו כְּשֵׁשׁMX-מֵאוֹת אִישׁ וַיֵּצְאוּ מִקְּעִלָה וַיִּתְהַלְּכוּ בַּאֲשֶׁר יִתְהַלָּכוּMY וּלְשָׁאוּלMZ הֻגַּד כִּי-נִמְלַט דָּוִד מִקְּעִילָה וַיֶּחְדַּל לָצֵאת: |
14
Καὶ
ἐκάθισεν
Δαυιδ
ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ [ἐν
Μασερεμ]
ἐν
τοῖς στενοῖςNA
καὶ ἐκάθητο
ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ ἐν
τῷ ὄρει Ζιφ ἐν
τῇ γῇ τῇ αὐχμώδει·
καὶ ἐζήτει
αὐτὸν Σαουλ
πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας,
καὶ οὐ παρέδωκεν
αὐτὸν |
14
And
he dwelt
[in
Maserem]NB
in
the wilderness, in the narrow
passes;
and dwelt in the wilderness in mount Ziph, in the dry country. And
Saul sought him |
14
But
David abode
in
the desert in strong holds, and he remained in a mountain of the
desert of Ziph, in a woody hill. And Saul sought him al |
14 And David abodeNC in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a mountainND in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every dayXNE, but God delivered him not into his hand. |
14 Thus David resided in the wilderness, in the strongholds, then resided on the hill in the wilderness of Ziph. Meanwhile, Saul sought for him all his days, but {Yahweh} did not deliver him into his control. |
14 וַיֵּשֶׁב דָּוִד בַּמִּדְבָּר בַּמְּצָדוֹת וַיֵּשֶׁב בָּהָר בְּמִדְבַּרNF-זִיף וַיְבַקְשֵׁהוּ שָׁאוּל כָּל-הַיָּמִים וְלֹא-נְתָנוֹ אֱלֹהִיםNG בְּיָדוֹ: |
David knew that Saul was on the prowl, wanting to find and kill him. He had already said as much to Abiathar in the last chapter, verse 23.
So David had left Q’eilah after saving them from the Philistines and had returned to camping in the wilderness in Horesh (which means “forest”). The New International Commentary on the Old Testament suggests he was at “Khirbet Khoreisa, about 2 miles from Tel Zip.”
It is at this time that his friend Prince Jonathan takes the initiative to visit him, and Jonathan does four41 strategic things for David that are key for encouragement:
v.16 He “encouraged David in God” – lit. “he strengthened/boosted his hand in the Lord”
“strengthened... his hand of faith to lay hold on God, as his covenant God and lean and rely upon... his power and in his providence, and in his promises to him” ~John Gill
“As a pious friend, he directed him to God, the foundation of his confidence and the fountain of his comfort: He strengthened his hand in God. David, though a strong believer, needed the help of his friends for the perfecting of what was lacking in his faith; and herein Jonathan was helpful to him, by reminding him of the promise of God, the holy oil wherewith he was anointed, the presence of God with him hitherto, and the many experiences he had had of God's goodness to him. Thus he strengthened his hands for action, by encouraging his heart, not in the creature, but in God.” ~Matthew Henry
Jonathan encouraged David through verbal reminders not to fear but rather to rely on God’s word. In v.17 Jonathan said to David, “Don’t be afraid, for the hand of Saul my father is not going to find you. Furthermore, it is you who will be king over Israel.”
Jonathan’s assurance that Saul will not find David might have been a promise to use his influence to distract Saul from finding David. (Could it be that Jonathan staged the whole conflict with the Philistines later on purposefully to draw Saul off of the chase with David? We don’t know.)
But more fundamentally, Jonathan was expressing trust in God, that God would sovereignly protect David from getting clobbered by Saul, reminding David that God could be trusted to control all the spy operatives in Saul’s political machine, a prospect entirely outside of their human control but entirely within the power of God and certainly implied in all of God’s promises to David.
Jonathan dreamed together with David about the future: “And as for me, I will belong to you as a second-in-command, and even my father Saul knows it will be thus.”
“Saul knew that David should be king, both by Samuel's words, that the Lord had cast off Saul, and chosen his neighbour better then he (15:28), by the continual good success that David had... [and] he might also have heard of the anointing of David by Samuel, and his conscience did testifie against him, that he was unworthie to hold the kingdom…” ~Willett
God’s plan was unmistakeable, so Jonathan dreamed together with David about it. “Think of how great it’s going to be when you are finally king, David! No more being chased by my Dad. No more camping in caves in the desert. Full authority to run the country like you think it should be and to root out all the corruption of the current administration. It’ll be you and me together again, and I’ll be perfectly content to be at your side as second-in-command. Good times are coming, David, God has promised us this!”
Of course Jonathan was mistaken about surviving to see David crowned king, but he was on the right track to get his friend’s mind out of the dumps and thinking about the fulfillment of God’s promises in the future.
Finally, Jonathan encouraged David through a covenant renewal ceremony in v.18 “Then the two of them cut a covenant before the face of Yahweh.”
I use the term “renewal” because David and Jonathan had already made a covenant in chapter 18 v.3, and had already renewed it once in chapter 20, saying, “‘you shall not only show me the kindness of the LORD while I still live, that I may not die; but you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever, no, not when the LORD has cut off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.’ So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, ‘Let the LORD require it at the hand of David's enemies.’ Now Jonathan again caused David to vow, because he loved him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.” (1 Sam. 20:14-17 NKJV)
The covenant formalized their commitment to one another, taking the reassurances that any friend would give verbally to the next level of certainty.
It was one thing for Jonathan to say, “Hey buddy, of course I’ll support you if you ever become king one day,” but it was another thing to swear it in front of a priest.
It was one thing for David to say, “If I ever become king, you won’t have to worry about your family, Jonathan,” but it was another for him to ensure formally that there would be no revenge killings and no preemptive assassinations of potential rivals to the throne in Saul’s family. There could be no changing their minds now.
What a breath of fresh air for David to receive such a soul-fortifying and faith-strengthening visit from his dear friend! But all good things must come to an end on this earth, and so Jonathan had to return to his life in the halls of power while David remained with his outlaw band in the wilderness. Next, in contrast to the encouragement of Jonathan, we read of the treachery of the Ziphites starting in v.19.
The Ziphites were descendants of Caleb of the tribe of Judah (1 Chron. 2:42).
They didn’t want their towns destroyed by Saul like Nob had been (and almost Q’eilah). They figured if they kissed up to Saul and helped him get rid of David, they would stay on Saul’s good side, and Saul was the kind of guy you really didn’t want to get on the bad side of! (Willett, Henry, Gill)
There may also have been some unease among the longtime residents of Ziph concerning what kind of trouble this band of outlaws was going to cause in the area. In a couple of chapters, we’ll meet one of these residents, named Nabal, and he was none-too-welcoming of David’s intrusion. (Gordon, Tsumura)
So they go to Saul’s palace in Gibeah and give away David’s location42:
“From the tell of Ziph, a panorama of the whole surrounding district is to be seen. No wonder, then, that the Ziphites saw David and his men passing to and fro in the mountains of the wilderness… [Looking south from Ziph towards Maon, t]he mountain plateau seems here to end. It is true the summit ridge of the southern hills runs out a long way further towards the southwest; but towards the southeast the ground sinks more and more down to a tableland of a lower level, which is called “the plain to the right hand [that is, to the south] of the wilderness43...” ~Robert Jamieson, 1871 AD, quoting Van De Velde
Modern Jewish commentator Rabbi Goldman agreed that Jeshimon is not a proper place name, and that it should be translated “waste/desolation” instead of transliterated “Jeshimon.” He also added that, “[T]he hill of Hachilah [is] perhaps to be identified with the ridge El-Kolah, about six miles east of Ziph and overlooking the barren country between the hills of Judah and the Dead Sea.”
The Ziphites pledge, furthermore, to assist Saul in capturing David there.
Saul’s response doesn’t seem to put much stock in the Ziphites’ report.
If you think about it, the Ziphites did frame their report to him as question: “Isn’t David hiding here?” Well, is he or is he not?
And they didn’t exactly have David under their control; they were just offering to help in the process of moving David into the King’s hands and get him out of their hair.
Moreover, as Saul says, David is “crafty/cunning/subtle” - the Hebrew word has a root meaning of “smooth.”
Whether this is Saul quoting David (as the Enlightenment-era Masoretic text says),
or whether this is someone else’s characterization of David (as the versions44 from the early-church-era say),
Saul considered David to be a “slick character” who was really tricky to deal with.
Saul, however, chose to ignore the more important reason for David’s survival, namely that God was protecting him and keeping Saul’s plots against David from being successful.
So Saul tells the Ziphites to go double-check and get more reconnaissance on David so that he doesn’t end up on a wild goose chase. Saul voices his doubts with with word “if,” (“if he is in the land”), and he voices the expectation that he is going to have to search the households of Judah one-by-one for David anyway, doubting that the Ziphites will actually be able to lead him to David’s exact location after all their looking around for him.
I think I’d be insulted if I were one of those Ziphites. And Saul’s threat to rampage through “the thousands of Judah” clan by clan until he found David probably left the Ziphites thinking, “Why did we go to the trouble to rat on David in the first place, if Saul is still going to come down and ransack all our villages anyway?!”
It’s around this time that David wrote Psalm 54: “A Contemplation of David When the Ziphites Went and Said to Saul, ‘Is David Not Hiding with Us?’ Save me, O God, by Your name, And vindicate me by Your strength. Hear my prayer, O God; Give ear to the words of my mouth. For strangers have risen up against me, And oppressors have sought after my life; They have not set God before them. Selah Behold, God is my helper; The Lord is with those who uphold my life. He will repay my enemies for their evil. Cut them off in Your truth. I will freely sacrifice to You; I will praise Your name, O LORD, for it is good. For He has delivered me out of all trouble; And my eye has seen its desire upon my enemies.” (NKJV)
“[B]y the time the Ziphites returned home, David had intelligence of their design, and therefore removed from the wilderness of Ziph to the wilderness of Maon; which, though in the same tribe... was now [a little] farther to the south of it, and in a plain, whereas before he was on a hill.” ~John Gill
Maon was four (Soncino) to five miles south of Ziph, with a hill surrounded by grazing fields (NICOT).
It isn’t long before Saul has mobilized an army and headed down to the Judean wilderness near Ziph to hunt David down.
The picture I get is that David is up on a hilltop and sees the troops coming his way, so he and his men climb down the rocks on the far side of the hill. Saul’s army, now knowing where they are, splits up and sends a division both ways around the base of the hill to intercept David. David is panicking on the other side, trying to figure out how to make a mad dash to another safe place when the only option is a long run across flat wilderness where there is nowhere to hide. It’s feeling like “game over.”
But then, at the last minute, there is an unexpected interruption. A messenger comes running into Saul’s ranks shouting that the Philistines have conducted a surprise attack against Saul’s land, urgently demanding that Saul hurry home to deal with the invasion.
The particular word used by the messenger to describe the Philistine military offensive has a root meaning of “stripping bare,” which could indicate a lot of raiding and plundering and destruction of property.
But beyond the root meaning, it appears to be a specialized military term that first shows up in the book of Judges, describing a “surprise attack,” involving a rapid movement of troops to take control of enemies. This element of surprise could explain why Saul didn’t see it coming and had embarked on chasing David through the southern desert rather than staying home to defend his nation.
Saul’s decision to break off the chase of David when he was so close to capturing him is surprising,
but Bible Commentators like John Gill suggest that it was in his self-interest because the Philistine attack may have been “into the tribe of Benjamin, where his patrimony, residence, and court were, and which were liable to fall into their hands; and therefore his presence was immediately required, and haste was necessary.”
Andrew Willet (and others) commented that it couldn’t have been mere patriotic duty that caused Saul to leave David and fight the Philistines because “before this, when David had rescued Keilah from the Philistims... Saul [did nothing to defend his country, but only] took occasion presently after that victorie to pursue David: whereas if he had preferred the public business, he should have followed after the common adversarie, and let David alone. Therefore this was rather the Lord’s work, that pulled away Saul against his own inclination…”
“The wisdom of God is never at a loss for ways and means to preserve his people. As this Saul was diverted, so another Saul was converted, just when he was breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the saints of the Lord (Acts 9:1).” ~M. Henry
I am also reminded of Psalm 10, where David cries out, “Why, Yahweh, will You stand in [the] distance [and] ignore [things] at times when there is a crisis? With arrogance a wicked man hotly-pursues a lowly man [Like Saul did David in the wilderness]. They will be caught in schemes that they thought up because [the] wicked man boasted over his selfish desires, and it was the greedy he blessed [like Saul blessed the Ziphites]; Yahweh he despised. A wicked man according to [the] stuck-up-ness of his nose will never be a seeker; all his schemes [assume] there is no God… It is a curse that fills His mouth – also deceit and oppression; under his tongue are trouble and iniquity. He sits in ambush... In the hiding-places he murders an innocent man… Arise, Yahweh! God, lift up Your hand; do not forget the lowly ones… You saw, for You Yourself will take a look at trouble and grief in order to take charge. To You the weakest will abandon himself; [to the] orphan You Yourself have been a helper. Break the arm of the wicked and evil man; search out his wickedness [until] you find none. Yahweh is king forever and ever. [The] nations perished from His earth. It is the desires of the lowly ones that You, Yahweh heeded. You will cause their heart to stand firm; You will cause Your ear to be attentive, in order to adjudicate for an orphan or [for] the one who is beaten down; never again to add to the trembling of mortal-man from the earth.” (NAW)
I imagine that locals throughout the centuries have taken great relish in bringing guests to that hill and re-telling that story of David’s narrow escape by God’s providence.
They named the place in Hebrew “Sela’ ham-mach-leqot.” Sela’ means “rock,” but opinions are divided over whether chaleq means “Escape” or “Smooth” or “Divisions.”
I think “Divisions” is the best translation, since it is supported by the traditional Greek and Latin versions and since it matches both the lexical meaning of chaleq and the events of the story where Saul divided his troops to catch David and then had to call it all off and divide his attention with fighting Philistines.
David had to move again, this time to En-Gedi, about 15 miles from Maon in the rocky mountains east of the wilderness, but God saw to it that David was sustained even in this incredibly stressful time.
God Himself is an encourager:
He said in Jeremiah 31:25 “...I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish.”
We can pray together with Nehemiah, “They are all trying to make us afraid... Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.” (Nehemiah 6:9, cf Job 4:3, Ezekiel 13:20-23)
And we know from the benedictions in 2 Thess. 2:17 and 1 Peter 5:10 that He will:
"He will comfort [our] hearts and establish them in every good work and word,"
and "He Himself will renew, He will confirm, strengthen, [and] establish" you.
Not only will God encourage His people, He also calls His people to encourage each other. How will you be an “encourager in the Lord” to someone else this week? Can use use one or more of the ways that Jonathan encouraged David?45
How could you strengthen someone’s hand in the Lord?
How much do you want to bet that some of the phrases in Psalm 54 were planted in David’s mind by his friend Jonathan? “God’s name is our salvation, David. He hears your prayers, David. He is a vindicator of the oppressed against their oppressors; God will repay your enemies for their evil, David. God’s name is good, David. Keep trusting Him, keep calling out to Him, keep waiting for Him, He will come through for you!” David gets the credit for writing those words, but you never know how much God can use a few encouraging words from you in someone else’s life.
Can you remind someone not to fear but rather to rely on God’s word?
I can’t tell you how many times I have comforted crying, fear-wracked children in the middle of the night with the words of Psalm 56:3, “When I am afraid I will trust in You, in God whose word I praise.” God’s word is a powerful weapon against fear, and it is amplified in power when it is a friend encouraging you with it!
What promises from God can you remind your friends of, in order to lift their mind toward the future rather than getting stuck in the problems of the present? The spirituals of the African American church tradition are a treasure trove for this:
Soon I Will Be Done With The Troubles Of The World, Going Home to Live With God! I Want to see my Jesus… Home to Live With God!
Everything’s Gonna Be All Right When Jesus Comes, No More Trouble In the Land!
I Wanna Be Ready, Lord, Ready to put on my long, white robe!
Brothers, Gather ‘Round, listen to my story ‘bout the Promised Land and the promised Glory!
Oh when will I see Jesus and reign with Him above and hear the trumpet sound in that morning? Oh shout glory, I shall rise above the skies when I hear the trumpet sound in that morning.
Heaven is a Wonderful Place, Filled with Glory and Grace, I Wanna see my Savior’s Face, Heaven is a Wonderful Place
I’m Gonna Sit at the Welcome-Table Some O’ Dese Days!
I’ve Got a Crown Up In-a The Kingdom, Ain-a That Good News!
Some day, a bright new wave will break across the shore, and there will be no pain and no more sighing and no more war, and little children never will go hungry anymore, for there will be a bright new morning over there. There’ll Be A Bright New World for us to share!
I could sing on and on, and maybe the words sound trite to you, but you think of your own ways of looking forward together to the fulfillment of God’s promises in the future!
Finally, how can you use covenantal promises like Jonathan did, to encourage others in the Lord?
The covenant of marriage is one of the ways we formalize an exclusive relationship between a man and a woman. Until they get married, they can change their minds and break up, but after saying vows, Jesus says, “Let no one separate.”
We also use covenantal promises in church membership so that we know who we are accountable to and who we are responsible to, and what exactly we expect from fellow church members.
Due to how fast people change jobs and move these days, most folks are not deeply rooted; people who are your acquaintances now will probably move on and no longer be in your circle of friends in a few years. Are there ways that you counteract that trend by taking friendship commitments to the next level of certainty and permanency?
It would be one thing for me to say, “Hey, if you ever need to borrow a tool, just come over to my house and help yourself.” But it would be taking it to the next level for me to go to a courthouse and have a title deed published that all the tools in my garage belong jointly to you and to me. You see the difference a covenant makes?
By the same token, we need to think through what we are actually willing and able to commit and not make covenants we can’t or shouldn’t keep.
May God give you opportunities, and give you faithfulness to follow through in encouraging others in the Lord!
Luke 22:32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren."
Acts 14:22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God."
Acts 15:32 Now Judas and Silas, themselves being prophets also, exhorted and strengthened the brethren with many words.
Acts 15:41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
Acts 18:23 After he had spent some time there, he departed and went over the region of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples.
Hebrews 12:12 Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees
Also see the example of Barnabas in Acts 11
LXX |
Brenton |
DRB |
KJV |
NAW |
MT |
15
καὶ
εἶδεν
Δαυιδ
ὅτι ἐξέρχεται
Σαουλ τοῦ
ζητεῖν τὸν
X
|
15
And
David perceived
that
Saul went forth to seek X |
15
And
David saw
that
Saul was come out to seek his life. And David was in the desert of
Ziph, in |
15
And
David sawNJ
that
Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was
in
the wilderness of Ziph in |
15 Now, David realized that Saul had come out to take his life away, and David was in the wilderness of Ziph, in the forest. |
15 וַיַּרְא דָוִד כִּי-יָצָא שָׁאוּל לְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת-נַפְשׁוֹ וְדָוִד בְּמִדְבַּר-זִיף בַּחֹרְשָׁה: ס |
16
καὶ
ἀνέστη Ιωναθαν
υἱὸς Σαουλ
καὶ ἐπορεύθη
πρὸς Δαυιδ εἰς
|
16
And
Jonathan son of Saul rose, and went to David to |
16 And Jonathan, the son of Saul, arose, and went to David, into the wood, and strengthened his hand[s] in God: |
16 And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthenedNM his hand in God. |
16 Then Jonathan son of Saul got up and went to David at the forest and boosted up his hand in {Yahweh}, |
16 וַיָּקָם יְהוֹנָתָן בֶּן-שָׁאוּל וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל-דָּוִד חֹרְשָׁה וַיְחַזֵּק אֶת-יָדוֹ בֵּאלֹהִיםNN: |
17 καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτόν Μὴ φοβοῦ, ὅτι οὐ μὴ εὕρῃ σε ἡ χεὶρ Σαουλ τοῦ πατρός μου, καὶ σὺ βασιλεύσεις ἐπὶ Ισραηλ, καὶ ἐγὼ ἔσομαί σοι εἰς δεύτερον· καὶ Σαουλ ὁ πατήρ μου οἶδεν οὕτως. |
17 And he said to him, Fear not, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be second to thee; and Saul my father knows it. |
and he said to him: 17 Fear not: for the hand of my father, Saul, shall not find thee, and thou shalt reign over Israel, and I shall be next to thee; yea and X my father knoweth this. |
17 And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be nextNO unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth. |
17 and he said to him, “Don’t be afraid, for the hand of Saul my father is not going to find you. Furthermore, it is you who will be king over Israel. And as for me, I will belong to you as a second-in-command, and even my father Saul knows it will be thus.” |
17 וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אַל-תִּירָא כִּי לֹא תִמְצָאֲךָ יַד שָׁאוּל אָבִי וְאַתָּה תִּמְלֹךְ עַל-יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָנֹכִי אֶהְיֶה-לְּךָ לְמִשְׁנֶהNP וְגַם-שָׁאוּל אָבִי יֹדֵעַ כֵּן: |
18
καὶ
διέθεντο ἀμφότεροι
διαθήκην ἐνώπιον
κυρίου. καὶ
ἐκάθητο Δαυιδ
ἐν |
18
So
they both made a covenant before the Lord; and David dwelt in
|
18
And
they two made a covenant before the Lord: and David abode in the
wood: but Jonathan |
18 And they two made a covenant before the LORD: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house. |
18 Then the two of them cut a covenant before the face of Yahweh. Presently, Jonathan went to his house while David settled down in the forest. |
18 וַיִּכְרְתוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם בְּרִית לִפְנֵי יְהוָה וַיֵּשֶׁב דָּוִד בַּחֹרְשָׁה וִיהוֹנָתָן הָלַךְ לְבֵיתוֹ: ס |
19
Καὶ
ἀνέβησαν [οἱNQ]
Ζιφαῖοι
[ἐκ
τῆς αὐχμώδους]
πρὸς
Σαουλ ἐπὶ τὸν
βουνὸνNR
λέγοντες Οὐκ
ἰδοὺ Δαυιδ
κέκρυπται παρ᾿
ἡμῖν [ἐν
Μεσσαρα]
ἐν
τοῖς στενοῖςNS
ἐν τῇ |
19
And
the Ziphites came up [out of the dry country]
to
Saul to the hill,
saying, Behold, is not David hidden with us [in MessaraNU,]
in
the |
19 And the Ziphites went up to Saul, in Gabaa, saying: Lo, doth not David lie hid with us in the strong holds of the wood, in mount Hachila, which is on the right hand of the desert. |
19 Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of JeshimonNV? |
19 Now, the Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah to say, “Isn’t David hiding among us in the strongholds in the forest, on the hill of Chakilah which is south of the wasteland? |
19 וַיַּעֲלוּ זִפִים אֶל-שָׁאוּל הַגִּבְעָתָה לֵאמֹר הֲלוֹאNW דָוִד מִסְתַּתֵּר עִמָּנוּ בַמְּצָדוֹת בַּחֹרְשָׁה בְּגִבְעַת הַחֲכִילָה אֲשֶׁר מִימִין הַיְשִׁימוֹן: |
20
καὶ
νῦν πᾶν τὸ πρὸς
ψυχὴν XNX
τοῦ βασιλέως
εἰς κατάβασιν
καταβαινέτω
X
πρὸς
ἡμᾶς· κεκλείκασιν
αὐτὸν
εἰς τὰς χεῖρ |
20 And now according to all the king's X desire to come down, let him come down X to us; they have shut him up into the hand[s] of the king. |
20 Now therefore come down, as X thy soul hath desired X to come down: and it shall be our business to deliver him into the king's hand[s]. |
20 Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliverNY him into the king's hand. |
20 So now, for all your heart’s desire, let the king come right on down {} to us. Let us shut the guy out into the control of the king!” |
20 וְעַתָּה לְכָל- אַוַּת נַפְשְׁךָ הַמֶּלֶךְ לָרֶדֶת רֵד וְלָנוּNZ הַסְגִּירוֹ בְּיַד הַמֶּלֶךְ: |
21 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Σαουλ Εὐλογημένοι ὑμεῖς τῷ κυρίῳ, ὅτι ἐπονέσατεOA περὶ ἐμοῦ· |
21 And Saul said to them, Blessed be ye of the Lord, for ye have been grieved on my [account]. |
21 And Saul said: Blessed be ye of the Lord, for you have pitied X my [case]. |
21 And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have compassionOB on me. |
21 Then Saul said, “May y’all be blessed by Yahweh, for y’all have spared me the trouble! |
21 וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל בְּרוּכִים אַתֶּם לַיהוָה כִּי חֲמַלְתֶּם עָלָי: |
22
πορεύθητε
δὴ [καὶ]
ἑτοιμάσατε
ἔτι
καὶ
γνῶτε
X
X τὸν τόπον αὐτοῦ,
οὗ ἔσται ὁ ποὺς
αὐτοῦ, |
22
Go,
I pray you, [and]
make
preparations yet,
and notice
X
X his
place where his foot shall be, |
22
Go,
[therefore,] I pray you, [and]
use
all diligence,
and curiously
inquire,
and |
22
Go,
I pray you, prepareOE
yet,
and knowOF
and
see his place where his hauntOG
is, and
who
hath seen him there: for it |
22 Please go {and} confirm again, and get reconnaissance and watch his place where his foot passes. {Be furtive} there, for as {y’all} said to me, he is {} slick! |
22 לְכוּ-נָא הָכִינוּOI עוֹד וּדְעוּ וּרְאוּ אֶת-מְקוֹמוֹ אֲשֶׁר תִּהְיֶה רַגְלוֹ מִי רָאָהוּOJ שָׁם כִּי אָמַרOK אֵלַי עָרוֹם יַעְרִםOL הוּא: |
23 καὶ ἴδετε καὶ γνῶτε, X X X X X X X X X X X X X καὶ πορευσόμεθα μεθ᾿ ὑμῶν, καὶ ἔσται εἰ ἔστιν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, καὶ ἐξερευνήσω αὐτὸν ἐν πάσαις χιλιάσιν Ιουδα. |
23 Take notice, then, and learn, X X X X X X X X X X X X X and I will go with you; and it shall come to pass that if he is in the land, I will search him out among all the thousands of Juda. |
23
X
Consider, and seeOM
all his lurking
holes,
wherein he is
hid,
and return to me with the
certainty [of the thing],
that I may go with you. And if he should even |
23 See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurkingON places where he hideth himself X, and come ye again to me with the certaintyOO, and I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout all the thousandsOP of Judah. |
23 So, watch and get reconnaissance of his hideouts where He hides himself there, then y’all return to me with confirmation. Then I will go with y’all, and then, if he is in the land, I will indeed systematically search him out among all the thousands of Judah!” |
23 וּרְאוּ וּדְעוּ מִכֹּלOQ הַמַּחֲבֹאִים אֲשֶׁר יִתְחַבֵּא שָׁם וְשַׁבְתֶּם אֵלַי אֶל-נָכוֹן וְהָלַכְתִּי אִתְּכֶם וְהָיָה אִם-יֶשְׁנוֹ בָאָרֶץ וְחִפַּשְׂתִּי אֹתוֹ בְּכֹל אַלְפֵיOR יְהוּדָה: |
24
καὶ
ἀνέστησαν |
24
And
|
24 And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: and David and his men were in the desert of Maon, in the plain at the right hand of Jesimon. |
24 And they arose, and went to Ziph beforeOU Saul: but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the plainOV on the southOW of Jeshimon. |
24 So they got up and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now, David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon in the Arabah to the south of the wasteland. |
24 וַיָּקוּמוּ וַיֵּלְכוּ זִיפָה לִפְנֵי שָׁאוּל וְדָוִד וַאֲנָשָׁיו בְּמִדְבַּר מָעוֹן בָּעֲרָבָה אֶל יְמִין הַיְשִׁימוֹן: |
25
καὶ
ἐπορεύθη Σαουλ
καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες
αὐτοῦ ζητεῖν
[αὐτόνOX]·
καὶ ἀπήγγειλαν
τῷ Δαυιδ, καὶ
κατέβη [εἰς]
τὴν
πέτραν |
25
And
Saul and his men went to seek [him]: and they brought word to
David, and he went down [to]
the
rock |
25
Then
Saul and his men went to seek [himOY]:
and |
25
Saul
also and his men went to seek him.
And
they told David: wherefore he came down [into]
|
25 Then Saul and his men went to seek {for him}, but men communicated it to David, so he went down the rock and resided in the wilderness of Maon. When Saul heard, he then hunted after David {in} the wilderness of Maon. |
25 וַיֵּלֶךְ שָׁאוּל וַאֲנָשָׁיו לְבַקֵּשׁ וַיַּגִּדוּ לְדָוִד וַיֵּרֶד הַסֶּלַע וַיֵּשֶׁב בְּמִדְבַּר מָעוֹן וַיִּשְׁמַע שָׁאוּל וַיִּרְדֹּף אַחֲרֵי-דָוִד מִדְבַּרOZ מָעוֹן: |
26 καὶ πορεύονται Σαουλ [καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες αὐτοῦ] ἐκ μέρους τοῦ ὄρους τούτου, καὶ ἦν Δαυιδ καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες αὐτοῦ ἐκ μέρους τοῦ ὄρους τούτου· καὶ ἦν Δαυιδ σκεπαζόμενοςPA πορεύεσθαι ἀπὸ προσώπου Σαουλ, καὶ Σαουλ καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες αὐτοῦ παρενέβαλονPB ἐπὶ Δαυιδ καὶ τοὺς ἄνδρας αὐτοῦ συλλαβεῖν αὐτούς. |
26 And Saul [and his men] go on one side of the mountain, and David and his men are on the other side of the mountain: and David was hiding himself to escape from Saul: and Saul and his men encamped against David and his men, in order to take them. |
26 And Saul went on this side of the mountain: and David and his men were on the other side of the mountain: and David despaired of being able to escape from the face of Saul: and Saul and his men encompassed David and his men round about, to take them. |
26
And
Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on
that side of the mountain: and David made
haste to
get away |
26 Now, Saul went along the mountain on this side, while David and his men were on that side of the mountain, and David made a mad dash to get away from Saul’s front while Saul and his men were circling towards David - and towards his men - to take them into custody. |
26 וַיֵּלֶךְ שָׁאוּל מִצַּד הָהָר מִזֶּה וְדָוִד וַאֲנָשָׁיו מִצַּד הָהָר מִזֶּה וַיְהִי דָוִד נֶחְפָּז לָלֶכֶת מִפְּנֵי שָׁאוּל וְשָׁאוּל וַאֲנָשָׁיו עֹטְרִים אֶל-דָּוִד וְאֶל-אֲנָשָׁיו לְתָפְשָׂם: |
27 καὶ ἄγγελος πρὸς Σαουλ ἦλθεν λέγων Σπεῦδε καὶ δεῦρο, ὅτι ἐπέθεντο οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν. |
27 And there came a messenger to Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come hither, for the Philistines have invaded X the land. |
27 And a messenger came to Saul, saying: Make haste to come, for the Philistines have poured in themselves upon the land. |
27 But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invadedPF X the land. |
27 Just then, a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come! For Philistines have made a surprise attack against our country!” |
27 וּמַלְאָךְ בָּא אֶל-שָׁאוּל לֵאמֹר מַהֲרָה וְלֵכָה כִּי- פָשְׁטוּPG פְלִשְׁתִּים עַל-הָאָרֶץ: |
28
καὶ
ἀνέστρεψεν
Σαουλ μὴ καταδιώκειν
ὀπίσω Δαυιδ
καὶ ἐπορεύθη
εἰς συνάντησιν
τῶν ἀλλοφύλων·
διὰ τοῦτο ἐπεκλή |
28
So
Saul returned from following after David, and went to meet the
Philistines: therefore that place |
28
Wherefore
Saul returned, |
28 Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against XPJ the Philistines: therefore they called that place Sela hammahlekothPK. |
28 Then Saul turned back from hunting after David, and he went to engage the Philistines. Therefore they call that place The Rock of the Divisions. |
28 וַיָּשָׁב שָׁאוּל מִרְדֹף אַחֲרֵי דָוִד וַיֵּלֶךְ לִקְרַאת פְּלִשְׁתִּים עַל-כֵּן קָרְאוּ לַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא סֶלַע הַמַּחְלְקוֹתPL: |
The Greek and Hebrew and Latin texts place the next verse at the beginning of chapter 24, so it will not be dealt with here, although many English versions append it to chapter 23 here. |
29 PMThen David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds of Engaddi. |
29 And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at Engedi. |
So we start out with David’s move to the caves of Ein-Geddi, on the west side of the Dead Sea.
“The soil of the neighbourhood consists entirely of limestone; but the rocks contain a considerable admixture of chalk and flint. Round about there rise bare conical mountains, and even ridges from two to four hundred feet in height, which mostly run down to the sea.” ~Keil & Delitzsch
It was not easy to hide 600 men, so Saul was able to find out where David was. He took enough soldiers to outnumber David's vagrants five-to-one, and Saul just happened to cast off his cloak and drop his pants in the front of the cave in which David was hiding!
But, had it actually been prophesied to David that his enemy would be delivered into his hand and that he could do as he saw fit?
The ancient Greek and Latin versions of the Bible interpreted it the same way the Masoretic Hebrew and most English versions do, as a prophecy spoken by God in the past. However, there is no such promise recorded in scripture (although a prophecy off-the-record could be a possibility).
Most of the commentators I read proposed instead that this was a spiritually manipulative (and untrue) statement from one of David’s followers, “Hey David, Yahweh is saying that now is the time to take revenge on your enemy!”
The American Jewish Version reads, “...this is the day IN which the LORD hath said…,” of which Rabbi Goldman commented, “The occasion itself is interpreted by David’s men as an indication of God’s purpose to deliver Saul into his hand.”
But “just because you can doesn’t mean you should.” We always have to consider our opportunities in light of what God says in the Bible and act only when we see circumstances that line up with God’s word.
God had promised in chapter 23 v.4 that he would “give the Philistines into [David’s] hand46,” but David’s subsequent statements make it clear that God had never given him permission to kill Saul (K&D).
I’ve been taking my family through Ken Sande’s “Relational Wisdom” seminars, and I was intrigued with a concept he called “amygdala hijacking.” It’s a psychological term based on the physical fact that the distance between the emotional part of the brain (called the amygdala) to the motor center of your brain (that triggers actions) is a shorter distance than the path between the motor center and the frontal lobe of your brain (that processes rational thought). The theory is that a strong emotion can trigger action from your brain faster than a logical decision can, and when that happens, it’s called “amygdala hijacking,” because often, by the time your rational brain center has processed things, you realize that there was a better course of action you could have pursued, but your emotion hurried you into doing something regrettable.
This is one reason why it is strategic to slow down in the heat of the moment and ask yourself questions like, “Why should I not take revenge?” that give your full brain the time it needs to process the best course of action. Simply taking the time to name the emotion you’re feeling and why you’re feeling can be enough to engage the wisdom center of your brain.
When Saul camped in the front his cave, David, if he were a lesser man, would have seen fit to kill Saul because Saul was out to kill him. In those few moments when he realized that the man who was hunting him down was in a vulnerable position nearby, and with his men egging him on to attack Saul, it would have been easy for David to make the snap decision to charge Saul and kill him. That might have cost him his life because it would mean a battle between his 600 men inside the cave and Saul’s 3,000 special forces outside the cave.
But David took enough time to consider whether or not to take revenge, and he took the time to articulate the reasons to his men, to calm them down too and keep them from doing something wrong. Here are some of the reasons against revenge which David brought out:
1) He must respect and submit to the Lord's appointed authority:
Romans 13:1-7 reminds us that we still have authorities that we must respect and submit to: “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience' sake... Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.” (NKJV)
David fought the temptation to give in to revenge by re-framing who Saul was in terms of God instead of in terms of himself. As Matthew Henry put it, “He considered Saul now, not as his enemy, and the only person that stood in the way of his preferment (for then he would be induced to hearken to the temptation), but as God's anointed (that is, the person whom God had appointed to reign as long as he lived, and who, as such, was under the particular protection of the divine law), and as his master, to whom he was obliged to be faithful.” Once David thought of Saul as his father-in-law, his lord, and the one God anointed to be king, it was easier for him to shed bitterness and show respect.
When you are tempted to react to another person in terms of yourself in a sinful way, whether it be in anger or lust or disgust, stop and consider who that other person is in relation to God and see how that transforms your response to that person.
2) A second reason David considered it wrong to assassinate Saul was that He was not to take personal revenge, because that is God's job (v.12),
So David says in v.13, “Let Yahweh judge between me and you”
Can you do that? When someone on the road endangers your life with their reckless driving? I’m going to leave that one for God. “Lord, will you judge between me and him/her and take the appropriate action?”
Unless you’re a police officer who is supposed to carry out sentences on convicted criminals, it’s not your job to punish anybody.
What does God tell us in Romans 12:14-21? “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse... Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY," says the Lord. Therefore "IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM; IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP COALS OF FIRE ON HIS HEAD." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (NKJV, quoting Proverbs 25:21-22)
3) A third reason David knew it would be wrong to assassinate Saul was that if David killed the king, all Israel would think that he really DID have a conspiracy going and was not gaining the throne appropriately. Then they might think it fitting to turn around and assassinate David next!
“Saul had committed many outrages, yet David was not to see him corrected, but to leave him to the Lord’s judgement... [V]iolence is not always to be put off with violence, [except] when there is no other way to escape… [and] David... was not driven unto any such straight.” ~Andrew Willett
“As the one who feared the Lord, David did not choose the way of self-realization by getting rid of his enemy by himself. In other words, David did not allow himself to disobey God’s commandment by interpreting this occasion as God-given opportunity to commit murder. Also, David controlled the situation properly as leader and managed his men so they did not rise against his lord Saul… Thus, David avoided appealing to a human method and entrusted the matter to God’s best judgment, for he feared God… ‘In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence’ (Prov. 14:26a).” ~David Tsumura
1) Put faith in God’s justice.
Verses 12 and 15 are key. David, by faith, says that there is a higher court than the court of the king. There is a God in heaven who will bring every act to judgment, and so he appeals his case beyond the “Supreme Court” of his land to Yahweh Himself when the judicial system of his nation has become so corrupt that they were trying to exercise the death sentence against him even though he had done no sin.
We must believe that God will judge every authority:
Isaiah 3:10-15 “Yahweh will enter into judgment with the elders of His people and its princes....” (NAW)
Revelation 3:9 “Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan... come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.” (NKJV)
When your authorities are totally unfair and they try to punish you unjustly, there is a court to which you can appeal which trumps all earthly authority. You can appeal to God, like David did: “May God judge between you and me and may He avenge me of you!” If your authority is pursuing wickedness, like Saul was toward David, you can ask God to intervene and punish the evildoer.
The end of v.15 pictures God, the superior judge over all kings, yanking this case out of the hands of corrupt King Saul and rendering his own just judgment: “He will bring justice for me out of your hand,” says David.
David is adamant that he will not take justice into his own hands and kill the king whom God and the nation had installed for that role of civil government. David can be secure in that decision because he knows there is a higher authority than King Saul; there is a God who installs and deposes kings – a God who can be trusted to do what is right.
In v.15 He pictures God not only as judge, but also as defense attorney who will “see” and research and “argue” David’s “case” in court in order to prove David right.
Was that just for David? No, the Apostle John wrote in his first epistle, “My children... if someone sins, we have an advocate before the Father: righteous Jesus Christ. And He Himself is the appeasement concerning our sins…” (1 John 2:1, NAW)
2) A second thing that David models for us instead of revenge is to Make an Appeal:
“By David's example we see, that it is lawfull for a Christian to purge himself of such crimes, as are laid falsely to his charge: as our blessed Saviour did before Pilate, and Paul before Festus and Agrippa.” ~Andrew Willett
David’s life of integrity was such that he could appeal to a popular aphorism in v.14, “Out of the wicked comes wickedness,” and say, “Hey, look at my life. You expect wicked people to do wicked things, but I haven’t been a wicked person, nobody would reasonably expect me to do wicked things.”
David displays the flap of Saul’s outer garment that he had cut off and says, in effect, “If that been true of which I am accused, I should now have had thy head in my hand and not the skirt of thy robe, for I could as easily have cut off that as this.” (M. Henry)
In v.11, David uses a specific word used only one time in scripture before his time, and that is in the judicial statutes of Exodus 12:13 regarding premeditated vs. accidental manslaughter (“He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death. However, if he did not lie in wait, but God delivered him into his hand, then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee [the city of refuge]. But if a man acts with premeditation against his neighbor, to kill him by treachery, you shall take him from My altar, that he may die.” Ex. 12:13-15, NKJV) David argues that he is innocent, but that Saul is in the process of becoming guilty of first-degree murder by hunting him down to kill him, and God’s judicial punishment for that was death. If Saul had any logic left in him, that should rock him back on his heels.
David’s repeated use of the word “following/after” in v.14 gently reminds Saul to consider his calling as King of Israel.
Kings don’t follow their citizens around, like Saul is doing with David; Kings are supposed to lead their citizens, and then the citizens will follow him!
Furthermore, Kings don’t spend their time sweeping dead animals off the road or swatting flies. People who need jobs are hired to do those kinds of things, while Kings focus their attention on big, important business – negotiations with kings of other nations, long-term preparation for the future, defense of the country, and deep philosophical issues.
So, David trusted God, and he respected his authority (notice how respectful his language and demeanor are in v.8 – bowing to the ground, calling Saul “my Lord the king,” and “my father” and demeaning himself as nothing but a dead dog or a flea), and what happened?
Saul was shocked! Instead of slaughtering David and his men, Saul BLESSED David and apologized for his evil toward David, acknowledging that David would be the next king!
By his righteous actions, David had proved to the king that he was not conspiring to take over the kingdom. David did right this time, and God rewarded him richly!
David’s repeated use of words about seeing (“eyes,” “see,” “Behold,” “look,” “perceive,” “recognize”) seem to result in a breakthrough of Saul getting a correct perception of David and of what God was doing – at least temporarily. (David didn’t expect that to last long because he went back to his stronghold and stayed there47, but it was a wonderful moment of truth and shalom.)
Saul then asks a favor: He asks that David not take revenge on his household.
Traditionally, a new king would slaughter all the descendants of the former king so that there would be no contestors to the throne and so that the evils of the former king would be avenged.
David, being the second king of Israel, had a choice: would he follow the way of the rest of the world, or would he chart a new course in accordance with the character of the God he served? This was a choice David had already made, actually, for he had already sworn this to Saul’s son Jonathan.
Remembering God's power, he could promise Saul not to slaughter his household48 because:
1) Vengeance belongs to the Lord,
2) He, as an agent of God’s justice, could not kill innocent people,
3) It would not fit the way God did things. God APPOINTED Saul for leadership and God ANOINTED David to follow; therefore God himself was behind both men and was orchestrating the turnover, and
4) If God had raised Saul up, it would disrespect God to kill Saul's family, and if God was raising David up, David had faith in God that He was more powerful than any human, therefore, he had no reason to fear retaliation from Saul's family if descendants were left. With God, there is PEACE!
Let me close by reading two passages, one from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament, which bring together the lessons of this story. Please listen and let the Holy Spirit convict and convince you:
Psalm 35: Yahweh, contend against those who are contending against me; fight those who are fighting me! Get a firm grip on a small shield and a large shield, and get on with my help! Unsheathe a spear and confine in order to confront those who are hunting me down. Say to my soul, "I am your salvation!" Those who seek [to end] my life will experience shame and will be embarrassed; those who think up evil [against] me will be turned back and they will blush. They will be like chaff before the wind while the angel of Yahweh shoves [them] down. Their way will be dark and slippery while the angel of Yahweh hunts them down, for gratuitously they hid their pit-net for me; gratuitously they scoured it out to [take] my life! Ruin will come to him without him knowing, and his net which he hid will capture him; he will fall into ruin with it. So my soul will rejoice in Yahweh; it will revel in His salvation. All my bones will say, "Yahweh, who is like you, delivering the lowly one from the one who is stronger than him, even the lowly and needy one from the one who robbed him?!" Violent witnesses get up; they cross-examine me concerning stuff I don't know about. They repay me evil for good; my soul experiences bereavement. And as for me, my clothing was sackcloth when they were sick; I afflicted my soul with a fast and my prayer churned upon my inner being. I conducted myself as though he were a friend – as though he were a brother to me; I bowed gloomily according to the customary-mourning for one's mother. But they were happy with my limping so they gathered together; injuries were gathered against me while I did not know; they tore in and they did not cease. With profanities of mockings of cake they gnashed their teeth over me. Master, how long will You be an observer? Bring back my soul from their ravages – my one-and-only from the juvenile lions! I will respond to You in the great congregation; with a staunch people I will praise You! My treacherous enemies will not be happy concerning me. Those who gratuitously hate me wink an eye, because it is not peace that they speak, rather it is words of deception that they think up against those who are settling the land. And they opened their mouth wide over me; they said, "Aha! Aha! Our eyes saw!" Yahweh, You saw it; don't be silent! My Master, don't be far from me! Please mobilize justice for me, my God and my Master, and put Yourself on the alert for arguing my [case]! Execute justice for me, Yahweh, my God, according to Your righteousness, so that they will not be happy concerning me! Don't let them say in their heart, "Aha! Our dream-come-true!" Don't let them say, "We have swallowed him up!" Those who are happy about evil happening to me will experience shame and blush together. Those trying to be great against me will wear shame and embarrassment. Those who are inclined toward righteousness happening to me will sing out and be happy, and those who are inclined toward the peace of His servant will always say, "Yahweh is great." So my tongue will meditate on Your righteousness – all day long on Your praise. (NAW)
1 Peter 3:8-18 “So, the goal [is for] y'all [to be] like-minded, sympathetic, brotherly-loving, compassionate, humble-minded, not paying back bad for bad or insult for insult, but instead speaking blessing, because y'all were called into this in order that y'all might inherit blessing. For, "The one who wants to love life and to see good days, let him stop his tongue from bad and his lips such that they don't utter deceptiveness. Let him lean away from bad and start doing good. Let him seek peace and start chasing it down. Because the Lord's eyes are on the righteous, and His ears are toward their request, but the Lord's face is against doers of bad. And who is the one who will do y'all wrong if y'all become imitators of what is good? However, if y'all suffer on account of righteousness, you are blessed. But don't y'all begin to fear their fear, nor shall y'all be agitated, rather, y'all must begin to sanctify in your hearts Christ as Lord, ready always for a defense toward every one who asks of you a word concerning the hope in you, but with meekness and respect, maintaining a good conscience, so that in what you are talked down about, the abusers of your good conduct in Christ might be put down. For it is better to suffer - if the will of God so wills - while doing good, than while doing evil, because Christ also suffered concerning sin, [only] once - the righteous on behalf of the unrighteous, in order that He might lead us to God, after having been put to death in the flesh, but having been made alive in the Spirit.” (NAW)
LXX |
Brenton |
DRB |
KJV |
NAW |
MT |
1 Καὶ ἀνέβη Δαυιδ ἐκεῖθεν καὶ ἐκάθισεν ἐν τοῖς στενοῖςPO Εγγαδδι. |
1
And
David |
1 Then David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds of Engaddi. |
23:29 And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at Engedi. |
23:29 Then David went up from there and settled in the strongholds of Ein-Gedi. |
1 וַיַּעַל דָּוִד מִשָּׁם וַיֵּשֶׁב בִּמְצָדוֹת עֵין-גֶּדִי: |
2
καὶ
ἐγενήθη ὡς
ἀνέστρεψεν
Σαουλ ἀπὸ
ὄπισθεν τῶν
ἀλλοφύλων,
καὶ ἀπηγγέλ |
2
And
it came to pass when Saul returned from pursuing after the
Philistines, that |
2 And when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, they told him, saying: Behold, David is in the desert of Engaddi. |
1
And
it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the
Philistines, that |
1 Meanwhile, as Saul was returning from [going] after the Philistines, men communicated with him saying, “Look, David is in the wilderness of Ein-Gedi!” |
2 וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר שָׁב שָׁאוּל מֵאַחֲרֵי פְּלִשְׁתִּים וַיַּגִּדוּ לוֹ לֵאמֹר הִנֵּה דָוִד בְּמִדְבַּר עֵין גֶּדִי: ס |
3
καὶ
ἔλαβεν X μεθ᾿
ἑαυτοῦ τρεῖς
χιλιάδας ἀνδρῶν
ἐκλεκτοὺς
ἐκ παντὸς Ισραηλ
καὶ ἐπορεύθη
ζητεῖν τὸν Δαυιδ
καὶ τοὺς ἄνδρας
αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ
πρόσωπον
|
3
And
|
3 Saul, therefore, took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went [out] to seek after David and his men, even upon the [most] craggy rocks, [which are accessible only] to wild goats. |
2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon XPQ the rocks of the wild goats. |
2 So Saul took three thousand men chosen out of all the men of Israel, and he went to seek out David and his men on the surface of the landmark-rocks of the mountain-goats. |
3 וַיִּקַּח שָׁאוּל שְׁלֹשֶׁת אֲלָפִים אִישׁ בָּחוּר מִכָּל-יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֵּלֶךְ לְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת-דָּוִד וַאֲנָשָׁיו עַל-פְּנֵי צוּרֵי הַיְּעֵלִיםPR: |
4
καὶ
ἦλθεν εἰς τὰς
|
4
And
he came to the |
4 And he came to the sheepcotes which were in his way. And there was a cave, into which Saul went, to ease nature: now David and his men lay [hid] in the inner part of the cave. |
3 And he came to the sheepcotesPT by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feetPU: and David and his men remainedPV in the sidesPW of the cave. |
3 Presently he came to the enclosures for sheep on the way, and there was a cave, so Saul went in to use it as a restroom, Meanwhile, David and his men were settled in the far reaches of the cave. |
4 וַיָּבֹאPX אֶל- גִּדְרוֹת הַצֹּאן עַל- הַדֶּרֶךְ וְשָׁם מְעָרָה וַיָּבֹא שָׁאוּל לְהָסֵךְ אֶת-רַגְלָיוPY וְדָוִד וַאֲנָשָׁיו בְּיַרְכְּתֵי הַמְּעָרָה יֹשְׁבִיםPZ: |
5
καὶ
εἶπον οἱ ἄνδρες
Δαυιδ πρὸς
αὐτόν Ἰδοὺ ἡ
ἡμέρα αὕτη, ἣν
εἶπεν κύριος
πρὸς σὲ X
παραδοῦναι
τὸν ἐχθρόν
σου
εἰς τ |
5 And the men of David said to him, Behold, this is the day of which the Lord spoke to thee, X [that he would] deliver thine enemy into thy hand[s]QB; and thou shalt do to him as it is good in thy sight. So David arose and cut off the skirt of Saul's garment secretly. |
5
And
the |
4 And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the LORD said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto XQC thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirtQDof Saul's robe privilyQE. |
4 Then David’s men said to him, “Look! Today is when Yahweh has said to you, ‘Look I am giving your enem{y} into your control, and you shall do to him according to what is good in your eyes!’” And David got up quietly and cut off a flap of the tunic which belonged to Saul. |
5 וַיֹּאמְרוּ אַנְשֵׁי דָוִד אֵלָיו הִנֵּה הַיּוֹם אֲשֶׁר-אָמַר יְהוָה אֵלֶיךָ הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי נֹתֵן אֶת- אֹיְבֵיךָQF בְּיָדֶךָ וְעָשִׂיתָ לּוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר יִטַב בְּעֵינֶיךָ וַיָּקָם דָּוִד וַיִּכְרֹת אֶת-כְּנַף- הַמְּעִילQG אֲשֶׁר- לְשָׁאוּל בַּלָּטQH: |
6
καὶ
ἐγενήθη μετὰ
ταῦτα καὶ ἐπάταξενQI
καρδία Δαυιδ
αὐτόν, ὅτι ἀφεῖλεν
τὸ πτερύγιον
[τῆς
διπλοίδος]
|
6
And
it came to pass after this that David's heart smote him, because
he had cut off the skirt
of
|
6 X After which X David's heart struck him, because he had cut off the hem X of Saul's [robe]. |
5 And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off X Saul's skirtQJ. |
5 It was only after this that David’s heart struck him over when he had cut off the flap {of the tunic} which belonged to Saul. |
6 וַיְהִי אַחֲרֵי-כֵן וַיַּךְ לֵב-דָּוִד אֹתוֹ עַל אֲשֶׁר כָּרַת אֶת-כָּנָףQK אֲשֶׁר לְשָׁאוּל: ס |
7 καὶ εἶπεν [Δαυιδ] πρὸς τοὺς ἄνδρας αὐτοῦ Μηδαμῶς μοι παρὰ κυρίου, εἰ ποιήσω τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο τῷ κυρίῳ μου τῷ χριστῷ κυρίου ἐπενέγκαι χεῖρά μου ἐπ᾿ αὐτόν, ὅτι χριστὸς κυρίου ἐστὶν οὗτος· |
7 And [David]QL said to his men, The Lord forbid it me, that I should do this thing to my lord X the anointed of the Lord, to lift my hand against him; for he is the anointed of the Lord. |
7
And
he said to his men: The Lord be |
6 And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid X X that I should do this thing unto my master,X the LORD's anointed, to stretch forthQM mine hand against him, seeing QN he is the anointed of the LORD. |
6 Then he said to his men, “It was a disgrace to me from Yahweh that I should have done this thing to my master – to Yahweh’s anointed one, by reaching my hand toward him, for he is Yahweh’s anointed one!” |
7 וַיֹּאמֶר לַאֲנָשָׁיו חָלִילָה לִּי מֵיהוָה אִם-אֶעֱשֶׂה אֶת-הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה לַאדֹנִי לִמְשִׁיחַ יְהוָה לִשְׁלֹחַ יָדִי בּוֹ כִּי-מְשִׁיחַ יְהוָה הוּא: |
8
καὶ
ἔπεισενQO
Δαυιδ
τοὺς ἄνδρας
αὐτοῦ ἐν X λόγοις
καὶ οὐκ ἔδωκενQP
αὐτοῖς
ἀναστάντας
|
8
So
David persuaded
his
men by [his]
words,
and did not suffer
them
to arise [and]
|
8 And David stopped his men with his words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul: but Saul, rising up out of the cave, X went on his way. |
7
So
David stayedQQ
his
|
7 So David interrupted his men with these words and did not give them [permission] to rise up against Saul. Meanwhile, Saul got up out of the cave and went to the path. |
8 וַיְשַׁסַּעQS דָּוִד אֶת-אֲנָשָׁיו בַּדְּבָרִים וְלֹא נְתָנָם לָקוּם אֶל-שָׁאוּל וְשָׁאוּל קָם מֵהַמְּעָרָה וַיֵּלֶךְ בַּדָּרֶךְ: ס |
9 καὶ ἀνέστη Δαυιδ ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ X X ἐκ τοῦ σπηλαίου, καὶ ἐβόησεν [Δαυιδ] ὀπίσω Σαουλ λέγων Κύριε X βασιλεῦ· καὶ ἐπέβλεψεν Σαουλ [εἰς τὰ] ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔκυψεν Δαυιδ [ἐπὶ] πρόσωπον [αὐτοῦ] ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ προσεκύνησεν αὐτῷQT. |
9 And David rose up and went after him out of the cave: and [David] cried after Saul, saying, My lord, O king! and Saul looked behind him, and David bowed [with his] face to the ground, and did obeisance to him. |
9 And David also rose up after him: and going out of the cave, X cried after Saul, saying: My lord the king. And Saul looked behind him: and David bowing himself X down to the ground, X worshipped, |
8 David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped [with his] face to the earth, and bowedQU himself. |
8 Then David got up after him and went out of the cave and called out after Saul, saying, “My master the king!” And Saul peered behind him while David bowed nostrils earthward and prostrated himself. |
9 וַיָּקָם דָּוִד אַחֲרֵי-כֵן וַיֵּצֵא מִן-הַמְּעָרָה וַיִּקְרָא אַחֲרֵי- שָׁאוּל לֵאמֹר אֲדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיַּבֵּט שָׁאוּל אַחֲרָיו וַיִּקֹּד דָּוִד אַפַּיִם אַרְצָהQV וַיִּשְׁתָּחוּ: ס |
10
καὶ
εἶπεν Δαυιδ
πρὸς Σαουλ
Ἵνα τί ἀκούεις
τῶν λόγων τοῦ
|
10
And
David said to Saul, Why dost thou hearken to the words of the
|
10 And X said to Saul: Why dost thou hear the words of men that say: X David seeketh thy hurt? |
9 And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men's words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt? |
9 And David said to Saul, “Why do you give heed to the words of a man saying, ‘See, David seeks your harm!’? |
10 וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד לְשָׁאוּל לָמָּה תִשְׁמַע אֶת-דִּבְרֵי אָדָםQX לֵאמֹר הִנֵּה דָוִד מְבַקֵּשׁ רָעָתֶךָ: |
11 ἰδοὺ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ταύτῃ ἑοράκασιν οἱ ὀφθαλμοί σου ὡς παρέδωκέν σε κύριος σήμερον εἰς χεῖρά μου ἐν τῷ σπηλαίῳ, καὶ οὐκ ἠβουλήθην ἀποκτεῖναί σε καὶ ἐφεισάμην σου καὶ εἶπα Οὐκ ἐποίσω χεῖρά μου ἐπὶ κύριόν μου, ὅτι χριστὸς κυρίου οὗτός ἐστιν. |
11 Behold, thine eyes have seen this day how that the Lord has delivered thee this day into my hand[s] in the cave; and I would not slay thee, but spared thee, and said, I will not lift up my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord's anointed. |
11 Behold this day thy eyes have seen, that the Lord hath delivered thee into my hand, in the cave, and I had a thought to kill thee, but my eye hath spared thee. For I said: I will not put out my hand against my lord, because he is the Lord's anointed. |
10 Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some badeQY me kill thee: but mine eyeQZ spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the LORD'S anointed. |
10 Look, your eyes have seen this day that Yahweh gave you today into my control in the cave, and {I considered} assassinating you, but {I} had pity on you, and I said, “I will not reach out my hand against my master because he is the anointed one of Yahweh. |
11 הִנֵּה הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה רָאוּ עֵינֶיךָ אֵת אֲשֶׁר-נְתָנְךָ יְהוָה הַיּוֹם בְּיָדִי בַּמְּעָרָה וְאָמַר לַהֲרָגֲךָ וַתָּחָס עָלֶיךָ וָאֹמַר לֹא-אֶשְׁלַח יָדִי בַּאדֹנִי כִּי-מְשִׁיחַ יְהוָה הוּא: |
12 X X X X καὶ ἰδοὺ τὸ πτερύγιον τῆς διπλοίδος σου ἐν τῇ χειρί μου· [ἐγὼ] ἀφῄρηκα τὸ πτερύγιον X X καὶ οὐκ ἀπέκταγκά σε. [καὶ] γνῶθι καὶ ἰδὲ [σήμερον] ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν κακία ἐν τῇ χειρί μου [οὐδὲ ἀσέβεια] καὶ ἀθέτησις, καὶ οὐχ ἡμάρτηκα εἰς σέ· καὶ σὺ δεσμεύειςRA τὴν ψυχήν μου λαβεῖν αὐτήν. |
12 X X X X And behold, the skirt of thy mantle is in my hand, I cut off the skirt X X, and did not slay thee: know [then] and see [to-day], there is no evil in my hand, [nor impiety,] nor rebellion; and I have not sinned against thee, yet thou layest snares for my soul to take it. |
12
Moreover,
see
and
|
11 Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgressionRB in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it. |
11 Now, see, yes see the flap of your tunic in my hand that when I cut off the flap of your tunic and did not assassinate you, know and see that there is no evil or transgression on my hand, and I have not sinned against you, yet you are committing first-degree murder against my person to take me out. |
12 וְאָבִי רְאֵהRC גַּם רְאֵה אֶת-כְּנַף מְעִילְךָ בְּיָדִי כִּי בְּכָרְתִי אֶת-כְּנַף מְעִילְךָ וְלֹא הֲרַגְתִּיךָ דַּע וּרְאֵה כִּי אֵין בְּיָדִי רָעָהRD וָפֶשַׁע וְלֹא-חָטָאתִי לָךְ וְאַתָּה צֹדֶהRE אֶת-נַפְשִׁי לְקַחְתָּהּ: |
13 δικάσαι κύριος ἀνὰ μέσον ἐμοῦ καὶ σοῦ, καὶ ἐκδικήσαι με κύριος ἐκ σοῦ· καὶ ἡ χείρ μου οὐκ ἔσται ἐπὶ σοί, |
13 The Lord judge between me and thee, and the Lord requite me on thyself: but my hand shall not be upon thee. |
13 The Lord judge between me and thee and the Lord revenge me of thee: but my hand shall not be upon thee. |
12 The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. |
12 May Yahweh judge between me and you, and may Yahweh take revenge on you for me. Meanwhile my hand will not be against you. |
13 יִשְׁפֹּט יְהוָה בֵּינִי וּבֵינֶךָ וּנְקָמַנִי יְהוָה מִמֶּךָּ וְיָדִי לֹא תִהְיֶה-בָּךְ: |
14 καθὼς λέγεται ἡ παραβολὴRF ἡ ἀρχαία Ἐξ ἀνόμων ἐξελεύσεται πλημμέλεια· καὶ ἡ χείρ μου οὐκ ἔσται ἐπὶ σέ. |
14 As the old proverb says, Transgression will proceed from the wicked ones: but my hand shall not be upon thee. |
14
As
also |
13 As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. |
13 As the old proverb says, ‘It is out of wicked men that wickedness goes out.’ But my hand will not be against you. |
14 כַּאֲשֶׁר יֹאמַר מְשַׁל הַקַּדְמֹנִיRG מֵרְשָׁעִים יֵצֵא רֶשַׁע וְיָדִי לֹא תִהְיֶה-בָּךְ: |
15 [καὶ νῦν] ὀπίσω τίνος [σὺ] ἐκπορεύῃ, βασιλεῦ Ισραηλ; ὀπίσω τίνος καταδιώκεις σύ; ὀπίσω κυνὸς τεθνηκότος [καὶ] ὀπίσω ψύλλου ἑνός. |
15
[And
now]
after
whom dost [thou]
come
forth, O king of Israel? After whom dost thou pursue? After a dead
dog, [and]
after |
15
After
whom dost [thou]
come
out, O king of Israel? After whom dost thou pursue? After a dead
dog, after |
14
After
whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue?
after a dead dog, after |
14 {Now,} after whom are {you,} the King of Israel coming out? {And} what are you chasing after? After a dead dog {or} after one flea? |
15 אַחֲרֵי מִי יָצָאRI מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל RJ אַחֲרֵי מִי אַתָּה רֹדֵף אַחֲרֵי כֶּלֶב מֵת RK אַחֲרֵי RLפַּרְעֹשׁ אֶחָד: |
16 X γένοιτο κύριος εἰς κριτὴν καὶ δικαστὴν ἀνὰ μέσον ἐμοῦ καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον σοῦ· X ἴδοι κύριος καὶ κρίναι τὴν κρίσιν μου καὶ δικάσαι μοι ἐκ χειρός σου. |
16 The Lord be judge and umpire between me and thee, the Lord look upon and judge my cause, and rescue me out of thy hand. |
16 Be the Lord judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and judge my cause, and deliver me out of thy hand. |
15 The LORD therefore be judge, and judgeRM between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliverRN me out of thine hand. |
15 Yahweh therefore will become ajudicator, and he will judge between me and you, and He will see and contend for my case, and He will bring justice for me out of your hand.” |
16 וְהָיָה יְהוָה לְדַיָּן וְשָׁפַט בֵּינִי וּבֵינֶךָ וְיֵרֶא וְיָרֵב אֶת-רִיבִי וְיִשְׁפְּטֵנִי מִיָּדֶךָ: פ |
17 καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς συνετέλεσεν Δαυιδ τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα λαλῶν πρὸς Σαουλ, καὶ εἶπεν Σαουλ Ἦ φωνή σου αὕτη, τέκνον X Δαυιδ; καὶ ἦρεν τὴν φωνὴν αὐτοῦ Σαουλ καὶ ἔκλαυσεν. |
17 And it came to pass when David had finished speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, X Son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept. |
17 And when David had made an end of speaking these words to Saul, X Saul said: Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept: |
16 And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept. |
16 Now, as David finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul then said, “Is that your voice, David, my son?” And Saul raised his voice and wept. |
17 וַיְהִי כְּכַלּוֹת דָּוִד לְדַבֵּר אֶת-הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה אֶל-שָׁאוּל וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל הֲקֹלְךָ זֶה בְּנִיRO דָוִד וַיִּשָּׂא שָׁאוּל קֹלוֹ וַיֵּבְךְּ: |
18 καὶ εἶπεν [Σαου]λ πρὸς Δαυιδ Δίκαιος σὺ ὑπὲρ ἐμέ, ὅτι σὺ ἀνταπέδωκάς μοι ἀγαθά, ἐγὼ δὲ ἀνταπέδωκά σοι κακά. |
18 And [Saul] said to David, Thou art more righteous that I, for thou hast recompensed me good, but I have recompensed thee evil. |
18 And he said to David: Thou art more just than I: for thou hast done good to me, and I have rewarded thee with evil. |
17 And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewardedRP me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evilRQ. |
17 And he said to David, “You are more righteous than me, because, in your case, you brought about an outcome for me that was good, whereas I, I brought about an outcome for you that was bad. |
18 וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל-דָּוִד צַדִּיק אַתָּה מִמֶּנִּיRR כִּי אַתָּה גְּמַלְתַּנִי הַטּוֹבָה וַאֲנִי גְּמַלְתִּיךָ הָרָעָה: |
19
καὶ
σὺ ἀπήγγειλάς
[μοι]RS
σήμερον
ἃ ἐποίησάς
μοι ἀγαθά, ὡς
ἀπέκλεισέν
με κύριος
[σήμερονRT]
εἰς
χεῖρ |
19 And thou hast told [me] to-day what good thou hast done me, how the Lord shut me up into thy hand[s to-day], and thou didst not slay me. |
19 And thou hast shewed this day what good things thou hast done to me: how the Lord delivered me into thy hand, and thou hast not killed me. |
18 And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch asRU when the LORD had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not. |
18 And you yourself have communicated {to me} today how you have done good to me – how Yahweh sequestered me into your control yet you did not assassinate me. |
19 וְאַתְּהRV הִגַּדְתָּ הַיּוֹם אֵת אֲשֶׁר-עָשִׂיתָה אִתִּי טוֹבָה אֵתRW אֲשֶׁר סִגְּרַנִי יְהוָה בְּיָדְךָ וְלֹא הֲרַגְתָּנִי: |
20
καὶ
ὅτι εἰ εὕροιτό
τις τὸν ἐχθρὸν
αὐτοῦ [ἐν
θλίψει]
καὶ
ἐκπέμψαι αὐτὸν
ἐν ὁδῷ ἀγαθῇ,
καὶ κύριος
ἀνταποτείσει
|
20
And
if any one should find his enemy [in distress,]
and
should send him forth in a good way, then the Lord will reward |
20 X For who when he hath found his enemy, X will let him go well away? But the Lord reward thee for this good [turn], for what thou hast done to me this day. |
19 For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the LORD reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day. |
19 Now, if a man were to find his enemy, would he send him on down the road well-provisioned? Therefore may Yahweh reward you well for what you have done {} this day. |
20 וְכִי-יִמְצָא אִישׁ אֶת-אֹיְבוֹ וְשִׁלְּחוֹ בְּדֶרֶךְ טוֹבָה וַיהוָה יְשַׁלֶּמְךָ טוֹבָה תַּחַתRY הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתָה לִיRZ: |
21 καὶ νῦν ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ γινώσκω ὅτι βασιλεύων βασιλεύσεις καὶ στήσεται ἐν χερσίν σου βασιλεία Ισραηλ. |
21 And now, behold, I know that thou shalt surely reign, and the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thy hand. |
21
And
now as I know that thou shalt surely be king, and |
20 And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand. |
20 And now, see, I know that you will certainly be king, and the kingdom of Israel will be established under your control. |
21 וְעַתָּה הִנֵּה יָדַעְתִּי כִּי מָלֹךְ תִּמְלוֹךְSA וְקָמָה בְּיָדְךָ מַמְלֶכֶת יִשְׂרָאֵלSB: |
22 καὶ νῦν ὄμοσόν μοι ἐν κυρίῳ ὅτι οὐκ ἐξολεθρεύσεις τὸ σπέρμα μου ὀπίσω μου καὶ οὐκ ἀφανιεῖς τὸ ὄνομά μου ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ πατρός μου. |
22 Now then swear to me by the Lord, that thou wilt not destroy my seed after me, that thou wilt not blot out my name from the house of my father. |
22 X X Swear to me by the Lord, that thou wilt not destroy my seed after me, nor take away my name from the house of my father. |
21 Swear now therefore unto me by the LORD, that thou wilt not cut off my seedSC after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father's house. |
21 And now, swear to me by Yahweh that you will not cut off my descendants after me and that you will not destroy my name from the household of my father.” |
22 וְעַתָּה הִשָּׁבְעָה לִּי בַּיהוָה אִם- תַּכְרִית אֶת-זַרְעִי אַחֲרָי וְאִם- תַּשְׁמִיד אֶת-שְׁמִי מִבֵּית אָבִי: |
23
καὶ
ὤμοσεν Δαυιδ
τῷ Σαουλ. καὶ
ἀπῆλθεν Σαουλ
εἰς τὸν |
23
So David swore to Saul: and Saul departed to his |
23 And David swore to Saul. So Saul went X X home: and David and his men went up into safer places. |
22 And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went X X home; but David and his men gat them up unto the hold. |
22 So David swore to Saul. Then Saul went to his house, and David and his men went up to the stronghold. |
23 וַיִּשָּׁבַע דָּוִד לְשָׁאוּל וַיֵּלֶךְ שָׁאוּל אֶל-בֵּיתוֹ וְדָוִד וַאֲנָשָׁיו עָלוּ עַל-הַמְּצוּדָה: פ |
Click Here to view the last seven chapters of I Samuel.
1“The reason why he did not order them to break into the house, and slay him at once, but wait till morning, seems to be, lest should he be alarmed by their breaking in, he might take the advantage of the night, and easily escape, or another person through mistake might be slain for him; and therefore, that they might be sure of him, they were to watch till it was broad daylight, when they could not well miss him.” ~J. Gill Goldman, following Wellhausen, suggested that it was against the ancient code of manners to enter the house of one’s enemy during the night.
2“...shewing the neare coniunction betweene man and wife, preferring her husbands safety, before the displeasure of her father, according to the first institution: for this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and cleave to his wife...” ~Andrew Willett “How Michal came to know the danger her husband was in does not appear; perhaps she had notice sent her from court, or rather was herself aware of the soldiers about the house, when they were going to bed, though they kept so still and silent that they said, Who dost hear? which David takes notice of, Psalm 59:7.” ~M. Henry
3A couple of commentators, including Tsumura (NICOT), insisted that this means shepherd’s tents in a pasture.
4Targums, Puritan commentators Andrew Willet, Matthew Henry, and John Gill, and other more modern commentators Jamieson, .Other historic Jewish rabbis (Ben Gersom, Abarbinel) have suggested that they prophecied verbally of David’s ascendance to the throne. Gill gives some credence to this.
52 Sam. 6:20, using the root גלה, whereas the roots in 1 Sam. 19:24 are פּשׁט and ערם
6So Rashi, B. Isaiah,Willett, Henry, Gill, Jamieson, K&D, Driver, Goldman, and Tsumura.
7Num. 24:4 uses the same verb נףל in that sense. This was the position of Junius, Willett, Henry, Gill, Jamieson, K&D, and Tsumura, in their commentaries.
8cf. Matthew Henry: “In flying to Samuel he made God his refuge, trusting in the shadow of his wings; where else can a good man think himself safe? .... And, doubtless, what little pleasure is to be had in this world those have it that live a life of communion with God”
9“God usually in these days turneth not men’s hearts on the sudden, that there should be continual exercise of the preaching of his word, and of the labour and diligence of those which hear unto their edifying.” ~Andrew Willett
10John Gill noted, however, that some Jewish commentators thought it might actually be the feast of trumpets or the first day of the new year which would fit with David’s family’s feast that day being an “annual” one.
11K&D being the only exception. They called it a “prevarication” which was “not looked upon” as a “sin.” Commentators that supported it as a “true excuse” included Junius, Martyr, Willett, M. Henry, and J. Gill who expounded, “as Ben Gersom observes; the fields he proposed to hide himself in were near to Gibeah, and he doubtless meant some cave in those fields, where he might be, and not be seen by men; though it cannot be thought that he remained, or proposed to remain, in such a place during that time, where he would be in want of food, but that he would abide incognito among his friends somewhere or another, until the festival was over.”
12Commentators agree that the tabernacle was at Nob, but they don’t agree on whether the ark was there. Most of the commentators I read seemed to think that the ark was not present at Nob but rather was at Kiriath Jearim, where 1 Samuel 7 says it “stayed for a long time” – but, D. Tsumura (NICOT) noted Jewish traditions (B. Zeb. 118-19) that it was at Nob and argued that without the ark there would be no point in shewbread, so maybe it was there after all.
13The name that appears in Mark 2:26 is Abiathar (“Father of abundance”), but the Gospel account doesn’t actually say that was this priest’s name, only that the place David entered was “the house of God upon/before (epi) Abiathar the high priest.” Abiathar was the son of Achimelek, so he was presumably around too. “During/when/in” (the way most English versions translate the Greek word epi here, is not mentioned in Thayer’s Greek Lexicon as a meaning for epi, but “before” is mentioned in the lexicon, and that makes more sense. On the other hand, Willett and Gill observed that the names seem to be interchangeable in scripture, with both names being applied to both the father and son.
14Kimchi and Ben Gershom tried to get around this by saying that it was thanks-offering leftovers which laymen could eat, not shewbread, but Jesus’ commentary in the Gospels makes it clear that it was not something laymen were permitted to eat.
15That calculation comes from the BibleWorks Map software. It would, of course be more than 2 miles on the ground in that hill country. Gill quoted Bunting at 12 miles, which seems a bit much, but that is still less than one day’s journey for soldiers. Jamieson’s commentary computed it at 5 miles.
16Willett, following Junius recommended interpreting “vessels” as the containers they had for carrying the bread. Along those lines, Goldman recommended Driver’s translation “gear,” but I’m not convinced, and neither was M. Henry or D. Tsumura.
17See my paper at http://www.natewilsonfamily.net/natespdf/all_the_earth.pdf cf. Zec. 14:16ff
18Matthew Henry, after admitting he knew not what would induce David to flee to Gath, suggested that perhaps Goliath had been a problem for Akish, so Akish might have appreciated rather than resenting David’s elimination of Goliath.
19Akish was king over only one city. Rainey theorized, however, that Akish was the senior of the five Philistine city-state governors.
20In contradiction to Gill, K&D and others, Tsumura put it the other way around in NICOT: “Achish could be a title or a common name for a Philistine ruler [noting other incidences of the name Ikausu in Akkadian king lists, and an inscription in Ekron], like ‘Pharaoh’ for an Egyptian king… Note that ‘Abimelech’ in the title of Psalm 34 may be the Semitic name of Achish...”
21This is added in the Septuagint.
22Matthew Henry suggested that perhaps Akish had an appreciation for David and saw through David’s deceptive behavior, but judged that it would be dangerous for David to stay in Gath, and thus dismissed him for his own safety.
23Keil & Delitzsch suggested that it was further north and therefore accessed by crossing the Jordan River. Who knows?
24Bemnidbar Rabba, sect. 14. fol. 212. 1. Tanchuma apud Jarchium says that the king of Moab killed David’s parents as soon as he left the stronghold, but other commentators, such as Hertzberg and Klein maintained that David’s parents survived and returned to Judah.
25See also Psalms 31:4; 71:3; 91:2; and 144:2.
26Keil & Delitsch is the only commentary I found with the contrary opinion that Doeg was “the superintendent of Saul's servants, invested with the office of marshal of the court.” Tsumura (NICOT) was more ambivalent “standing by as one of the royal guards; or ‘presiding over’ … not necessarily ‘being in charge of.’”
27Some commentators have pointed out that the only persons for whom the priests inquired of Yahweh with the Urim and Thumim were kings, but the priest’s open admission of frequently doing it for David (v.15) argues against it being an exclusive royal privilege.
28“Saul arraigns Ahimelech himself with the utmost disdain and indignation... not so much as calling him by his name, much less giving him his title of distinction. By this it appears that he had cast off the fear of God, that he showed no respect at all to his priests, but took a pleasure in affronting them and insulting them.” ~M. Henry
29Consider the later enmity between Edom and Israel in Psalm 137:7 and Obadiah 1:11, and in the NT of Herod the Idumean (Edomite).
30Josephus noted a Jewish tradition that Doeg leveled the whole town to the ground and burned it.
312 Sam. 21:1 Gill cites Abarbinel’s opinion relating the cause of the famine to God’s wrath over Saul’s wanton destruction of Nob, claiming that the inhabitants of Nob were Gibeonites, who were hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of the Lord (cf. Josh. 9:23). That seems reasonable, but not certain.
32Tsumura, in the New International Commentary on the Old Testament, points out that the phrase “here in Judah” contrasted with Keilah in v.3 indicates Keilah was not considered part of Judah, but perhaps it became so after David’s deliverance of it.
33Henry went on to write, “Probably it was the departure both of God and David from Saul that encouraged the Philistines to make this incursion. When princes begin to persecute God's people and ministers, let them expect no other than vexation on all sides. The way for any country to be quiet is to let God's church be quiet in it.”
34Source: China Harvest Newsletter from 2018 or 2019
35Josephus, Willett, Henry, Jamieson, Gill, and Tsumura (NICOT). On the other hand, Kimchi, Abarbinel, and Keil & Delitzsch advocated for it being Abiathar.
36Isaiah 42:3 “a bruised reed He will not break, and a dim wick He will not extinguish; He will cause judgment to come out to truth.” (NAW)
37The early-church era Septuagint says that David’s men still numbered 400 at this time, whereas the Enlightenment-era Hebrew text says it had grown to 600. If the latter is accurate, Andrew Willett’s comment is a propos, “[A]ffliction and persecution doth not diminish the Lord’s people, but rather increaseth them.”
38Jewish commentaries are quite taken up with whether or not one can ask God more than one question at a time, but I don’t think that this narrative is intended to have bearing on this question.
39This contribution is from the NICOT commentary by Tsumura.
40This is actually a quote of OT passages like Gen. 28:15, Deut. 31:6-8, Joshua 1:5, and 1 Chron. 28:20.
41Since the writing of this, it strikes me that it would be better to roll point one into point two and create a new point one about Jonathan “getting up and going to” his friend.
42Jerome seems to have located them too far East. Gill quoted Jerome’s De loc. Heb. fol. 91. C as saying that “Jeshimon [w]as ten miles from Jericho to the south, near the Dead Sea; on the top of this hill, which was an ascent of... about four miles… [known in later years as] Masada…”
4316th Century Puritan commentator Andrew Willett elaborated that David was “on the ‘right hand,’ that is, the south side, of the desert called in Hebrew ‘Jeshimon’: which mention is made of … in divers other places: so that it appeareth to be no proper name.”
44Namely, the Targum, Septuagint, Vulgate, and Syriac texts of verse 22, which, while not in agreement with each other, are all agreed against David being the source of the quote.
45Reiterating the first footnote, I would like to rework these application points to focus the first one on “getting up and going to” friends who need encouragement, emphasizing the value of personal visitation.
46Compare 23:4 כִּי־אֲנִי נֹתֵן אֶת־פְּלִשְׁתִּים בְּיָדֶךָ׃ with 24:7 הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי נֹתֵן אֶת- אֹיְבֵיךָ בְּיָדֶךָ
47“We read of those who believed in Christ, and yet ‘he did not commit himself to them because he knew all men.’” (John 2:24) ~M. Henry
48“But here this question will be moved, how David kept his oath, when as he caused the two sons of Rizpah Saul's concubine, and the five sons of his daughter to be hanged, because of the Gibeonites, 2. Sam. 21. To this the answer is readie, that David for his part was so minded, as much as in him lay, to keep this oath:* as may appear by the punishment which he took of them, that killed Ishbosheth Saul's son: but in this oath was to be excepted, unless God gave any special commandement to the contrarie, as he did in the cause of the Gibeonites: for David asked counsel of God, and followed the Lord’s direction in that action: Mar. neither did David voluntarily put them to death, but seven of Saul's sons were required by the Gibeonites, for oppression of whom the land was punished by famine: neither was Saul's posteritie utterly destroyed, for David had compassion on Mephibosheth Jonathan’s son.” ~Andrew Willett
AMy
original chart includes the NASB and NIV, but their copyright
restrictions have forced me to remove them from the
publicly-available edition of this chart. I have included the ESV in
footnotes when it employs a word not already used by the KJV, NASB,
or NIV. (NAW is my translation.) When a translation adds words not
in the Hebrew text, but does not indicate it has done so by the use
of italics (or greyed-out text), I put the added words in [square
brackets]. When one version chooses a wording which is different
from all the other translations, I underline it. When a
version chooses a translation which, in my opinion, either departs
too far from the root meaning of the Hebrew word or departs too far
from the grammar form of the original text, I use strikeout.
And when a version omits a word which is in the original text, I
insert an X. (I also place an X at the end of a word if the original
word is plural but the English translation is singular.) I
occasionally use colors to help the reader see correlations between
the various editions and versions when there are more than two
different translations of a given word. The only known Dead Sea
Scroll containing any part of 1 Samuel 19 is 4Q52, which contains
fragments of vs. 10-17, and which has been dated to 250 B.C. Where
consonants of this DSS are legible and in agreement with the MT, I
have colored the MT purple. Where the DSS supports the LXX with
omissions or text not in the MT, I have highlighted
with yellow the LXX and its translation into English, and
where I have accepted that into my NAW translation, I have marked it
with {pointed brackets}.
BThis is the Douay-Reims English translation of the Latin Vulgate
CNASB, NIV, ESV = “be on guard” which is a more literal translation of the Hebrew (and Greek).
D“[H]e
seems to suggest as if it was not safe for him to be in his own
house, and in his own bedchamber that night, but that it was
advisable to retire to some private place, where it might not be
known or suspected that he was there. By what follows he means some
field, and a private place in it.” ~J. Gill
Tsumura
(NICOT) claimed
that this is the same “hiding” in the field referred to
in 20:19.
ENASB, NIV, ESV = “speak” The Hebrew word is the one usually translated “speak” by the KJV.
FKJV has the most literal translation. NASB & NIV render “find out,” which would be a different Hebrew verb (מצא), and ESV renders “learn,” which would also be a different Hebrew verb (למד).
GSymmachus translated with a synonym exedwken (“gave away”)
HSymmachus translated with a synonym anaition (“irreproachable”)
ISymmachus translated with a synonym mathn (“vain”)
JNASB = deliverance,” NIV = “victory”
KNASB = “vowed,” NIV = “took oath”
LThe letters sureq and mem have switched places for euphonic purposes, but it is the same as ימות.
MSymmachus translated from the MT with literal woodenness wV pro miaV kai prin (“as before the first and third”)
NNASB & NIV = “told,” ESV = “reported”
OCf. the 4 other instances of this phrase in the Hebrew OT: 1 Sam. 4:7; 10:11; 14:21; 2 Sam. 5:2. If the phrase is intended to denote two occasions, as it does literally, those occasions might be 16:21-22 (his recruitment as Saul’s harp player) & 17:31&57 (his recruitment into Saul’s army).
PNASB, NIV = “spear” also in the following verse
QSeveral Hebrew manuscripts add a vav to the end (“his”), and the Vulgate and Septuagint also appear to support this.
RNASB, NIV = “tried”
SNASB, NIV = “pin”
TNIV, ESV = “eluded”
UNASB = “stuck,” NIV = “drove,” ESV = “struck”
VAbout 10 of the 20 times this Hebrew lemma is used, it denotes being the first to come out of the opening of the mother’s womb, and another 5 times it denotes the blooming of a flower, but here, breaking free from the status of servant is meant, as it is in 1 Chron. 9:33 & 2 Chron. 23:8, although the suggestion of David blasting through the wall himself to get away is an interesting possibility.
WAlthough the initial vav is obliterated in the DSS, there is plenty of room for it in the spacing between legible portions of this verse and the previous, so on that basis, I think it more probable that the DSS has the copula (which is also in the MT) than not.
XNASB = “put to death” (a better rendering of the Hiphil form here), NIV, ESV = “kill” (By the way, the purple Hebrew text is in the DSS.)
YNIV = “run,” “Escape” (ESV) is more central to the meaning of this Hebrew word, but the LXX translates “save.”
ZThe location of David’s house at this point is not known, but it was only about 2 miles as the crow flies between Gibeah of Saul and Ramah of Samuel.
AAIn Hebrew as well as Greek, the 3ms object (accusative in Greek) could refer to either “David” or “house,” and in Greek, “house” is the closer match, since it is accusative case while David is genitive case.
AB“Window” is definite in both the Greek & Hebrew. Perhaps there was only one.
ACThe NIV & ESV omit this phrase, but it is in the Greek and Hebrew.
ADIt is ironic that the next time we meet Michal (after this chapter, 2 Samuel 6:16), she is looking down at David through that same back window! The Hebrew word has more to do with “alternative-ness” than “through-ness.”
AELXX is literally “empty grave,” cf. synonyms by other Greek versions in the centuries after the LXX: Aquila: morfwmata (“forms”), Symmachus: eidwla (“idols”), Theodotian: qerafin (“teraphim” – transliteration of the Hebrew word.) Sym. and Theod. use the same in v.16, whereas Aq. renders protomai (“the before-mentioned things”?)
AFA. = to pan plhqoV (“the whole shebang” – also in v.16), Q. = cober (transliteration of the Hebrew word translated “liver/cover/quilt.”
AGThis is the Hebrew word “teraphim,” translated “[household] idol” by the NASB & NIV. The Hebrew ending is plural, thus the plurals in the LXX.
AHNASB = “quilt,” NIV = “some hair”
AINASB, NIV, ESV = “head” (same in v.16)
AJThe Cairo Geniza manuscripts from a century before the MT read with the synonym על (“upon”), matching the LXX, which clarifies, but does not change the meaning.
AK“כְּבִיר, from כָּבַר, signifies something woven, and עִזִּים goats' hair, as in Ex. 25:4. But it is impossible to decide with certainty what purpose the cloth of goats' hair was to serve; whether it was merely to cover the head of the teraphim with hair, and so make it like a human head, or to cover the head and face as if of a person sleeping. The definite article not only before תְּרָפִים and בֶּגֶד, but also with הָעִזִּים כְּבִיר, suggests the idea that all these things belonged to Michal's house furniture, and that עִזִּים כְּבִיר was probably a counterpane made of goats' hair, with which persons in the East are in the habit of covering the head and face when sleeping.” ~Keil & Delitzsch (The other 9 times that this word cabir occur in the the O.T., they are translated heavy/great/weighty, which is behind the “liver” of the LXX rendering.)
ALMost English versions interpret the Teraphim as a singular idol, even though it has a plural spelling, and then interpret it as the referent of the 3ms pronoun “its head.” The only singular masculine noun in the sentence is “cover/quilt/liver.” Cf. the same phrase for Saul’s spear “by his head” in 26:7.
AMcf. synonym from Aquila = arrwstein (“to be sick/ill”)
ANNASB, ESV translated less-literally “let go.”
AOThe Piel form of this verb is translated “deceive” and occurs only 8x in the Hebrew OT, the first four times with this same question, “Why have you deceived me?” – Gen. 29:25 (Jacob to Laban); Josh. 9:22 (Joshua to the Gibeonites); 1 Sam. 28:12 (the witch to Saul) – and the last four times are 2 Sam. 19:27; 1 Chron. 12:18, Prov. 26:19, and Lam. 1:19.
APNeither the MT nor the Vulgate support the additional descriptor of the place “in Ramah,” which is found in the LXX. (Unfortunately, no legible DSS is available of this verse for comparison.) But since the full phrase “Navith in Ramah” does occur in the next verse in the MT, the LXX does not change the meaning.
AQHere
and in vs.16, 22, and 23, the MT and Vulgate (and several other
Hebrew manuscripts – and even Keil & Delitzsch’s
commentary), support the LXX spelling of “Navat.”
KJV, NASB, NIV, & ESV all followed the Qere editorial note in
the margin of the MT with the spelling “Naioth” (making
the yod and vav swap places),
rather than the MT. Symmachus, however,
instead of transliterating, translated with the word
diaitwmenoi (“apartments”)
here, and with the word oikhsesi (“in
the house”) in v.22 (which is a reasonable translation of the
root of the Hebrew nvh).
McClintock
& Strong:
“Naioth… from an early date has been interpreted to
mean the huts or dwellings of a school or college of prophets over
which Samuel presided, as Elisha did over those at Gilgal and
Jericho. This appears first in the Targum-Jonathan, where for Naioth
we find throughout בֵּית
אוּלְפָנָא,
"the house of instruction," the term which appears in
later times to have been regularly applied to the schools of the
rabbis (Buxtorf, Lex. Talm. Col. 106)…”
Easton
Illustrated Bible Dictionary:
“Naioth: dwellings, the name given to the prophetical college
established by Samuel near Ramah. It consisted of a cluster of
separate dwellings, and hence its name…”
Eerdman’s
Dictionary of the Bible:
“Although its linguistic form is uncertain, Naioth should be
related to Heb. nāweh, which is a shepherd’s camp pitched
outside a city. Such a camp was apparently also the dwelling of
Samuel and his disciples.”
Keil
& Delitzsch Commentary:
“...applied
to the coenobium
of
the pupils of the prophets, who had assembled around Samuel in the
neighbourhood of Ramah. The plural נְוָיֹת
points
to the fact, that this coenobium
consisted
of a considerable number of dwelling-places or houses, connected
together by a hedge or wall…. If we bear in mind, that,
according to 1Sam.3:1, before the call of Samuel as prophet, the
prophetic word was very rare in Israel, and prophecy was not widely
spread, there can be no doubt that these unions of prophets arose in
the time of Samuel, and were called into existence by him… It
is ... generally assumed, that the study of the law and of the
history of the divine guidance of Israel formed a leading feature in
the occupations of the pupils of the prophets, which also included
the cultivation of sacred poetry and music, and united exercises for
the promotion of the prophetic inspiration... from the time of
Samuel downwards the writing of sacred history formed an essential
part of the prophet's labours… sacred music not only received
a fresh impulse from David, who stood in a close relation to the
association of prophets at Ramah, but was also raised by him into an
integral part of public worship… just as, in the time of
Samuel, it was the fall of the legal sanctuary and priesthood which
created the necessity for the founding of schools of the prophets;
so in the times of Elijah and Elisha, and in the kingdom of the ten
tribes, it was the utter absence of any sanctuary of Jehovah which
led these prophets to found societies of prophets…
Consequently the founding of associations of prophets is to be
regarded as an operation of divine grace, which is generally
manifested with all the greater might where sin most mightily
abounds.”
ARCompare with other Greek translations in the early centuries AD: A. omilon (“throng”), S. sustrofhn (“mob”), Q. susthma (“gathering?”).
ASLater Greek versions include a translation of the Hebrew words missing in the LXX as kaige autoi (“even they”).
ATSee AJ & AL; the Hebrew word is different from the word which the KJV translated “company” in ch. 10. NIV = “group”
AUNASB = “presiding,” NIV = “as leader,” ESV = “as head”
AVThe LXX, Vulgate, Targums, Syriac, as well as all the English versions I know of translated this singular verb as plural, which makes me suspect an error in the MT. It doesn’t make a big difference in meaning because there is only one person (Saul) behind the plural messengers who would act upon their report back to him. Gill followed Kimchi in explaining the singular as “the chief messenger.” Cf. Keil & Delitzsch: “The singular וַיַּרְא is certainly very striking here; but it is hardly to be regarded as merely a copyist's error for the plural וַיִּרְאוּ, … and understood either as relating to the leader of the messengers, or as used because the whole company of messengers were regarded as one body.”
AWAlthough there is an Ethiopian root lhq which means “senior,” neither להק nor הקת are words in Hebrew, so it is commonly assumed that the MT scribe experienced a moment of dyslexia, spelling the word for “assembly” (קהל) backwards. Compare to 10:5&10, where the word חבל (“company/band”) is used. Another possibility is that this is a specialized word used among the prophets to describe their ranks. Perhaps it is like our word “sodality,” used to distinguish a para-church religious meeting from a regular worship service of all believers. I could even imagine a creative prophet reversing the word for “church assembly” to invent a word for this relatively-new institution of schools of prophets. (I was intrigued to find that Kimchi and Keil & Delitzsch had the same theory!) Nevertheless, Tsumura (NICOT) and R.P. Gordon opted for “elders.”
AXThe MT spelling of this verb is plural active (“they told”), but the Vulgate and Septuagint (and all the English versions I’ve seen) read passive and singular (“it was told”).
AYSyriac version supports the plural of the LXX (“they said”), but the Vulgate and MT are agreed on singular (“one said”).
AZNIV & ESV omit “and said,” even though it is in the MT, Vulgate, Septuagint, and historic English translations.
BAThis place is not mentioned anywhere else in the Bible, nor is a “great pit/cistern” mentioned anywhere else in the Bible. Sechu/Seku/Secu supposedly means “watchtower” or “bare height.” I wonder if it could be a corruption of Shechem, which was a city of refuge (Jos 20:7) on a hill where Jacob’s Well (John 4) was located, and a place that Saul might expect a political fugitive to go for refuge. The problem is that this might be a bit further north than the events of this story. As for the Hebrew word bor, 19% of its occurrences in the O.T. are translated “well/cistern/fountain” in the KJV, and the other 80% are translated “pit/dungeon,” so the word doesn’t necessarily imply that there was water in the hole, but the context of a place where a traveler would want to stop and where he would find people to interview is probably why English translators have inclined toward “well/cistern” as the translation.
BBThe masculine form of this verb would indicate that a man rather than a woman answered.
BC“There” is also missing in the Lucian rescription of the Septuagint (and thus perhaps in the NIV?), but it’s in the MT and the original Septuagint.
BDThe verb “went/walked” is made emphatic through repetition in the MT, but it is not so in the LXX. The emphatic-ness of the MT appears to be carried into English translations with phrases like “as he walked” (ESV), “went/walked along” (NASB/NIV), and “went on” (KJV).
BEThis is a Hitpael imperfect verb, but the LXX and many English versions translate it as a participle. The Syriac and Targums translate it as an infinitive, but the parallel structure of the imperfect verbs for “went” and “prophecied” make it not unreasonable for these translations to change verb types in order to bring over the idea of simultaneous action.
BFLater Greek versions corrected to the MT kaige autoV (“and even he”).
BGcf. Aquila mh (“not”) and S. oti (“that”).
BHFor what it’s worth, this is the same word for Adam & Even’s “nakedness” in Gen. 1, and the same word in the phrase “naked as the day [you] were born” in Job 1, Eccl. 5, and Hos. 2, and it isn’t until hundreds of years later that this word was used by prophets in a way that could be construed as only partial nakedness. The phenomenon of demon-possessed people stripping off all their clothes in fits is well-documented.
BI“Now the proverb recurs, Is Saul among the prophets? See 1Sa. 10:12. Then it was different from what it had been, but now contrary. He is rejected of God, and actuated by an evil spirit, and yet among the prophets.”~M. Henry (The “even/also/gam” is positioned in the Hebrew sentence to indicate surprise that so many persons had joined with the prophets, not surprise that Saul was involved in so many institutions.)
BJMy
original chart includes the NASB and NIV, but their copyright
restrictions have forced me to remove them from the
publicly-available edition of this chart. I have included the ESV in
footnotes when it employs a word not already used by the KJV, NASB,
or NIV. (NAW is my translation.) When a translation adds words not
in the Hebrew text, but does not indicate it has done so by the use
of italics (or greyed-out text), I put the added words in [square
brackets]. When one version chooses a wording which is different
from all the other translations, I underline it. When a
version chooses a translation which, in my opinion, either departs
too far from the root meaning of the Hebrew word or departs too far
from the grammar form of the original text, I use strikeout.
And when a version omits a word which is in the original text, I
insert an X. (I also place an X at the end of a word if the original
word is plural but the English translation is singular.) I
occasionally use colors to help the reader see correlations between
the various editions and versions when there are more than two
different translations of a given word. Dead Sea Scrolls containing
1 Samuel 20 are 4Q51Samuela, which contains fragments of
vs. 37-40 (and which has been dated between 50-25 B.C.) and 4Q52,
which contains a great deal of verses from 20:26 – 21:1 (and
which has been dated around 250 BC). Where the text of the DSS
matches the MT, I’ve colored the MT purple. Where the DSS
supports the LXX (and/or Vulgate) with omissions or text not in the
MT, I have highlighted with yellow
the LXX and its translation into English, and where I have accepted
that into my NAW translation, I have marked it with {pointed
brackets}.
BKAs it was in chapter 19, so here, although the LXX Greek and Latin Vulgate and Kethib of the Masoretic Hebrew read “Naviat,” the more-recent translations – in fact all the English translations from Wycliffe in the 1384 and onwards followed the Masoretic scribes’ marginal note (qere) and switched the order of the vav and the yod (מִנָּיוֹת), but where there are Hebrew variants, they don’t transpose these letters, rather they spell the yod with its consonantal character rather than with a vowel pointing tywnm. Without the switcheroo, it makes sense, because the Hebrew root נוה means “rest peacefully/retreat center.”
BLThis word starts with an “and” in several Hebrew manuscripts, as well as in the Syriac and Septuagint. It doesn’t change the meaning, but it makes for smoother reading.
BMcf. other Greek versions: Aquila = bebhlon (“profanity”), Symmachus, Theodotian ilewV soi (“mercy on you!”).
BNSymmachus renders synonymously: ean mh dhlwsh eiV akohn mou (“without disclosing in my hearing”).
BOThere is a tradition which goes back at least as far as the early church to include the word “to you” here. It’s in the LXX, Symmachus’s translation, and Theodotian’s translation, as well as in the Syriac. It is not, however in the Vulgate. It doesn’t change the story, but it is curious.
BPThe Qere Masoretic editorial note reads לֹא-עָשָׂה (“he has not done”) to make it more clear that this is a negative particle rather than a possessive pronoun. While it can be read either way, the context makes clear it’s supposed to be a negative. K&D embraced the לא correction but said “the Chethibh עָשָׂה is probably to be preferred to the Keri יַעֲשֶׂה, and to be understood in this sense: ‘My father has (hitherto) done nothing at all, which he has not told to me.’”
BQLXX translators read the Hebrew root עצב as though it said עצה (“counsel”). Aquila corrected to the MT (“But certainly”).
BRAq. & Sym emended to the MT: oson bhma metaxu (“such a step between”)
BSThe
Syriac follows the Greek instead of the Hebrew here.
Tsumura
commented on the “again,” suggesting that, although
there is no record of David swearing previously, “the triple
rhetorical questions in v.1: ‘What…? What…
What…?’ could be like an oath.”
BTWillett gives a bit of depth in his commentary at this point to Biblical guidelines on swearing and the meaning of David’s oath.
BUHapex Legomenon. A verbal form occurs in Isa. 27:4. Jewish tradition is that the step was the one David had taken to dodge Saul’s spear. (Goldman)
BVIn addition to the Vulgate, the Syriac and most English versions omit the conjunction that is in both the Greek & Hebrew. It is also omitted in some Hebrew manuscripts as well, but it does not change the story.
BWAq. & Q. translated using the same root without the “para” prefix: aitoumenoV hthtsato.
BXcf. pqd translated as “missing” in 25:7
BY“zabach haiammim, sacrifices of days, which in the Hebrew phrase is taken for a yearely sacrifice, is used in the same sense, c. 1.21” ~Willett
BZTheodotian emended closer to the MT with orgizomenoV orgisqh (“become very angry”).
CASymmachus translated aphrtistai (“is completed” – more in line with the MT). Two verses later, Symmachus used the word dedoktai (“has been thought up”) to translate the same Hebrew phrase.
CB“[I]t was certain he did not love him so well as to desire his presence for any other end than that he might have an opportunity to do him a mischief.” ~Matthew Henry, 1714 AD
CCcf. 18:8, when the ditty about David slaying his ten thousands was very inflammatory with Saul.
CDThe subject of this verb is feminine, not masculine, so “evil” is the subject, not “he.” This is also the case where this verb recurs in v. 9. In 1 Samuel, outside of this chapter, the NASB translated this verb “fail, end, pregnant, finished, finished, exterminated, finished, and plotted,” and the NIV translated this verb “destroy, end, pregnant, stopped, finished, wiped out, finished, and hanging over,” so it seems unusual to translate it with the meaning “decide/determine” in this chapter.
CESeveral Hebrew manuscripts and ancient versions support the LXX “with” (<u).
CFThe Hebrew grammar is negating the 3rd feminine singular direct object “this,” not the verb “tell,” and there is no interrogative in the Hebrew either. The emphasis of the Hebrew wording is that Jonathan would never say THAT, rather than that Jonathan shouldn’t be thought so poorly of that it should be thought of him that he would not TELL. In other words, he wouldn’t have said that his father wouldn’t kill David (or that David’s concern was “nothing”) if he actually knew that his father was wanting to kill David. And furthermore he wouldn’t say that an innocent man like David should be put to death; that would be disgraceful. He would never say such things.
CGMost translations (including the ancient Greek, Syriac, Chaldee, and Latin) treat this as a conditional “if” rather than its standard form of an interrogative. Tsumura, however, translated it “namely.”
CHLXX is 2rd person singular, whereas Hebrew is 1st person plural. The LXX also seems to have been reading a different word such as גור or ישו. The Vulgate follows the MT, and the DSS are obliterated at this point.
CIcf. Aq. exereunhsw (“inquire carefully”), S. exicniasw (“paced out?”), Q. exakribasomai (“inquire exactly”)
CJcf. Symmmachus: kai akouston soi poihsw (“and an audible-message to you will I make”), Q. kai apokaluyw to ouV sou.(“and I will reveal it to your ear”) – the latter is closer to the MT.
CKWillett
argued that this was a nominative followed by a long parenthesis,
picked up again in the next verse with a repeti
tion of
“the LORD” followed by the verb “do…”
Henry followed the Vulgate and KJV route of a vocative
address to God, but that is inconsistent with the verse’s
wording
that this was something “Jonathan said to
David.”
Gill: “‘[by] the Lord God of
Israel, [I swear unto thee]’; for this is the form of the
oath, as Jarchi and Kimchi.
Goldman wrote,
“The words ‘be witness’ are to be understood.”
(But they’re not in the AJV.)
K&D: “Jonathan
commences with a solemn invocation of God: ‘Jehovah, God of
Israel!’ and thus introduces his oath. We
have
neither to supply ‘Jehovah is witness,’ nor ‘as
truly as Jehovah liveth,’ as some have suggested.”
CLThe
LXX and Vulgate ignore all three negatives in this verse, and the
Syriac re-translates to non-negatives (e.g. the homophone לו
“to him”).
Only the KJV
preserves the first
negative “not only”; only the NASB preserves the second
negative “will you not show”, and the KJV, NAS, NIV, and
ESV all preserve the third negative “not die”.
Willet,
citing Vatabulus, advocated for “[If I do not shew thee
mercie], while I live then do not thou shew toward me the mercy of
the Lord, no not when I am dead.” (Which omits only the second
“not”)
Keil & Delitzsch: “[T]he Masoretic
text gives no appropriate meaning... There is really no other course
open than to follow the Syriac and Arabic, as Maurer, Thenius, and
Ewald have done, and change the וְלֹא
in the first two clauses... into וְלוּ
or וְלֻא,
according to the analogy of the form לוּא
(14:30), and to render the passage thus: ‘And
mayest thou, if I still live, mayest thou show to me the favour of
the Lord, and not if I do, not withdraw thy favour from my house for
ever, not even (וְלֹא)
when Jehovah shall cut off the enemies of David…” -
which is basically what the NIV & ESV did.
CMSymmachus translated with a Greek word closer to the central meaning of the MT word ekkoyeiV (“cut off”).
CNThe Lucian Rescription reads ei exarqhsetai tw Iwnaqan meta tou oikou Saoul (“if he be driven away to Jonathan with the house of Saul”).
COThis
is challenging to translate. Most versions simplify it by omitting
the phrase “from the hand of.”
“The idiom,
‘A seek B from the hand of C,’ means ‘A hold C
responsible for B…’” ~D. Tsumura
The KJV and
NASB interpretation of it being an accountability mechanism to the
covenant (David, if you fail to hold up your end of the covenant,
Yahweh will punish you, using the hands of your enemies.) reads well
except the preposition attached to “hand” is ablative
“from/out of.”
Switching the word order to put
“hand/control” before the preposition “from,”
allows word-for-word integrity but maybe not overall
integrity.
CPcf. synonym for swearing out an oath: S. orkw. Q. tou orkisai
CQJunius, Willett, and Henry advocated for “Jonathan made David swear” (based on the hiphil stem of “swear”) but Willett admitted that the majority of commentators of their day were for “Jonathan swore again to David.”
CRThe Hebrew literally reads: “...in love of him, for the love of his soul he loved him.”
CSSymmachus rendered “sought-after” (zhthqhsh) here, and “empty” (usterhsen) when this word re-occurs in v.25, but the LXX has a very good rendering of the Hebrew word, which means “accountable” (both of persons before God at the religious observation He commanded, and of seats, which were “accounted for”), not actually “missed” or “empty” although these latter terms are not inimical to the original idea.
CTAll the later Greek versions (Aq., Sym., etc.) corrected to the MT with katabhsh (“go down”).
CUThe LXX is clearly following a different textual form than the MT. Aq. & Sym. corrected to the MT with liqon (“stone”).
CV“The expression... means literally ‘you/she shall go down well…’ We might well interpret this clause tered meod ‘let her (=the sun) go down well,’ as ‘wait until it gets dark.’” ~D. Tsumura
CWTsumura
followed Rachi with “working day” as opposed to a
holiday (Ezekiel 46:1)
K&D: “The meaning of
הַמַּעֲשֶׂה
בְּיֹום is
doubtful. Gesenius, De Wette, and Maurer render it “on the day
of the deed,” and understand it as referring to Saul's deed
mentioned in 19:2, viz., his design of killing David [cf. NASB “on
that eventful day” – which is a good and reasonable
translation]; others
render it “on the day of business,” i.e., the working
day (Luther, after the lxx and Vulgate [this was also the position
of Rashi and of NICOT commentator D. Tsumura, who used Ezekiel 46:1
as a prooftext])... The best is probably that of Thenius, “on
the day of the business” (which is known to thee).”
(This would make a sensible parallel to the opening of the verse “on
the third.”)
CXAq. ta belh (“the projectile”)
CYSyriac also omits “to the side”
CZSyriac also omits “for me”
DAThe LXX transliterated the Hebrew word for “target/mark;” other versions translated it: Aq. eiV ton skopon, h fulakhn (“into the sight, the keeper”). S. eiV ton suntetagmenon (“into the arrangement”).
DBThis verb is in the MT but not in the LXX.
DCThe Septuagint was clearly interpreting a different textual tradition; it even makes “the mark” definite, whereas in Hebrew it is indefinite “a mark.” The same goes for “lad/boy” in the next verse. It’s definite in Greek & Hebrew, but translated indefinite in English.
DDDouay Rheims wins the prize in my book for best of the standard translations of the end of this verse. The second verb in Hebrew is not “shoot” but “send,” immediately followed by the prepositional phrase “for me,” so “exercising myself” comes closer than the other standard translations to conveying the sense of the Hebrew, although “to send them for myself towards a target” might be an even better literal translation.
DEThis noun is translated “target” in only two other O.T. verses: Job 16:12 and Lam. 3:12. In 12 other places it is translated “prison” (KJV) or “guard” (NASB/NIV), the bridging idea being that of keeping your eyes watchfully on this object.
DFMT and Vulgate read plural “arrows” in both places in this verse - and in the one place it occurs in the next verse, but LXX seems to have mistakenly rendered it singular in all three places. “Arrow” is singular in most of its other occurrences in this chapter.
DGThe pronomial suffix on this infinitive is 3rd singular, not matching the plural “arrows” or the second-person commands to the lad. It seems that most English versions follow the Masoretic pointing and take the Henah as the pronoun “them” instead of the particle “Behold” (the consonantal text is spelled the same), leaving the third singular suffix on the infinitive “take” to be the subject (“Let him take”). This would be unusual grammar putting great emphasis on “them” which doesn’t make sense. If, on the other hand, the LXX is correct - and the Masoretic pointing is in error - and the Henah is another “behold,” then the 3rd singular suffix could refer to one of the other masculine singular nouns in this verse: “boy,” “peace,” “matter,” or “LORD,” and of those I’d choose “boy.” (Jonathan could be saying to David, “Grab the boy and head back to the palace to meet me.”)
DHBrenton gets my vote for best translation of this word with “reason,” since the Hebrew word has no connotation of “evil,” “harm,” or “danger.” It’s the same word translated “matter” in v.23. I’d prefer to translate it, “There is nothing the matter.” (cf. the end of v.2 “...there is nothing to this.”
DIIn Hebrew this is the one word that is different between the two scenarios of what Jonathan might say. It’s the difference literally between him telling his squire “See, the arrows are off away from you,” and “See the arrows are off away from you and beyond.”
DJThis is covenant terminology, borrowed from God’s covenant with Abraham in Gen. 17, and copied in Abraham’s covenant with Ephron the Hittite in Gen. 23, Jacob’s covenant with Laban in Gen. 31, and Ruth’s covenant with Naomi (Ruth 1), and afterward between David & Saul in 1 Sam. 24, and Asa & Ben-Hadad in 1 Kings 15 (and the parallel passage in 2 Chron. 16). These are all the occurrences of this phrase between you and between me in the O.T.
DKThe traditional MT reads literally “over bread” (and this is the way the LXX interpreted it), but scribes have suggested “to (אֶל) bread.” The Vulgate and most English translations ignored this preposition altogether. Curiously, the LXX translates “came to the table” instead of “sat down over bread,” indicating a different textual tradition. It makes no real difference in meaning, however, since eating includes coming “to” a “table” to eat “bread/food” and putting your mouth “over” the bread as you bring it from your hand to your mouth.
DLSymmachus translated less-literally wsper eiwqei (“as he was accustomed”).
DMThe LXX reads as though the Hebrew were were וַיְקַדֵּם (“And he came to meet”) instead of וַיָּקָם . Symmachus seems to have corrected to the MT somewhat with “he stood by” paresth.
DNThe Lucian Greek Rescription and the Syriac support the omission of the repeated phrase “to the chair,” but it’s in the original Greek and Hebrew.
DOThe distinction of prepositions “upon his seat… to the wall-seat” seems to indicate that these are not the same seats, but that his dinner seat was toward the wall. The seat of honor in many oriental countries is the one closest to the wall and furthest from the door.
DPJonathan
would have sat at the king’s right hand, but not wanting to be
too close to his Dad in case he should be volatile, got up and
offered his seat of honor to the army captain (Willett, Junius,
Gill, Goldman, K&D).
Jonathan eventually sat down again –
perhaps on the other side of Abner from Saul, for it says in v.34
that he arose from the table later.(Gill)
“Jonathan
arose, in reverence to him both as a father and as his sovereign”
~Matt. Henry
“Jonathan arose — either as a mark of
respect on the entrance of the king, or in conformity with the usual
Oriental custom for a son to stand in presence of his father.”
~Jamieson
“Jonathan ‘took his position’ at
the royal banquet table… Jonathan may have been standing in
attendance ready to serve his father the king.” ~D. Tsumura
DQ“[I]t should be example to masters of families to see to it that those under their charge be not absent from the worship of God, either in public or in the family. It is a bad thing for us, except in case of necessity, to omit an opportunity of statedly attending on God in solemn ordinances. Thomas lost a sight of Christ by being once absent from a meeting of the disciples.” ~Matt. Henry
DRThis word connotes that David may have touched a dead body, a natural consequence of his occupation as a soldier.
DScf. Aq. sunanthsiV (“he met up with”), S. sugkurhma (“coincidence”). cf. 6:9 “fate”
DT“denotes
the second day of the New Moon festival, not ‘the day after
the New Moon’” ~NICOT
“Why the second day of
the month was observed as a festival: Three causes may be rendred
thereof. 1. Because the law was, that if any thing remained of their
free and franke offerings, which was not eaten the first day, it
should be eaten the next, but if ought remained untill the third
day, it should be consumed with fire. Levit. 7.16, 17. It is like
therefore that Saul having frankly offered, the feast was continued
unto the next day. 2. Or this they might do in respect of those
which were uncleane, and could not come the first day, that the
second days feast should be for them: as the like libertie was
graunted for the passover, that they which could not take it the
first moneth being in their iourney, or otherwise letted, might
keepe it the second month. Numb. 11. Mart. 3. Or Saul might keepe
two days feast, whereas the common sort observed but one, in respect
of his magnificence and princely state…” ~Willett
DUThe DSS 4Q52 reads /jl?h lu “over the table,” which supports the LXX, not the MT, although the meaning is not really different. Note that “table” is the object in v.29, obviously meaning the same thing.
DVDSS inserts ta lwa?, at this point, but it appears to be in error because it would read nonsensically, “And Saul answered Jonathan Saul and said…” The LXX supports the MT.
DW Several Hebrew manuscripts add “his father” (wyba) and so do the Syriac and Targums.
DXThis word starts with a vav and a yod in the DSS, supporting the LXX “and he said” (rmayw) rather than the MT.
DYcf. S. apoluson (“release”)
DZcf. A. Q. suggeneiaV (“cousins/relatives”), S. pandhmoV (“all [my] people”).
EAThe Vaticanus from which Brenton translated reads diabhsomai (go down), but the LXX uses a closer translation of the MT “let me go free.”
EBThe DSS prefixes this word “family/tribe” with a lamed preposition (“to/for”) not in the MT, but that doesn’t really change the meaning.
ECThe DSS reads, “and as for me, my brothers commanded me” ואני צוו לי אחי agreeing with the LXX with its plural verb. Gill commented that if Jesse had died, it would be natural for the eldest of the brothers to assume to patriarchal role of the family and convene a feast like this.
EDDSS adds the particle of entreaty נא ("please”) not in MT or LXX or Vulgate. It doesn’t make a difference in meaning.
EESymmachus corrected to the MT with apaideutwn apostatountwn (“of undisciplined apostates”).
EFSymmachus translated closer to the MT’s meaning with proairei “prefer.” Tsumura translated this word literally as a participle “allying to” and in his final translation rendered “companion of.”
EGSymmachus took the more figurative meaning of “shame/disorderliness” aschmosunhV, but the concepts are closely related in Semitic culture.
EH“See how ill Saul's passion looks, and let it warn us against the indulgence of any thing like it in ourselves. Anger is madness, and ‘he that hates his brother is a murderer’… What fools, what savage beasts and worse does anger make men! How necessary it is to put a hook in its nose and a bridle in its jaws!” ~Matt. Henry
EIThe DSS inserts the word מאד, agreeing with the LXX “very/exceedingly.” Some Hebrew mss insert “his son” instead, further supporting the supposition that a word was removed from the MT here.
EJDSS
has an extra “r” in the middle of this word: twrun
“girls”
(instead
of the MT twun “perverse
woman”) thus
supporting
the LXX “damsels.”
“the distinction soph
pasuch, coming
between these two words, perverse,
rebellion, do shew that they can not agree together as substantive
and adjective… some interpret, as though he should object
unto Jonathan, that he was a bastard, and borne of an adulterous
woman... but rather he objecteth only the stubbornnes of his mother,
that was always contrarie unto him, and so was her son...”
~Willett
The
last word in this verse is a hapex
legomenon, related to
the verb “rebel.”
EKcf. Symmachus edrasqhsetai (“it will be seated”)
ELThis is the literal rendering of the Hebrew and Greek.
EMThe
DSS does not have the final he at the end of this word,
changing “you” to a direct object indicator pointing
only to “kingdom.” Furthermore, DSS does not have the
word “or” before the word “kingdom.” This
supports LXX over the MT.
“Cook explains the Qumran text
as a Niph. verb with a
nota accusativi and
translates ‘your kingdom shall not be firm.”” ~D.
Tsumura
ENThis part of the DSS is obliterated, but it takes the exact same amount of space in Hebrew to write “him to me” as it would take to write the LXX text “the young man” (את הבחר). It makes for no change in the story, but why any changes?
EOThis phrase “to him” is not in the DSS, the LXX, or the Vaticanus; it appears to have been added later by Masorite scribes for clarity, although it isn’t necessary.
EPSaul has already given Jonathan the reason he wants David put to death, namely, that as long as David is alive, Jonathan won’t succeed Saul as king. By his answer, Jonathan is rejecting the rex lex (“the king is the law”) principle of his father for the lex rex principle later propounded so effectively by Samuel Rutherford, that “the law should reign” and therefore the king must have a legal reason to put David to death (a conviction of a crime worthy of death), not merely a personal reason.
EQIt appears that this word has been interpreted differently over the years. The DSS supports the MT spelling, but the Syriac, Targum, Vulgate, and LXX interpret as “picked up” rather than “hurled.” The result, however, was the same, so no change to the story.
ERThe
Hebrew is literally, “it was fully-intended with his father,”
and, although there is no explicitly-stated referent to “it,”
the context makes it easy to see that “it” refers to the
murder of David.
Other versions have solved the problem by
changing a letter in the Hebrew, adding a stem to the yod,
making awh
(“desire/calamity”), and the LXX added a word “evil,”
all of which work to convey the same basic idea.
“[T]he
verb (kalah, 3ms) does not agree in gender with its subject
(hi’, 3fs), But there are cases where a verb which
precedes its subject does not agree with its subject but is in the
3ms, that is the unmarked, form, and this may be an instance of
that.” ~D. Tsumura
EScf. A. dieponhqh (“be done evil to”), S. wdunhqh (“be pained”), Q. eluphqh (“be grieved”).
ETAq. enetreyen (“will turn in”), Q. kathscunen (“be ashamed”).
EUThe DSS has a more intensive and colorful word here zjpyw (“boiled over”), supporting the LXX translation ἀναπηδάω (“leapt up”). Throughout the LXX, the Hebrew root qum (the verb in the MT here) is usually translated with some form of the verb histami (40 out of the other 45 times this verb appears in 1 Samuel: 1:9, 1:23, 2:8, 2:35, 3:8, 4:15, 9:3, 9:6a, 9:6b, 13:15, 16:12, 16:13, 13:14, 15:13, 17:35, 17.48, 17.52, 18:27, 20:41, 21.1, 21.11, 23.4, 23.14, 23.16, 23.24, 24.5, 24.8a, 24.8b, 24.9, 24.21, 25.1, 25.29, 25.41, 25.42, 26.2, 26.5, 27.2, 28.23, 28.25, 31.12), and of the other 5 times, the translation is a different word than the one found here (επεγειρω in 3:12 &22:8, τηρεω 15:11, 20:25 προφθανω, and τιθεμι 22:13). In fact, the LXX only uses the word anapedaw one other time in the OT, and that is where the MT word is נוח, so this strongly supports the conclusion that the LXX translators were not looking at the MT word yaqum, but rather at the word in the DSS.
EVDSS has a different compound preposition lum (“from upon”) rather than the MT (“from with”), but this doesn’t change the story.
EWLXX appears to have translated le’moed two different ways and left them both there: “as appointed” and “for a witness.” Later Greek translations (Aq., Sym, Theod.) rendered kata thn suntag- (“according to the arrangement”). The DSS, MT, and V do not support the LXX’s duplication.
EXMorning, “Abarbinel says, was the time the nobles agreed on for walking, and motion, and for hunting, and casting of arrows, so that Jonathan could go forth without suspicion.” ~J. Gill
EYcf. synonyms for “arrows” A.Q. belh, S. akontia.
EZcf. synonym Q. uperebh (“went over”).
FANeither the DSS nor the LXX have the pronoun “his” after the word “boy” like the MT does, although the definite article before the word “boy” could be interpreted that way, and it doesn’t change the meaning. It’s just another evidence the MT is not the same text that was being used by the DSS copyists and LXX translators before the time of Christ.
FBDSS reads ...Jjh ta jq Jwr runl “to the lad, ‘Run, get the arrow…’” The second verb matches the Vulgate, but not the LXX and MT “find.” The direct object sign in the DSS is rendered as a particle of entreaty in the MT and as a 1s prepositional phrase in the LXX and Vulgate. The practical difference in meaning, however, is not significant. Jonathan said in v.20 he would shoot 3 arrows, but only one of them is mentioned in this verse. v.38 indicates that more than one arrow was gathered up.
FCLXX, Syriac, Targums, and Vulgate all have an “and” before this word, and, although it is obliterated in the DSS, there would be room for the extra vav stroke between legible sections.
FDDSS adds the word העירה (“beyond him [toward the town]”) This doesn’t necessarily change the story, but does add detail, and it would support the fact that the Vulgate also saw something in the original after “beyond him,” although they read it as הנערה.
FEThe LXX and Vulgate read as though the Hebrew text were הנה (“there/behold”) instead of “Isn’t?” The DSS is obliterated at this point, but the reading of the LXX and Vulgate would fit in the space.
FFThe Vaticanus has the words from the MT which are missing in the Rahlf edition of the LXX plus two more: και ενεγκε [τας σχιζας].
FGDSS uses a synonym for “lad” hmlu which does not have the 3ms pronoun “his” on the end of it suggested by LXX & Q.
FHThe Masoretic scribes suggested this word be pluralized הַחִצִּים, but the MT tradition is singular. The LXX and Vulgate translate plural, as do other ancient and contemporary versions, so the plural may have been original. The DSS manuscripts are both illegible at this point, and the amount of space in the illegible sections doesn’t necessarily prove it one way or the other.
FIThe MT pointing is Qal “he went [himself],” but the ancient text read by the translators of the Vulgate, Vaticanus, Syriac, etc, did not have these vowels, and they all read this word as Hiphil “he caused [the arrows] to go,” which is just as legitimate and doesn’t introduce a practical difference into the story, for if he “brought” the arrows, he also “came” himself. The wording of the LXX is more terse, but it supports the meaning of the Vaticanus, Vulgate, and Syriac instead of the wording of the MT. The Vaticanus, Vulgate & Syriac also have an object to this verb (“them/the arrows”) which the MT does not have. This part of the verse is illegible in the DSS manuscripts, and, while the illegible section doesn’t have enough space for the extra word in the LXX (“arrows”), it might have enough space for a pronoun, so the DSS doesn’t prove it one way or the other.
FJThe Vaticanus doesn’t have the last couple of words in the MT, but they are found in most other LXX editions “knew of the matter.”
FKcf. v.23 “the matter”
FLDSS uses the more picturesque preposition על, supported by the LXX επι, heaping the bow and quiver “upon” the arrows already gathered by the lad, but it’s not a significant variant.
FM Gill: “to the city; to Gibeah, to Jonathan's house, or to his apartments at court there.”
FNcf. v.19 The LXX transliterates the Hebrew word, which is spelled slightly differently than the MT, but Aq. and Symmachus translated the word found in the MT not[i]ou (“south”). The word the LXX transliterated is a place name in Deuteronomy 3:4-14 which means “heap” – thus the ESV translation.
FOThe vav at the end of the MT word would seem to indicate a 3ms object, as the LXX and NIV interpreted it.
FPThe LXX translation is closer to the MT, but Aq. translated ‘etairw (“other”) and Theod. translated adelfw (“brother”).
FQSymmachus corrected to the MT: Dauid de upereballen (“but David exceeded”).
FRSeveral Hebrew manuscripts, as well as the LXX and Vulgate, add an “and” before this word. There is space in the obliterated section of the DSS for an extra vav stroke.
FSK&D translated “south side,” noting that from thence he fled “southwards to Nob.”
FTLiterally
“David caused to be great.” The question as to what
David “made great” is matter of interpretation which
gets a wide range of answers by commentators:
The LXX adds a
word which indicates length of time.
Some of the oldest
commentators interpreted it as height off the ground: “Junius’
reading in this place is the better: ‘untill he raised or lift
up David’: for so both the use of the word will beare this
sense, Psal. 49.10. higdill,
he hath lift up his heele against me: and the circumstance of the
place giveth it: before
it is expressed, that David fell upon his face to the ground: then
while David thus lay lamenting and complaining upon the ground,
Jonathan did lift him up: as Josephus
well
noteth, that he raised him from the ground, embraced, and comforted
him…” ~Willett
A
contemporary commentator see no other option but volume: “The
expression until David cried louder (ad-Dawid higdil)
is literally ‘until David made (his voice) great/magnified.’
Here ‘his voice’ is omitted as a result of brachylogy…
The context requires the comparative sense: louder.”
~D. Tsumura
But most
English versions interpret it along the lines of intensity, as also
Goldman in the Jewish Soncino
commentary, following the AJV: “until
David exceeded i.e. in weeping”.
FUThe DSS has the two previous words in reverse order, but that doesn’t make a difference in translation.
FVDSS inserts the subject “David” here, supporting the reading of the LXX and Vulgate over the MT. Surprisingly, K&D supported that reading on grammatical grounds. (Tsumura argued against it on grammatical grounds.) Gill also supported it.
FWMy
original chart includes the NASB and NIV, but their copyright
restrictions have forced me to remove them from the
publicly-available edition of this chart. I have included the ESV in
footnotes when it employs a word not already used by the KJV, NASB,
or NIV. (NAW is my translation.) When a translation adds words not
in the Hebrew text, but does not indicate it has done so by the use
of italics (or greyed-out text), I put the added words in [square
brackets]. When one version chooses a wording which is different
from all the other translations, I underline it. When a
version chooses a translation which, in my opinion, either departs
too far from the root meaning of the Hebrew word or departs too far
from the grammar form of the original text, I use strikeout.
And when a version omits a word which is in the original text, I
insert an X. (I also place an X at the end of a word if the original
word is plural but the English translation is singular.) I
occasionally use colors to help the reader see correlations between
the various editions and versions when there are more than two
different translations of a given word. The only known Dead Sea
Scroll containing any part of 1 Samuel 21 is 4Q52 Samuela,
which contains fragments of vs. 1-10, and which has been dated
around 250 B.C. Where the DSS and MT agree, the MT is colored
purple. Where the DSS supports the LXX with omissions or text not in
the MT, I have highlighted with
yellow the LXX and its translation into English, and where I
have accepted that into my NAW translation, I have marked it with
{pointed brackets}.
FXLater Greek translators like Aquila and Symmachus corrected to the MT with Acimelek. Although this name occurs many times in 1 Samuel, every time it occurs in the Dead Sea Scrolls of 1 Samuel, it is in an obliterated section, so we don’t know how his name was spelled in the DSS. From a philological perspective, Abimelek (“my father was king”) doesn’t make sense as a title for a Levite priest, but Achimelek (“my brother was king”) is only slightly less-problematic.
FYcf. synonym from Aquila exeplagh (“struck out [of his senses]”)
FZAlthough the text is illegible in the DSS, the spacing between legible portions of this verse does not support the extra word “David” which is in the MT, thus supporting the LXX. The NIV “his” is presumably based on this.
GANAS, NIV, ESV = “trembling” KJV translated this word as “trembl-” every other time in 1 Samuel that this verb occurs (13:7; 14:15; 16:4; 28:5).
GBKeil & Delitzsch suggested that the final letter could be a “ה local” – i.e. “in the direction of Nob,” which doesn’t necessarily change the story at all.
GCDSS imu. No significant difference in meaning from the MT, but perhaps more emphasis on accompaniment rather than mere association. I don’t think we can tell from the LXX which word its translators was looking at. Of the 36 times in 1 Samuel that the LXX uses meta as a translation for the Hebrew MT word ‘im or et, ‘im is favored 83%. For further perspective, about half of the 40 times that et is in the MT of 1 Samuel, the LXX translates it meta. (‘Im is translated meta in 2:8, 2:26, 4:4, 9:24, 10:7, 13:2a, 13:2b, 14:7, 14:21b, 14:21c, 15:6 & 26, 16:12, 17:32, 17:37, 17:42, 18:28, 20:5, 20:8b, 20:13a, 20:13b, 22:8, 22:17, 26:6, 27:3, 27:5, 28:19a, 28:19b, 29:2, and 30:22. et is translated meta in 2:19, 9:3, 13:22a, 13:22b, 29:10, and 30:23. meta is also used to translate achray, min, ‘al, b-, etc.)
GDThe DSS also drops A_himelek’s name out. (Curiously, however, the LXX adds his name later in v.7 where it is not in any other source document.)
GESymmachus translated sunetaxamhn (“made arrangements”).
GFThe LXX transliterates rather than translates the Hebrew words here. Later Greek versions translated: Aq. proV ton topon ton deina toude tinoV (“to this certain place thus-and-so”), S. eiV ton deina topon (“into the such-and-such place”), Q. (eiV ton topon) tonde tina elmwni (“into the place even the certain Elmoni”).
GGNASB = “commissioned,” NIV, ESV = “charged”
GHMT & LXX lit. “word,” NASB, NIV, ESV = “matter”
GINASB = “directed,” NIV = “told to meet,” ESV = “made appointment”
GJNASB, NIV = “a certain”
GKIt appears that the MT copyists accidentally switched the order of the letters ayin and the daleth in this word. The DSS reads ytduy “made an appointment” rather than the MT “caused to know,” and the Septuagint, Vaticanus, and even Symmachus support the DSS. Goldman (in the Soncino Books of the Bible) recommended Eitan’s translation “dismissed,” as did Tsumura (in the NICOT).
GLThis phrase occurs only two other times in the Hebrew OT: Ruth 4:1 (Where it is translated “such a one” by the KJV and “friend” by all the other English versions, and κρύφιε/secretly by the LXX.); and 2 Ki. 6:8 (where all the English versions render it “such and such” and the LXX rendered τόνδε τινὰ ελμωνι “this certain elmoni”)
GMLater Greek versions (A.S.Q.) = laikoi “laypersons”
GNNASB & NIV = “found,” which is closer to the literal meaning of the Hebrew than the KJV.
GOAlthough Ralph’s compilation of the LXX does not render the Hebrew word ak, it is rendered as plhn in the Vaticanus and carried into Brenton’s English version as “at least.”
GPNASB, NIV = “ordinary”
GQNASB, NIV = “consecrated,” ESV = “holy”
GRThis preposition is not in the DSS, Septuagint, Old Latin, Vulgate, or Syriac. It doesn’t make a difference in meaning, though. The DSS has space for way more wording than the MT has, but this part of the verse is obliterated in the DSS, and there are no extra words in the LXX or Vulgate, so maybe it is just blank space indicating the end of a periscope, signified in the MT by a פ.
GSDSS adds the same tag found in the LXX: wnmm <tlkaw (“then they may eat from it”).
GTAq. & Q. = sunesceqh - practically the same as the LXX, being from the same Greek root (“have”) and passive, but more consistent with the MT which makes the singular “woman” the subject of “denied” rather than the LXX 1st pl. “us.”
GUThe Hebrew word for “all” (Greek = panta) is כל, whereas the Hebrew word for “vessels/equipment” is כלי. The MT, DSS, and Vulgate all read the latter, so this appears to be a mistake in translation by the LXX, but not one that changes the story. (It was corrected later by Aquila & Theodotion’s Greek versions to skeuh/vessels.)
GVKJV (and other English versions) translated this phrase “but” in the previous verse, but here, NASB = “Surely,” NIV = “Indeed,” ESV = “truly,” K&D advocated for “nay, but” as in, “no, we’re not a holy bunch, but at least we haven’t seen a woman in three days.”
GWLit. “as/from yesterday three,” NASB = “as previously,” NIV = “as usual,” ESV = “as always”
GXThe Hebrew and Greek grammar indicate that “way/journey” is what is “ordinary/unclean” not the “bread.” cf. NASB/ESV = “it was/is an ordinary journey,” and NIV = “even [on] mission[s] that are not holy” Willett argued against the Genevan Bible of his day (“though the way were prophane”), and his argument may have influenced the KJV “it is in a manner common” (published 4 years after his commentary on 1 Sam.). I didn’t find his arguments convincing, though.
GYNASB/NIV = “how much more then/so today…?”
GZThis is a feminine singular participle, but the Greek and Latin versions read as a 1st plural preterite. The practical upshot is the same whether they withheld themselves from their wives or whether their wives were withheld from them: they have not been sexually active and therefore are not ceremonially unclean on that account.
HASeveral other Hebrew manuscripts and commentaries suggest that this word start with a mem (“from”) instead of a coph (“as/about”), and the LXX, Syriac, Targum, and Vulgate side with them.
HBThe DSS is obliterated here, but there is not enough room between legible portions for this extra word “A_imelech.”
HCThe word in the MT (and Vulgate) is “holy/sacred,” so later Greek versions corrected the LXX to that (agia), but it’s the same bread, just a different label for it imported by the LXX from Exodus 40:23. It is interesting that Jesus later quoted this phrase from the Septuagint rather than from the MT in Matt. 12:4; Mk. 2:26; and Lk. 6:4.
HDNASB, NIV = “consecrated,” ESV = “holy”
HENASB, NIV, ESV = “bread of the Presence”
HFThe Hebrew word for “take” comes later in the verse; the Hebrew word used here is used synonymously, but has more of the connotation of removal than of receiving, thus the NASB, NIV, and ESV = “removed.”
HGDSS reads singular rswmh, agreeing with the singular lechem/bread, and Masoretic margin notes also recommend the singular, but both “bread” and “removed” are plural in Greek. Tsumura attempted to resolve the grammar problem by suggesting that the MT hammusarim is “a s[ingular] noun with an enclitic mem,” which I don’t find convincing because the next word starts with another mem. At any rate, both singular and plural work, because the word “bread” in Hebrew, as in English, can refer to a singular particular loaf or generally to food of any quantity. In this case there were 12 loaves used for the bread of the presence (Lev. 24), but they could still be referred to in the singular as “bread.”
HHAq. sunesceqh (“were kept together”), S. egkekleismenoV (“having been called out”).
HIThe LXX added a transliteration of the Hebrew word in addition to its translation of this word.
HJLater Greek versions corrected to the MT IdoumaioV.
HKS. corrects the LXX to the MT with arcwn “ruler.” Perhaps the LXX mistook the MT word אַבִּיר (“chief”) for אֲתֹנֹת (“donkey”)?
HLThe verb in the MT is the verb of being, and an understood verb of being is in the LXX. NASB & NIV translated more literally “was.”
HMcf. NASB, NIV = “urgent”
HNHapex Legomenon “urgent”
HOLike Jerome did in the Vulgate, Aquila translated thV terebinqou “terebinth tree” rather than transliterating this word.
HPLater Greek translators added back in the phrase “behind the ephod” (Q. opisw thV epwmidoV S. efoud. A. ependumatoV.) which is also in the DSS but missing in the LXX.
HQThe LXX and Vulgate read as though this word were at the beginning of the sentence and as though there is nothing (V) or a copula (LXX) here. The DSS is too obliterated to tell for sure, and the extra space due to the paragraph ending in the previous verse makes any guesses based on word spacing tenuous.
HRThis verb only appears in two other places in the Hebrew Bible: 1 Ki. 19:13 (covering one’s face) and Isa. 25:7 (shrouding the nations).
HSDSS reads dpa rja - basically the same as the MT except no definite article “the.” Willett (following the Targum) tried to make the case that the priest was saying to consult God through the ephod first before taking the sword, but the context indicates that the priest is merely describing the location.
HTThe Greek and Hebrew read “from the presence/face of Saul” - and so do other English versions, although many omit the “presence/face.”
HUThis is the 4th and final repetition of this verb in the narrative of David fleeing (1 Sam. 19:12, 18; 20:1; 21:11).
HVMy
original chart includes the NASB and NIV, but their copyright
restrictions have forced me to remove them from the
publicly-available edition of this chart. I have included the ESV in
footnotes when it employs a word not already used by the KJV, NASB,
or NIV. (NAW is my translation.) When a translation adds words not
in the Hebrew text, but does not indicate it has done so by the use
of italics (or greyed-out text), I put the added words in [square
brackets]. When one version chooses a wording which is different
from all the other translations, I underline it. When a
version chooses a translation which, in my opinion, either departs
too far from the root meaning of the Hebrew word or departs too far
from the grammar form of the original text, I use strikeout.
And when a version omits a word which is in the original text, I
insert an X. (I also place an X at the end of a word if the original
word is plural but the English translation is singular.) I
occasionally use colors to help the reader see correlations between
the various editions and versions when there are more than two
different translations of a given word. The only known Dead Sea
Scroll containing any part of 1 Samuel 21 is 4Q52 Samuela,
which contains fragments of vs. 1-10, and which has been dated
around 250 B.C. Where the DSS and MT agree, the MT is colored
purple. Where the DSS supports the LXX with omissions or text not in
the MT, I have highlighted with
yellow the LXX and its translation into English, and where I
have accepted that into my NAW translation, I have marked it with
{pointed brackets}.
HWThe Greek and Hebrew read “from the presence/face of Saul” and so do other English versions, although many omit the “presence/face”
HXInchoative verb (NICOT)
HYThis is the 4th and final repetition of this verb in the narrative of David fleeing (1 Sam. 19:12, 18; 20:1; 21:11).
HZSymmmachus’ translation was katelegon “speak against”
IALit. “answer” – Goldman noted that this is a “frequentative” imperfect “did they not use to sing?”
IBThe original Masoretic spelling here could be singular or it could be an abbreviated plural, but it’s plural in the LXX, Syriac, Targums, and Vulgate. Masorite scribes suggested adding a yod between the last two letters (בַּאֲלָפָיו) to make it more clear that it is plural. They did the same the first time this quote was printed in 18:7. The only difference between the quote of 18:7 and here is that here, there is an extra “tens of thousands” added to David, that is to say the last word is repeated.
ICNASB = “greatly,” NIV = very,” ESV = “much”
IDAquila: enhllaxen (“went in the opposite direction”), S. metebalen (“changed his mind”)
IEThe Syriac also has a singular direct object “him.” I suspect that here (and later in the verse where the LXX renders “in that day” instead of the MT “in their hands” – and at the end, where the LXX renders “city” instead of the MT “gates” – in both cases the difference of only one letter in Hebrew), the LXX translators were looking at a different text than the MT, but no such ancient text has survived for comparison (The DSS is obliterated here). However, it does not significantly change the story whether David was feigning insanity before King Akish or before Akish’s courtiers (or whether the timing of the incident is referenced by a particular day or by a particular set of persons in control – or whether the doors were to the city or to the gate – which would be the same thing).
IFThe LXX word has more to do with “acting;” Aq. translated more like the MT with parieto (“was negligent/listless”).
IGAquila corrected the LXX to the MT with en ceiri autwn (“in their hands”).
IHAq. prosekrouen (“knocked at”), S.,Q. eyofei (“made noise”) – all the Greek reading as though the Hebrew were וָיָּתָף
IINASB = “disguised his sanity,” NIV = “pretended to be insane”
IJThe concept of “feigning/pretending” is not really in the meaning of this Hebrew word, even though the story indicates that David was acting. cf. NASB = “acted insanely,” NIV = “acted like a madman,” ESV = “pretended to be insane”
IKNASB = “scribbled,” NIV, ESV = “made marks”
ILNASB, NIV = “saliva run”
IMK&D and Driver took the final vav as “circumstance of conversation” and “anticipatory pronomial suffix” that is, a 3ms object, translating “and he changed it, that is his understanding” Tsumura, on the other hand, commented that “the [vav] should be taken as part of the verbal root… as a shortened form [of]… wayyešannaw (*šnw, Pi.),” but there is no such root in my Hebrew lexicons.
INThere are a couple of Hebrew manuscripts with a different preposition before this word (ל = “before” rather than “in”), and the LXX, Vulgate, and some Targum manuscripts support this.
IOThis Hithpolel is uncommon, but it is also found in Jer. 25:16; 46:9; 50:38; 51:7; and Nah. 2:5, all describing out-of-control behavior.
IPThis verb תוה only occurs two other times in the Hebrew Bible: Ps. 78:41 (where it is translated “limited, pained, vexed, provoked” the LORD) and Ezek. 9:4 (where it is translated “make a mark” on foreheads). The spelling in the MT is slightly abbreviated, so Masoretic scribes noted in the margin that a yod should be inserted before the last letter (וַיְתָיו ), a practice followed by several Hebrew manuscripts, and no different in meaning. (A couple of Hebrew manuscripts, however inserted an aleph as the last letter, rendering an unintelligible word awtyw. And Tsumura claimed that the Qere was from a different root, תיו, but that root is not in BDB or Davidson’s Hebrew lexicons, so I’m skeptical.) The LXX adds an interesting insertion which further describes David’s crazy act, but the source of its extra words is not known. (The DSS text type might possibly be a source, but no legible copies of this verse have survived among the Dead Sea Scrolls.)
IQcf. synonymns: Aq. paraplhkteuomenon (“troubled”), S. parafrona (“out of his mind” - in the next verse, Symmachus switches to μαινομαι/insane).
IRMy
original chart includes the NASB and NIV, but their copyright
restrictions have forced me to remove them from the
publicly-available edition of this chart. I have included the ESV in
footnotes when it employs a word not already used by the KJV, NASB,
or NIV. (NAW is my translation.) When a translation adds words not
in the Hebrew text, but does not indicate it has done so by the use
of italics (or greyed-out text), I put the added words in [square
brackets]. When one version chooses a wording which is different
from all the other translations, I underline it. When a
version chooses a translation which, in my opinion, either departs
too far from the root meaning of the Hebrew word or departs too far
from the grammar form of the original text, I use strikeout.
And when a version omits a word which is in the original text, I
insert an X. (I also place an X at the end of a word if the original
word is plural but the English translation is singular.) I
occasionally use colors to help the reader see correlations between
the various editions and versions when there are more than two
different translations of a given word. The only known Dead Sea
Scrolls containing 1 Samuel 22 are 4Q51Samuela (dated
between 50-25 B.C.), which contains fragments of vs. 10-11, and 4Q52
(dated 250BC), which has fragments of vs. 8 & 9. I have colored
in purple the text in the MT which corroborates with the DSS. Where
the DSS supports the LXX with omissions or text not in the MT, I
have highlighted with yellow
the LXX and its translation into English, and where I have accepted
that into my NAW translation, I have marked it with {pointed
brackets}.
ISThe “all” is also missing in the Targum (and the NIV). It doesn’t change the story, though.
ITAq., Q. sunecomenoV (“under compulsion/hard-pressed/distressed/incarcerated?”), S. stenocwroumenoV (“confined/restricted”)
IUAq. translated more literally pikroV (“bitter”).
IVAq. and others changed the LXX to eqeto autouV pro (“put them before the presence”), to be more in line with the MT.
IWcf. synonyms in later Greek versions: Aq. ocurwmati (“fortress”), S. eqiboulh (“throw-place/where one is accustomed to be flung?”), Q. (eiV) katafughn (“place that one flees down to”).
IXThe Hebrew word for “forest” (יער) and the word for “city” (עיר) contain the same three letters, so the confusion between them is easier to see, but the LXX Sarich (שרח) only has two of the same letters as the MT Hebrew חרת, both the starting and ending letters being different, so it’s hard to imagine where the LXX reading came from.
IYTsumura explained this awkward grammar, “‘to you’ functions as something like an Akkadian ventive… a directional element that denotes motion or activity in the direction of, or to a point near, the speaker...”
IZMy
original chart includes the NASB and NIV, but their copyright
restrictions have forced me to remove them from the
publicly-available edition of this chart. I have included the ESV in
footnotes when it employs a word not already used by the KJV, NASB,
or NIV. (NAW is my translation.) When a translation adds words not
in the Hebrew text, but does not indicate it has done so by the use
of italics (or greyed-out text), I put the added words in [square
brackets]. When one version chooses a wording which is different
from all the other translations, I underline it. When a
version chooses a translation which, in my opinion, either departs
too far from the root meaning of the Hebrew word or departs too far
from the grammar form of the original text, I use strikeout.
And when a version omits a word which is in the original text, I
insert an X. (I also place an X at the end of a word if the original
word is plural but the English translation is singular.) I
occasionally use colors to help the reader see correlations between
the various editions and versions when there are more than two
different translations of a given word. The only known Dead Sea
Scrolls containing 1 Samuel 22 are 4Q51Samuela, which
contains fragments of vs. 10-11 (and which has been dated between
50-25 B.C.) and 4Q52 (which has been dated to 250BC), which has
fragments of vs. 8 & 9. I have colored in purple the text in the
MT which corroborates with the DSS. Where the DSS supports the LXX
with omissions or text not in the MT, I have highlighted
with yellow the LXX and its translation into English, and
where I have accepted that into my NAW translation, I have marked it
with {pointed brackets}.
JALit “heard” Symmachus = efanh (“shone”)
JBThe Hebrew word Eshel only occurs two other places in the Bible (Gen. 21:33 and 1 Sam. 31:13), and it’s exact meaning was apparently little-known. Aquila rendered it δενδρωμα (“tree”), and Symmachus φυτον (“plant”), but later versions settled on “tamarisk tree.”
JCNASB, ESV = “sitting,” NIV = “seated”
JDThe Hebrew and Greek have a definite article “the” before this word. The NASB, NIV, ESV, NLT, NKJV, NET, RV, ASV, AJV, and French, Latin, & Spanish versions all read “tamarisk” – an evergreen tree with hard wood, long life, feathery leaves and pretty pink flowers.
JENASB, ESV = “height” (supported by Willet, Henry, K&D, Goldman, and Tsumura), NIV = “hill” – not to be confused with the Ramah on which Samuel lived. It comes from the Hebrew root rum meaning “high/exalted.”
JFNASB translates the Hebrew conjunction dropped out in the KJV, NIV, and ESV as “also.”
JG“The term gam… functions as a ‘focusing gam’ rather than contrasting…” ~D. Tsumura (NICOT)
JHAncient versions (including the Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate) added an “and” before this word, but it’s just for a smoother reading; it doesn’t change the meaning.
JIcf. 8:12 – Samuel prophecied that it was an undesirable thing for a king to be drafting army officers
JJThe LXX word has to do with “situating together,” cf. synonyms in later Greek versions: A. sunedhsate (“make a pact together”), S. suneqesqe (“be together” – the LXX goes for this translation when the word occurs again in v.13), Q. sundesmoV (“bind together” – in v.13 where the Hebrew word is repeated, Theodotian translates it sunestrafhte (“turned together against”).
JKcf. Symmachus sumpaqwn (“sympathizers”).
JLSymmachus conforms more to the MT with enedreuthn (“plot/lie in wait”). Note repeat of the word in v.13.
JMThe Hebrew is a temporal beth prepositional prefix, more properly translated by the NASB, NIV, and ESV as “when”.
JNThe Hebrew & Greek words have more to do with getting up into a standing position, not “stirring,” cf. NIV “incite”
JONASB = “ambush”
JPcf. 18:1 when this word is used to say that Jonathan’s soul “was knit” to David’s
JQThe loss of revelation which Saul laments is one of the effects of his own rebellion against God who reveals important information. cf. 1 Samuel 9:15 “Now, Yahweh had made a revelation into Samuel's ear...”
JR“[O]nly the verb *krt [“cut”] is used; th word brt ‘a covenant,’ is omitted by brachylogy.” ~D. Tsumura
JSThis word has two meanings in Hebrew 1: sick/weak/pained (as it is in 19:13) and 2: made requests (as it is in 13:12). It’s unclear which meaning is intended.
JTLXX translated as though the Hebrew word were ארם instead of אדם. Josephus concurred, but no one else that I know of.
JUIn vs. 6 & 7, the KJV translated this word “stood,” and here the NASB, NIV, and ESV translate it “standing.”
JVDSS (***wlab) and LXX, as well as Syriac and some other Hebrew manuscripts read “God” rather than “LORD” here, and then the word “God” instead of “LORD” is used in the dialogue recounting this in v.13, but both refer to the same personal God, so there is no contradiction.
JWThis is a less-common word used of food that you could take with you and eat on a journey. Saul uses the term “bread” (לֶחֶם/ἄρτον) as a synonym later in v.13.
JXLXX reads as though the Hebrew were בני (“sons”) instead of בית (“household”). The practical meaning is not that different, although the household would be a wider designation including wife and servants.
JYNASB, ESV = “summon”
JZDSS reads ל, but the LXX supports the MT את; the meaning is not really different.
KASymmachus added a little more meaning than is there in the Hebrew with pareimi (“I arrive”).
KBSee earlier endnote on this word where it occurs in v. 8
KCAquila, Symmachus, and Theodotian render epanasthnai (“to stand up against”), and omit the pronoun “him” introduced in the LXX, but the meaning is not different.
KDAquila and Theodition corrected the LXX’s personal pronoun to the MT’s demonstrative pronoun “this” (tauthn).
KEQere margin note reads אֵלָיו, making it more clear by the spelling that the final letter is the pronomial object of the preposition, but not actually different in meaning.
KFcf. synonym in Aquila and Symmachus = numfioV.
KGTheodotion supported the traditional translation of this phrase with upakouein (“to obey”).
KHcf. NASB, NIV, ESV = “captain of/over your [body]guard” See next footnote.
KITraditional Bibles, including Targums, LXX, later ancient Greek versions (Aquila, Symmachus, and Theodotion), Vulgate, Geneva Bible, KJV, NKJV, RV, ASV, AJV, and the French NEG, as well as the morphologies by Strong, by Groves-Wheeler, and by the NAS, all interpret this as a participle of סוּר (“to turn away”), but the newer versions, including NASB, NIV, ESV, NET, NLT, CEV, and Spanish NBLH interpret this as a noun שַׂר (“prince/captain”). This influences their interpretation of the following word, the root of which is shema’ (“hear/heed”), the traditional versions (plus commentaries by Willett, Henry, Gill) going with “heeding commands,” and the contemporary versions (plus the NICOT commentary) going with “bodyguard” (not to be confused with the word in v.17 which they also translate “guard,” which actually means “errand-runners;” Hebrew has a different word for the concept of “guarding/protecting.”). Keil & Delitzsch, on the other hand, have a slightly different interpretation, cross-referencing 2Sam. 23:23 and 1Chron. 11:25, where מִשְׁמַעַת occurs again, “in the sense of a privy councillor of the king, who hears his personal revelations and converses with him about them... סוּר, lit. to turn aside from the way, to go in to any one, or to look after anything (Ex. 3:3; Ruth 4:1, etc.); hence in the passage before us “to have access,” to be attached to a person. This is the explanation given by Gesenius...”
KJ“refers probably to ‘an intimate circle of royal retainers, i.e. a king’s bodyguard’” ~Tsumura, quoting McCarter. Literally it only refers to “those who hear,” however.
KKAquila rendered the MT more literally than the LXX with bebhlon moi (“profanation to me”), and Symmachus and Theodotian rendered that euphamistically ilewV moi (“mercy on me”).
KLcf. Symmachus upolambanetw (“undertake”).
KMNIV and ESV translate this less literally with “of course not/no.”
KNLiterally “put/set” NIV = “accuse”
KOThis word is spelled לְשָׁאוּל in the Qere margin notes (and in the Leningrad codex) to make it more clear that this word is an infinitive of sha’al, but it doesn’t change the meaning.
KPThe Greek, Latin, and Syriac ancient versions all have a conjunction (“and/or”) before this word.
KQThis is the third histemi compound in the LXX of 1 Sam 22 used to translate the same Hebrew word, the previous compounds being parahistemi (“stand alongside”) and kathistemi (“stand against”).
KRThe Hebrew word has to do with “going around;” the LXX has a better translation of the same word a couple verses later with epistrepho.
KSThe Syriac and Vulgate also don’t have the conjunction in the MT.
KTHebrew literally = “runners” NASB & NIV = “guards” (ESV erroneously changed it to singular “guard”)
KUThe Qere note in the margin of the MT (אָזְנִי) agrees with the more-ancient Greek and Latin, changing the 3rd masculine singular pronoun (“him”) to a 1st singular pronoun (“me”). Most English translations follow the LXX, Vulgate, and Qere.
KVcf. synonyms from Aq. and Theod. kuklwson (“go around”), and Sym. metastrafhti (“turn with”).
KWSee v.9
KXThe Lucian rescription of the LXX reads 350, as do some of the pre-Vulgate Latin manuscripts, but later Greek versions corrected the LXX to the MT’s number ogdohkonta (“80”).
KYcf. Aq. ferontaV ependuma exaireton (“bearing the garments of separation” – interpreting the last Hebrew word literally rather than in the sense of “linen” with its separated fibers). Some ancient Latin manuscripts support LXX’s omission of the final word; it is but a detail which doesn’t change the story.
KZNASB = “attacked,” NIV = “struck down”
LASpellings of this name are varied: It was דֹּאֵג in v.9, now it’s דוֵֹיג shortly followed by דּוֹאֵג, but the Qere suggests דוֹאֵג followed by דּוֹיֵג, and the same goes for v.22, but it’s all the same guy. Tsumura suggested that the original MT spelling (the Kere) was “a phonetic spelling, reflecting the phonetic reality of <palatalization>: [‘] → [y].”
LBThis phrase “linen ephod” only occurs three other places: 1 Sam. 2:18 (Samuel as a boy) and 2 Sam. 6:14 & 1 Chr. 15:27 (David in worship).
LCcf. similar wording in 15:3 of a campaign against Amalekites. “Herein David was a type and figure of Christ, at whose fleeing into Egypt the infants were slaine by Herod.” ~Willett
LDSym. efugen = “escaped”
LENASB, NIV, ESV = “told”
LFSyriac and Vulgate seem to support the LXX idea of responsibility rather than the MT idea of turning around.
LG“[T]he two ki function here differently: the former temporally, the latter as a noun clause indicator.” ~Tsumura
LH“סָבַב is used here in the sense of being the cause of a thing, which is one of the meanings of the verb in the Arabic and Talmudic (vid., Ges. Lex. s. v.)” ~K&D In the New International Commentary on the Old Testament, Tsumura notes that David claims responsibility for the slaughter by claiming to have done the first of the two verbs sbb (literally “go around”) that Saul commanded his men to do to the priests and which Doeg did to the priests (“go around and put to death”).
LIThe LXX translators were clearly looking at Hebrew words that are not the same as the MT. The gist of the statement comes out the same, though.
LJ“‘[Under] protection’ f.s., is an abstract noun used adverbially.” ~Tsumura
LKDavid’s statement is an antithesis to Saul’s statement that opens this periscope. “Can the son of Jesse give you fields and vineyards and military appointments?” Maybe not, but he can keep you safe.
LLMy
original chart includes the NASB and NIV, but their copyright
restrictions have forced me to remove them from the
publicly-available edition of this chart. I have included the ESV in
footnotes when it employs a word not already used by the KJV, NASB,
or NIV. (NAW is my translation.) When a translation adds words not
in the Hebrew text, but does not indicate it has done so by the use
of italics (or greyed-out text), I put the added words in [square
brackets]. When one version chooses a wording which is different
from all the other translations, I underline it. When a
version chooses a translation which, in my opinion, either departs
too far from the root meaning of the Hebrew word or departs too far
from the grammar form of the original text, I use strikeout.
And when a version omits a word which is in the original text, I
insert an X. (I also place an X at the end of a word if the original
word is plural but the English translation is singular.) I
occasionally use colors to help the reader see correlations between
the various editions and versions when there are more than two
different translations of a given word. The only known Dead Sea
Scroll containing 1 Samuel 23 is 4Q52, which contains fragments of
vs. 8-23, and which has been dated at 250 B.C. Where it agrees with
the MT, I have colored the MT purple. Where the DSS supports the LXX
with omissions or text not in the MT, I have highlighted
with yellow the LXX and its translation into English, and
where I have accepted that into my NAW translation, I have marked it
with {pointed brackets}.
LMcf. Symmachus = pronomeusousi (“in the fore-pastures”?)
LNNASB = “plundering,” NIV = “looting”
LO“threshing-floors — These were commonly situated on the fields and were open to the wind (Jdg. 6:11; Rth. 3:2).” ~JFB
LPNASB, NIV, ESV = “attack”
LQKittel noted that multiple Hebrew manuscripts skip down to the ס in v.4, removing the repetition of the inquiry.
LRThe LXX reads as though the Hebrew were מערבה (“merchandise”) instead of מערכה (that which is “arranged”), but later Greek versions conform to the MT with parataxeiV/ranks (Aquila, Theodotian) or stratopeda/footsoldiers (Symmachus).
LSNASB = “ranks,” NIV = “forces”
LTSyriac, and even some Hebrew manuscripts read plural “hands” with the LXX. This doesn’t change the meaning though.
LUGoldman passed along Driver’s note that “go down” would indicate that Q,eilah was at a lower elevation.
LVNASB, NIV, ESV = “livestock” see endnote N below.
LWNIV translates paraphrastically “heavy losses,” ESV is synonymous with KJV, rendering “great blow.” The word “blow/loss/slaughter” is from the same Hebrew root from which the word “struck” comes.
LXThe Qere suggests adding a yod here to make it more clear that “men” is plural, since the MT has a slightly-contracted spelling, but it doesn’t change the meaning.
LY“[I]t should seem he made a sally into the country of the Philistines, for he carried off their cattle by way of reprisal for the wrong they did to the men of Keilah in robbing their threshing-floors.” ~M. Henry “[The Philistines] had brought [cattle] with them for the support of their army; or having routed them, they [David’s troops] pursued them into their own country, and brought off their cattle from thence:” ~J. Gill “fought against the Philistines, drove off their cattle” ~K&D “‘drove off… cattle’ … It may be that the cattle were brought along ‘to forage for what was left on the threshing floors’ (McCarter) or ‘to transport the grain’ (Hertzberg).” ~Tsumura
LZGill noted that Kimchi, Ben Melech, and Abarbinel interpreted this phrase as emphasizing providence/chance rather than intention being the reason that "the ephod came down in his hand," but, on the other hand, the Targums give the verb the causative sense "the ephod he made to descend in his hand.” Tsumura (NICOT) renders it “carried.”
MAThe LXX version is based on the Hebrew root makar, not nakar as the MT is. Symmachus conformed his version to the MT tradition with exedwken (“gave away”), and the Syriac, Chaldee, and Latin versions seem also to agree with the MT.
MBGoldman: “The Hebrew is nikkar, which the older commentators equated with machar, ‘sold, surrendered.’ It can only be explained as the Piel conjugation of nachar, ‘hath alienated’ (cf. Deut. 32:27, Jer. 19:4).” K&D: “נִכַּר does not mean simply to look at, but also to find strange, and treat as strange, and then absolutely to reject.” But the majority of the times this word occurs, it has a positive connotation of recognizing by sight in a familiar way.
MCcf. synonym from Symmachus poliorkein (lit. “put the city under oath”). The word in the LXX literally means “have/possess together.”
MDPiel “cause to hear” appears only here and 1 Sam. 15:4, when Saul summoned 210,000 troops, so it’s likely the numbers were again of this order if he summoned “all the people.”
METhe LXX reads as though the Hebrew had an extra ‘al (“not”) before the verb in addition to the ‘aliv (“upon him”).
MFAquila uses the synonymous phrase eggison to enduma (“bring near the garment”).
MGThe Greek is literally “was not about quiet”
MHThe DSS does not have space in this obliterated section of the verse for this extra word in the LXX. “Of the Lord” is nevertheless assumed, so it doesn’t change anything to have it.
MINASB, NIV, ESV = “plotting” The Hebrew word has a base meaning of being “quiet.”
MJ“lit. forging... from הָרַשׁ; Prov. 3:29, 6:14” ~K&D But everywhere else in the history books, when the Hiphil form of choresh appears (Jdg. 18:19; 1 Sam. 7:8; 10:27; 23:9; 2 Sam. 13:20; 19:11; 2 Ki. 18:36; Neh. 5:8; Est. 4:14; 7:4), it means “be silent.”
MKNASB = for certain,” NIV = “definitely,” ESV = “surely”
MLLater Greek versions correct to the MT tradition with katabhsetai “He will go down.”
MMNIV = “citizens,” The Hebrew root is “Ba’al,” Lit. “lords/masters,” Goldman = “burghers of the city, as distinct from the mass of the people,” M. Henry = “magistrates or elders,” Gill = “lords and great men of the place, the governor of the city, and the heads of it, the chief magistrates in it”
MNNASB, NIV, ESV = “surrender” Same in v.12. The Hebrew word literally means “shut away,” and the KJV, NAS, and ESV all translated it “shut” where it occurred in v.7. (The NIV translated it “imprisoned” in v.7.)
MOThe DSS is obliterated here, but it doesn’t have room for three of the first four words of this verse in the MT; so it supports the LXX, which omits “lords of Keilah into his hand.”
MPDSS instead hdygh
MQThis verse is not in the Septuagint. This text is Fields’ back-translation of the Hebrew into Greek, or possibly that of the Alexandrian manuscript or of Aquila or Symmachus’ versions. Since this verse is in the DSS, Alexandrian Greek, MT, and Vulgate, it seems likely to have been accidentally skipped by the Vaticanus and other LXX copyists.
MRTheodotian translated a little differently, but to the same effect, mh paradwsousin oi econteV Kehla (“The men to whom Q’eilah belong won’t betray me, will they?”).
MSIt appears that the LXX translators read ba’ali as prepositional ב = “in” + על = “upon,” thus the Greek παρα = “around the vicinity”.
MTThis verse is not in Brenton’s translation because it’s not in the Vaticanus manuscript, but it is in the Alexandrian Greek manuscript, as well as in the Dead Sea Scrolls, Masoretic Text, and Latin Vulgate. The following text is my translation of the Greek text in the column to the left.
MUcf. Symmachus kai errembonto ‘opoudhpote (“they just threw down wherever”) – not a literal a rendering of the MT as the LXX is, but not really different in meaning.
MVGoldman = “they went whithersoever they went” See endnote AO.
MWNASB = “gave up the pursuit,” NIV = “did not go [there],” ESV = “gave up the expedition”
MXThe ancient Greek and Latin versions render the number 4 here. It is unfortunate that the DSS is too obscured here for comparison.
MYTargum: “they went to a place which was fit to go unto” Driver: “a Semitic idiom employed where either the means or the desire to be more explicit does not exist” Gill: “not knowing whither they should go, having no particular place in view; but went where they thought they could be safest, or that appeared the most proper place for them” Keil & Delitzsch: “they wandered about where they wandered about, i.e., wherever they could go without danger.” Tsumura: “wandered wherever they could”
MZThe lamed here in the DSS works if the word order of this sentence in the MT is transposed, putting the verb before the subject. This wouldn’t change the meaning except to remove emphasis from Saul as the subject, which wouldn’t change the story.
NALater Greek translators corrected the LXX with a variety of translations for Metsudot: Aquila = ocurwmasi (“strongholds”), Symmachus = katafugaiV (“refuges”), and Theodotian = sphlaioiV (“caves”), all of which get at the same general idea.
NBHere is another case of the LXX both transliterating the Hebrew word (Metsudot) and also translating it (steno- = narrows) instead of just translating it as other versions did.
NCcf. NASB, NIV = “stayed,” ESV = “remained”
NDNASB, ESV = “hill country”
NEIn both Hebrew and Greek, the word “the/his days” is definite and plural.
NFDSS instead brub, a synonym for “desert/wilderness” It would be hard to tell whether the LXX and Latin translated their version from this DSS word or from the MT word. It makes no practical difference in meaning.
NGThe DSS reads **יה, supporting the LXX and Vulgate, which read “Lord” instead of the MT “God.” But both titles refer to the same God, so there is no real difference in meaning.
NHMy
original chart includes the NASB and NIV, but their copyright
restrictions have forced me to remove them from the
publicly-available edition of this chart. I have included the ESV in
footnotes when it employs a word not already used by the KJV, NASB,
or NIV. (NAW is my translation.) When a translation adds words not
in the Hebrew text, but does not indicate it has done so by the use
of italics (or greyed-out text), I put the added words in [square
brackets]. When one version chooses a wording which is different
from all the other translations, I underline it. When a
version chooses a translation which, in my opinion, either departs
too far from the root meaning of the Hebrew word or departs too far
from the grammar form of the original text, I use strikeout.
And when a version omits a word which is in the original text, I
insert an X. (I also place an X at the end of a word if the original
word is plural but the English translation is singular.) I
occasionally use colors to help the reader see correlations between
the various editions and versions when there are more than two
different translations of a given word. The only known Dead Sea
Scroll containing 1 Samuel 23 is 4Q52, which contains fragments of
vs. 8-23, and which has been dated at 250 B.C. Where it agrees with
the MT, I have colored the MT purple. Where the DSS supports the LXX
with omissions or text not in the MT, I have highlighted
with yellow the LXX and its translation into English, and
where I have accepted that into my NAW translation, I have marked it
with {pointed brackets}.
NIAquila (ulh) and Symmachus (drumw) corrected the LXX to the MT word for “wood/forest” Same with vs.16 and 18, although Aquila switches to drumon in v.18.
NJNASB = “became aware”
NKGreek & Hebrew are definite (“the”). NASB & NIV = “Horesh” Same with vs.16, 18 & 19, except it’s not definite in v.16.
NLSymmachus = eqarsune (“encouraged”).
NMNIV = “helped him find strength,” NASB translates uncharacteristically periphrastically = “encouraged him”
NNDSS = hw** agrees with the LXX “Lord,” as does the Targum, over against the MT “God,” but it is a synonymous term. Targum adds “word,” as in “strengthened him in the word of the Lord”
NONIV translated more literally “second”
NPWillett says that “Jonathan was deceived in thinking he should be next unto David, when he was king.” It seems that the focus is not so much on Jonathan aspiring to this position but rather it is on Jonathan submitting to the ascendance of David to the throne. On mishneh, see Esther 10:3 (Mordecai “second to” King Xerxes) and 2 Chron. 28:7 (Elqana “second” to King Ahaz)
NQKittel cites a couple of Hebrew manuscripts which support a definite article here, although it is not in the MT.
NRAll the later Greek versions transliterated this word (Gabaq = “Gibeah”) rather than translating it, but it does mean “hill.”
NSAquila & Symmachus rendered closer to the Hebrew with ocurwmasi (“strongholds”), while Theodotian branched out with sphlaioiV (“caves”), but all are appropriate-enough descriptions of the actual place.
NTAq. = hfanismenhV (“having disappeared”), S. = erhmou (“desert”). Same in v.24 except Symmachus switches to aoikhtou (“house-less place”)
NUThis is a Greek pronunciation of the Hebrew word. The LXX, as it often does with obscure words, transliterated the Hebrew word in addition to translating it.
NVMost commentators considered this word to mean “wasteland” rather than it being a specific place name.
NWThe DSS omits this word, “Is not?” but it’s in the LXX and the Vulgate. There is, however, a good bit of extra space in the DSS for some extra words, so perhaps it could support the MT’s addition of “Is not” and/or the LXX’s addition of “from the desert,” but the words would have to be in a different order in the DSS than the MT for them to fit.
NXSymmachus rendered with synonyms: kata pasan epiqumian sou (“according to all the desire of you”).
NYNASB, ESV = “surrender,” NIV = “hand over”
NZTsumura, following the MT, translated, “It is up to us to deliver him up…” DSS = wnylu dry “let him come down. Upon us…” McCarter, following the DSS translated, “It will be our task…” Not significantly different in meaning.
OAAq., Q. = efeisasqe (“spared the trouble” – a more straight-forwardly accurate statement about what they did for Saul), S. = esplagcnisqhte (“had compassion”). Cf. 1 Samuel 22:8 “...there is no one of you that is sorry [πονῶν] for me, or informs me…” (Brenton)
OBNIV = “concern for” Everywhere else this Hebrew word occurs in the Samuels (1 Sam. 15:3, 9, 15; 2 Sam. 12:4, 6; 21:7), all the English versions translate it “spare” (except 2 Sam 12:4-6, where it is translated “spared,” “refused,” “was unwilling,” “refrained,” “pitied”).
OCSyriac and Targum (“they said to him”) are also plural as opposed to the MT singular, But S & T are 3rd person like the MT, instead of the LXX 2nd person.
ODThe Hebrew word ali without vowel pointing as it originally was, can mean “perhaps” or it can mean “to me.”
OENASB, ESV = “make more sure” Lit. “establish, firm up”
OFThe Hebrew root is “know,” NASB = “investigate,” NIV = “find out”
OGThe Hebrew word here is literally “his foot.”
OHThe Hebrew is literally “he said to me...”
OISeveral Hebrew manuscripts add an “and” here, and there is an “and” here in the LXX, Targum, and Vulgate. There are, by the way, also Hebrew manuscripts which, like the Syriac and Vulgate, read “consider” (הבינו) instead of the MT’s “establish” (הכינו), but that doesn’t really change the story.
OJThe LXX reads as though the MT were מהרה (“quickly” – a word found in v.27) instead of מי ראהו (“Who saw him?”). DSS is obliterated here, but does not have enough space for all the letters in the MT, whereas it does have enough space for the LXX reading. Tsumura, while defending the MT, cited Wellhausen, Hertzberg, and McCarter in favor of the LXX reading here.
OKWillett advocated for the singular, explaining, “David in former times, when he used to go forth to battell for Saul, being asked by what meanes he had such prosperous successe, would answer, that he used subtiltie and policie.” (Gill agreed) R. Isaiah interpreted, "It [my heart] says to me."
OLThere is not enough room in the DSS for the reduplication of the verb found in the MT, thus the DSS supports the LXX which only states the final verb once. The only effect of this is to remove the “very,” and that does not change the story. As for the verb itself, it is relatively rare, occurring only in Ex. 15:8 (where waters “gathered/piled”); Job 5:13 (where the wise are caught in their “craftiness/shrewdness”); Ps. 83:4 (“crafty/shrewd/cunning” counsel/plans); Prov. 15:5 (keeping reproof is “prudent/sensible/wise”); and Prov. 19:25 (the simple will become “wary/shrewd/prudent”).
OMSyriac and some Hebrew manuscripts also reverse the order of “know and see,” along with the Vulgate, but this makes no difference in meaning.
ONNASB, NIV = “hiding”
OONIV = “definite information” This same Hebrew root was translated “prepare” (KJV) or “make more sure” (NASB) in the previous verse.
OPNIV, Goldman = “clans,” but the Hebrew word literally means “thousands.”
OQThe DSS is obliterated at the opening of this verse, but it doesn’t have room for one of the first three words in the MT before the legible word “hiding-places.” The LXX has the first two words “see and know” but not the third word “from all,” so מִכֹּל is probably the word not in the DSS. Puzzlingly, however, מַּחֲבֹאִים through נָכוֹן is missing from the LXX in all its forms (including Vaticanus, Alexandrian, and revisions by Aquila, Symmachus, and Theodotian who tended to follow the MT tradition). Unfortunately, מַּחֲבֹ[אִים] is the last legible word of the 4Q52 Dead Sea Scroll of Samuel, so there is no DSS text to compare the rest of this verse with. The phrase is present in the Vulgate, however, which dates it at least as old as 400AD.
ORGoldman advocated translating this “clans,” which is what the NIV did. Cf. Micah 5:2 NKJV "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel…"
OSLater Greek versions translated this word closer to the meaning of the Hebrew word: Aq. omalh (“the level way”), S. pediadi (“plain”).
OTThe word “Ziph” is different in the LXX from the MT in three respects. It is 1) earlier in the sentence than the MT, 2) plural instead of the MT singular, and 3) definite vs. the MT indefinite.
OUNIV, ESV = “ahead of”
OVNASB, NIV, and ESV transliterated this Hebrew word “Arabah” instead of translating it as the KJV did.
OWHebrew & Greek lit. “right hand,” but the cultural meaning of that word included “south.”
OXSyriac and some Hebrew manuscripts which insert “him” or “David” support this.
OYAlthough “him” is in the DRB, I don’t think it’s in the original Vulgate Latin.
OZSeveral Hebrew manuscripts add a beth preposition (“into”) to the beginning of this word, and practically all the ancient versions (Targum, Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate) also insert the word “in” here.
PALater Greek versions reflect a continuing lack of consensus over the Hebrew word: Aq. qamboumenoV (“panicking”), S. peristellomenoV (“being surrounded”), Q. kruptomenoV (“hiding”).
PBAll the later Greek versions rendered peristefanounteV (“turned themselves around”).
PCThe original Greek and Hebrew instead read “from the face of Saul,” however, the verb translated “hurry/haste” implies “alarm.”
PDNASB = “surrounding,” NIV, ESV = “closing in on”
PENASB = “seize,” NIV, ESV = “capture”
PFNASB, NIV, ESV = “raid”
PGThe root meaning is to “strip off clothing” - and by extension to “flay” an animal-skin (Gen. 37:23; Lev. 1:6; 6:4; 16:23; Num. 20:26, 28), but it is also used as a term for a particular military offensive in Jdg. 9:33, 44; 20:37; 1 Sam. 27:8, 10; 31:8-9; 1 Chr. 14:9, 13; 2 Chr. 25:13; 28:18; and 29:34. It was a strategy employed by both Israelites and Philistines, and the most descriptive passages in Judges indicate that it involved an element of surprise and a fast troop movement.
PHcf. Theodotian’s synonym for “divisions” = diairesewn No Greek versions seemed to consider “escape” as an alternate translation.
PIESV followed the LXX singular passive form (“was called”) rather than the MT plural active form (“they called”), but the meaning is practically the same.
PJThe KJV missed the 2nd Hebrew verb which literally means “to call” (and which is translated “to meet” in most other versions).
PKKJV transliterates the Hebrew. NASB & ESV translate the Hebrew = “Rock of Escape” although the word chaleq doesn’t mean “escape” but rather “smooth” or “apportionment/allotment” - and it has a plural ending.
PLTargum = “therefore they called that place the Rock of Division, the place where the heart of the king was divided to go here and there,” Rashi = “he was in two minds,” McCarter = “Slippery Rock/Bald Mountain.”
PMThe Vulgate actually places this verse with the next chapter, but it is set with chapter 23 in Douay’s English translation.
PNMy
original chart includes the NASB and NIV, but their copyright
restrictions have forced me to remove them from the
publicly-available edition of this chart. I have included the ESV in
footnotes when it employs a word not already used by the KJV, NASB,
or NIV. (NAW is my translation.) When a translation adds words not
in the Hebrew text, but does not indicate it has done so by the use
of italics (or greyed-out text), I put the added words in [square
brackets]. When one version chooses a wording which is different
from all the other translations, I underline it. When a
version chooses a translation which, in my opinion, either departs
too far from the root meaning of the Hebrew word or departs too far
from the grammar form of the original text, I use strikeout.
And when a version omits a word which is in the original text, I
insert an X. (I also place an X at the end of a word if the original
word is plural but the English translation is singular.) I
occasionally use colors to help the reader see correlations between
the various editions and versions when there are more than two
different translations of a given word. The only known Dead Sea
Scroll containing 1 Samuel 24 is 4Q51Samuela, which
contains fragments of vs. 3-24, and which has been dated between
50-25 B.C. Where the DSS is legible and matches the MT, I have
colored the MT text purple. Where the DSS supports the LXX with
omissions or text not in the MT, I have highlighted
with yellow the LXX and its translation into English, and
where I have accepted that into my NAW translation, I have marked it
with {pointed brackets}.
POLater Greek versions have a wide range of translations of this word: Aquila = ocurwmasin (“strongholds” – which is most like the MT word), Symmachus = apofugaiV (“refuges”), Theodotian = sphlaioiV (“caves”). This is repeated in the final verse in this chapter, where Symmachus goes over to Aquila’s ocurwma, and Theodotian comes up with a new word: korufhn.
PPIt’s hard to explain how the LXX (sadaiem – not a Greek word) could be derived from the MT (tsurei hayye’eliym), so perhaps these reflect two textual traditions. Aquila’s and Theodotian’s Greek versions amend to the MT: petrwn twn elaf[in]wn (“rocks of the nimble ones”), whereas Symmachus supported the LXX. The DSS is obliterated at this point, but there is enough space between legible sections for all the text of the MT in this verse, so the DSS does not support the truncated text of the LXX.
PQThe Greek and Hebrew literally = “upon the surface of,” NASB, ESV = “in front of,” NIV = “near”
PRThere are only two other passages in the Hebrew Bible which mention these mountain-goats: Job 39:1 & Psalm 104:18.
PScf. other Greek versions: Aq. dieuqunai (“to give direction”), S. apopathsai (“to walk away”), Q. apokenwsai touV podaV autou (“to empty away at his feet”)
PTNASB, ESV = “-folds,” NIV = “-pens”
PUKJV is the literal translation of the Hebrew. NASB, NIV, ESV = “to relieve himself,” Wycliffe = “to purge the wombe,” Geneva = “to do his easement”
PVNASB, ESV = “sitting”
PWNASB = “inner recesses,” NIV = “far back,” ESV = “innermost parts” (This noun is dual in number.)
PXThe DSS (w**yw) reads plural (“they went”), along with several other Hebrew manuscripts, but the LXX and Vulgate read singular with the MT.
PYJudges 3:24 (Eglon in his privy) is the only other instance of this phrase “cover the feet.”
PZThe DSS is obliterated here, but there is not enough room between legible text in the DSS for this word in the MT. It doesn’t change the story, however.
QALXX connotes a 2-piece outfit. Aquila = ενδυματος (“clothing”), Symmachus = χλαμυδος (“cloak” Back in 15:27 he translated the same word περιβολαιου = “wrap/shawl”), Theodotian = ‘ιματιου (“garment”) This word is repeated in v.12, where Symmachus translates it efestridoV (“outer layer”?), and Theodotian translates it epibolaiou (“throw-over” shawl).
QBThe Syriac supports the LXX in reading plural (“hands”), but it doesn’t change the sense of the statement.
QCLit. “in your eyes”
QDNASB = “edge,” NIV, ESV = “corner” Same in v.6 and v.12.
QENASB = “secretly,” NIV = “unnoticed,” ESV = “stealthily”
QFAlthough the MT is plural (“enemies”), the versions all go with singular (“enemy”), and even the next pronoun in the MT is singular. The Masoretic margin note suggests that it be corrected to singular (אֹיִבְךָ).
QGCf. same phrase in 15:27, “As Samuel turned to go, Saul got a strong grip on a flap of his tunic, and it ripped.” (NAW)
QHRelatively rare word used of the legerdemain of the Egyptian magicians (Exod. 7:22; 8:3, 14), Jael’s and Ruth’s stealthy approaches to sleeping men (Jdg. 4:21; Ruth 3:7), and Saul’s advice to his spies (1 Sam. 18:22).
QICf. Aquila’s synonym eplhxe (“plagued”)
QJNASB = “edge,” NIV & ESV = “corner” It’s the same word used for “wing” in Hebrew. This occurs again in v.11.
QKNo Dead Sea Scrolls have been found of this verse for comparison, but several Hebrew manuscripts and all the ancient versions (LXX, Syriac, Vulgate) insert “of his tunic” = lyumh.
QLThe Syriac supports the insertion of David’s name, and some Hebrew manuscripts do too. There is no known DSS of this verse for comparison.
QMNIV followed the LXX with “lift” and ESV = “put out” MT is literally “send” When this Hebrew phrase is repeated in v.11, KJV translates it “put forth,” but other versions are pretty much the same.
QNNASB (“since”) and NIV (“for”) are more literal translations of the Greek and Hebrew. In v.11, this phrase is repeated, and there the KJV and NASB render it “for,” while the NIV renders it “because.”
QOAq. = sunekalsen (“called together”), S. periespasen (“had them go around?”), Q. hpathsen (“led them away”).
QPCf. synonyms in later Greek versions: S. epetreyen (“turn upon”), Q. afhken (“release”).
QQTargum = “pacified,” NASB = “persuaded,” NIV = “rebuked,” NICOT = “disagreed,” Gordon = “excoriated” Everywhere else this word occurs in the Hebrew Bible, it means “divided/split.”
QRLit. “gave,” NASB & NIV = allow,” ESV = “permit”
QSThis Hebrew root is relatively rare, and everywhere else it is used, it means “split/divide.” The Piel form here is used in Lev. 1:17 & Jdg. 14:6 to denote gutting an animal, and the Qal form used elsewhere (Lev. 11:3, 7, 26; Deut. 14:6-7) denotes having a “cloven” hoof .
QTThe Hishtaphel stem of this verb, common in Biblical formulas of worship, apparently has a final sureq in the third masculine singular form. Most Hebrew verb forms that end with a sureq or vav indicate a plural subject or a third masculine singular pronoun (the latter of which was the interpretation of the LXX).
QUNASB & NIV = “prostrated,” ESV = “paid homage”
QVThis phrase is also found in Gen. 19:1; 42:6; 1 Sam. 25:41; 28:14; 1 Chr. 21:21; 2 Chr. 7:3; 20:18; and Neh. 8:6.
QWAll the later Greek versions corrected to the MT with κακιαν.
QX“David had reason enough to think that Saul persecuted him purely from his own envy and malice, yet he courteously supposes that others put him on to do it, and made him believe that David was his enemy and sought his hurt. Satan, the great accuser of the brethren, has his agents in all places, and particularly in the courts of those princes that encourage them...” ~M. Henry
QYNASB = “said,” NIV = “urged,” ESV = “told” All use the subject “some” as though the subject were plural, but the Masoretic Hebrew is singular (“he said”). The oldest manuscripts of this verse, reflected in Brenton’s and Douay’s English translations, indicate a different textual tradition from the Masoretic which substitutes a verb for “thinking/considering/taking counsel.” No DSS of this verse exists for comparison. Regardless, these variants don’t change the story at all.
QZThe Hebrew verb has a third person feminine singular subject (“she had pity/spared”), but the quote here has no feminine singular noun as an antecedent, thus the feminine singular “eye” was supplied as the subject in the ancient Vulgate translation, even though it is not explicitly there in the Hebrew, and that tradition is carried over in the KJV and NASB. The Syriac, Targums, and Septuagint, however, all read as though it were a first person verb: “I had pity,” and that tradition is carried over in the NIV and ESV.
RASymmachus goes with “trap” (qhraV) rather than the semantic domain of “binding” chosen by the LXX.
RBNASB & NIV = “rebellion,” ESV = “treason”
RCDavid’s repeated use of words about seeing (eyes, see, Behold, look) are striking and seem to result in a breakthrough of Saul getting a correct perception of David - at least temporarily.
RDCf. Psalm 7, particularly v.3.
REDavid uses a specific word used only once in scripture before his time, and that is in the judicial statutes of Exodus 12:13 regarding premeditated vs. accidental manslaughter. (“He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death. However, if he did not lie in wait, but God delivered him into his hand, then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee [that’s the city of refuge]. But if a man acts with premeditation against his neighbor, to kill him by treachery, you shall take him from My altar, that he may die.” Ex. 12:13-15, NKJV)
RFSymmachus translated παροιμια (“proverb”). The LXX word is the NT Greek word for “parable.”
RGThe DSS spells out a plural form of this word (<yynmdqh - the greyed-out letters being obliterated from the manuscript), but the LXX and Vulgate and MT use the singular form. The root of this word has to do with the concept of “East,” related to the idea of “previous time” by the fact that the sun’s progression is East to West, leaving the past in the East. The Septuagint and Vulgate, however, favored “ancient” over “Oriental.” Kimchi suggested that it was Adam himself who coined the phrase. This mashal does not appear to be in the Bible, although Psalm 109:7a uses the last two of the three Hebrew words of this proverb: “During the judgment, it will come out [that he is] wicked…” And Micah 6:10 expresses a similar idea: “...in the house of the wicked man there is a storehouse of wickedness...”
RHHebrew and Greek read “one,” cf. NASB = “single”
RIDSS inserts an emphatic “you” as the subject = אתה, matching the LXX and the Vulgate.
RJThe DSS is obliterated here, but there is too much space for the text of the MT. The extra words και νυν (“and now”) in the Septuagint at the beginning of this verse have been suggested as a fit here (in Hebrew, ועתה), and they would fill the space in the DSS perfectly.
RKDSS inserts או (“or”) here, matching the LXX.
RLDSS inserts a definite article prefix here (ה = the)
RMNASB & NIV = “decide,” ESV = “give sentence”
RNIn the Hebrew and Greek, this is not the word “save” (which is so often translated “deliver”); this is the word for “act as a judge.” The NIV “vindicate” comes closer to this idea.
ROJohn Gill noted, “...before, when he spoke of David, it was only ‘the son of Jesse,’ now ‘my son David,’ as he was by marriage to his daughter...”
RPNASB = “dealt,” NIV = “treated,” ESV = “repaid”
RQNASB = “wickedly,” NIV = “badly”
RR“Saul ... should have said, ‘Thou art righteous, but I am wicked;’ but the utmost he will own is this: ‘Thou art more righteous than I.’ Bad men will commonly go no further than this in their confessions...” ~M. Henry
RSThe DSS is illegible at this point, but there is room for more text than is in the DSS, which could support this extra word in the LXX. It doesn’t make any difference in meaning, though.
RTThe DSS is illegible at this point, but there isn’t enough space for this extra word.
RUNASB & ESV = “[in] that”
RVThe Qere margin notes indicate that a ה should be added to the end of the word to change it from a direct object indicator (which doesn’t make sense here) to the pronoun “you.” The LXX and Vulgate have an emphatic “you” in this position, so the Qere appears to be correct.
RWThis word is omitted in the DSS. Its role in the MT text is to mark the beginning of the second of two statements which Saul recounts David telling him.
RXSyriac and Arabic versions also use the third person instead of the second person here, making the second half the apodosis of the first half of the verse as the LXX does.
RYThe word in the DSS here appears to be “you” (אתה) rather than תהט (“instead”), but it doesn’t change the gist of Saul’s response.
RZBoth the LXX and the DSS have fewer words than the MT does, and they also both end with “this day” (that is, at the two words colored purple earlier in this verse, although it appears that a couple of the words which come later in the MT of this verse were copied before the words “this day” in the LXX and DSS).
SA“[I]t is a tradition of the Jews that Samuel said to him at that time, that he that cut off the skirt of his garment should reign after him” ~John Gill, citing Midrash Tillim apud Abarbinel. in loc.
SBThe DSS is illegible at this point, but there is room for more words than the MT has. The LXX and Vulgate, however, give no indication of additional text. Same goes for vs. 22 and 23.
SCNASB & NIV = “descendants,” ESV = “offspring”
SDKittel noted that several Hebrew manuscripts read אל, which would be more in keeping with this Greek preposition, whereas על (the preposition in the MT here) would usually be translated επι.
SEOnce again the LXX translators transliterated the Hebrew word into Greek characters then translated the Hebrew word into Greek.