1 Samuel

1 Samuel 23:19–24

¹⁹Then the Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah south of Jeshimon? ²⁰Now, O king, come down whenever your soul desires, and we will be responsible for delivering him into your hand.”

²¹“May you be blessed by the LORD,” replied Saul, “for you have had compassion on me. ²²Please go and prepare further. Investigate and watch carefully where he goes and who has seen him there, for I am told that he is extremely cunning. ²³Observe and find out all the places where he hides. Then come back to me with certainty, and I will go with you. If he is in the land, I will search him out among all the clans of Judah.”

²⁴So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the Wilderness of Maon in the Arabah south of Jeshimon,

Read all of 1 Samuel 23

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

1 Samuel 23:19

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Then the Ziphites	זִפִים֙	zi·p̄îm	Noun - proper - masculine plural	H2130 Ziphite
came up	וַיַּעֲל֤וּ	way·ya·‘ă·lū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H5927 go up, ascend, climb
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
Saul	שָׁא֔וּל	šā·’ūl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H7586 Shaul
at Gibeah	הַגִּבְעָ֖תָה	hag·giḇ·‘ā·ṯāh	Article; Noun - proper - feminine singular; third person feminine singular	H1390 Gibah
and said	לֵאמֹ֑ר	lê·mōr	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H559 utter, say
Is not	הֲל֣וֹא	hă·lō·w	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
David	דָ֠וִד	ḏā·wiḏ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
hiding	מִסְתַּתֵּ֨ר	mis·tat·têr	Verb - Hitpael - Participle - masculine singular	H5641 hide, conceal
among us	עִמָּ֤נוּ	‘im·mā·nū	Preposition; first person common plural	H5973 with
in the strongholds	בַמְּצָדוֹת֙	ḇam·mə·ṣā·ḏō·wṯ	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine plural construct	H4679 fastness, stronghold
at Horesh	בַּחֹ֔רְשָׁה	ba·ḥō·rə·šāh	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine singular	H2793 wood, wooded height
on the hill	בְּגִבְעַת֙	bə·ḡiḇ·‘aṯ	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct	H1389 hill
of Hachilah	הַֽחֲכִילָ֔ה	ha·ḥă·ḵî·lāh	Article; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H2444 Chakilah
south	מִימִ֥ין	mî·mîn	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular construct	H3225 right hand
of Jeshimon	הַיְשִׁימֽוֹן׃	hay·šî·mō·wn	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3452 waste, wilderness

1 Samuel 23:20

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Now	וְ֠עַתָּה	wə·‘at·tāh	Conjunctive waw; Adverb	H6258 now
O king	הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ	ham·me·leḵ	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4428 king
come down	רֵ֑ד	rêḏ	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H3381 come or go down, descend
whenever	לְכָל־	lə·ḵāl	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
your soul	נַפְשְׁךָ֥	nap̄·šə·ḵā	Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
desires	אַוַּ֨ת	’aw·waṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H185 desire
and we will be responsible	וְלָ֥נוּ	wə·lā·nū	Conjunctive waw; Preposition; first person common plural
for delivering him	הַסְגִּיר֖וֹ	has·gî·rōw	Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct; third person masculine singular	H5462 shut, close
into your hand	בְּיַ֥ד	bə·yaḏ	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct	H3027 hand

1 Samuel 23:21

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
May you	אַתֶּ֖ם	’at·tem	Pronoun - second person masculine plural	H859 thou
be blessed	בְּרוּכִ֥ים	bə·rū·ḵîm	Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine plural	H1288 kneel, bless
by the LORD	לַֽיהוָ֑ה	Yah·weh	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
replied	וַיֹּ֣אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
Saul	שָׁא֔וּל	šā·’ūl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H7586 Shaul
for	כִּ֥י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
you have had compassion	חֲמַלְתֶּ֖ם	ḥă·mal·tem	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural	H2550 spare
on me	עָלָֽי׃	‘ā·lāy	Preposition; first person common singular	H5921 height

1 Samuel 23:22

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Please	נָ֞א	nā	Interjection	H4994 I (we) pray, now
go	לְכוּ־	lə·ḵū-	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural	H1980 go, come, walk
and prepare	הָכִ֣ינוּ	hā·ḵî·nū	Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine plural	H3559 be firm
further	ע֗וֹד	‘ō·wḏ	Adverb	H5750 a going round, continuance
Investigate	וּדְע֤וּ	ū·ḏə·‘ū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural	H3045 know
and watch	וּרְאוּ֙	ū·rə·’ū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural	H7200 see
carefully where	אֲשֶׁ֣ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
he goes	תִּֽהְיֶ֣ה	tih·yeh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
and who	מִ֥י	mî	Interrogative	H4310 who?
has seen him	רָאָ֖הוּ	rā·’ā·hū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine singular	H7200 see
there	שָׁ֑ם	šām	Adverb	H8033 there, thither
for	כִּ֚י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
I am told that	אָמַ֣ר	’ā·mar	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
he	הֽוּא׃	hū	Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
is extremely cunning	עָר֥וֹם	‘ā·rō·wm	Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute	H6191 be shrewd, crafty

1 Samuel 23:23

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Observe	וּרְא֣וּ	ū·rə·’ū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural	H7200 see
and find out	וּדְע֗וּ	ū·ḏə·‘ū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural	H3045 know
all	מִכֹּ֤ל	mik·kōl	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
the places	הַמַּֽחֲבֹאִים֙	ham·ma·ḥă·ḇō·’îm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H4224 hiding-place
where	אֲשֶׁ֣ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
he hides	יִתְחַבֵּ֣א	yiṯ·ḥab·bê	Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H2244 withdraw, hide
Then come back	וְשַׁבְתֶּ֤ם	wə·šaḇ·tem	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural	H7725 turn back, return
to me	אֵלַי֙	’ê·lay	Preposition; first person common singular	H413 motion to
with	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
certainty	נָכ֔וֹן	nā·ḵō·wn	Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular	H3559 be firm
and I will go	וְהָלַכְתִּ֖י	wə·hā·laḵ·tî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular	H1980 go, come, walk
with you	אִתְּכֶ֑ם	’it·tə·ḵem	Preposition; second person masculine plural	H854 with
If	אִם־	’im-	Conjunction	H518 if
he is	יֶשְׁנ֣וֹ	yeš·nōw	Adverb; third person masculine singular	H3426 being, substance, existence
in the land	בָאָ֔רֶץ	ḇā·’ā·reṣ	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine singular	H776 earth, land
I will search him out	וְחִפַּשְׂתִּ֣י	wə·ḥip·paś·tî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular	H2664 search
among all	בְּכֹ֖ל	bə·ḵōl	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
the clans	אַלְפֵ֥י	’al·p̄ê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H505 thousand
of Judah	יְהוּדָֽה׃	yə·hū·ḏāh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3063 Judah

1 Samuel 23:24

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
So they set out	וַיָּק֛וּמוּ	way·yā·qū·mū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H6965 arise, stand up, stand
and went	וַיֵּלְכ֥וּ	way·yê·lə·ḵū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H1980 go, come, walk
to Ziph	זִ֖יפָה	zî·p̄āh	Noun - proper - feminine singular; third person feminine singular	H2128 Ziph
ahead of	לִפְנֵ֣י	lip̄·nê	Preposition-l; Noun - common plural construct	H6440 face, before
Saul	שָׁא֑וּל	šā·’ūl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H7586 Shaul
Now David	וְדָוִ֨ד	wə·ḏā·wiḏ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
and his men	וַאֲנָשָׁ֜יו	wa·’ă·nā·šāw	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H582 man, mankind
were in the Wilderness	בְּמִדְבַּ֤ר	bə·miḏ·bar	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H4057 mouth
of Maon	מָעוֹן֙	mā·‘ō·wn	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H4584 Maon
in the Arabah	בָּעֲרָבָ֔ה	bā·‘ă·rā·ḇāh	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine singular	H6160 desert-plain, steppe
south	יְמִ֥ין	yə·mîn	Noun - feminine singular construct	H3225 right hand
of Jeshimon	הַיְשִׁימֽוֹן׃	hay·šî·mō·wn	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3452 waste, wilderness

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

1 Samuel 23:19 1 Samuel 26:1 · 1 Samuel 26:3 · Psalm 54:1–7

1 Samuel 23:20 1 Samuel 23:12

1 Samuel 23:21 1 Samuel 22:8

1 Samuel 23:22 Job 5:13

1 Samuel 23:24 1 Samuel 25:2 · Joshua 15:55

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.