1 Samuel
1 Samuel 23:22–26
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, 25and Saul and his men went to seek him. When David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard of this, he pursued David there.
26Saul was proceeding along one side of the mountain, and David and his men along the other side. Even though David was hurrying to get away, Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them.
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 23:22
| 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 |
1 Samuel 23:25
| English | Hebrew | Sounds like | Grammar | Word study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| and Saul | שָׁא֣וּל | šā·’ūl | Noun - proper - masculine singular | H7586 Shaul |
| and his men | וַאֲנָשָׁיו֮ | wa·’ă·nā·šāw | Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular | H582 man, mankind |
| went | וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ | way·yê·leḵ | Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | H1980 go, come, walk |
| to seek | לְבַקֵּשׁ֒ | lə·ḇaq·qêš | Preposition-l; Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | H1245 seek |
| When David | לְדָוִ֔ד | lə·ḏā·wiḏ | Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular | H1732 David |
| was told about it | וַיַּגִּ֣דוּ | way·yag·gi·ḏū | Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural | H5046 be conspicuous |
| he went down | וַיֵּ֣רֶד | way·yê·reḏ | Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | H3381 come or go down, descend |
| to the rock | הַסֶּ֔לַע | has·se·la‘ | Article; Noun - masculine singular | H5553 crag, cliff |
| and stayed | וַיֵּ֖שֶׁב | way·yê·šeḇ | Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | H3427 sit, remain, dwell |
| in the Wilderness | בְּמִדְבַּ֣ר | bə·miḏ·bar | Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct | H4057 mouth |
| of Maon | מָע֑וֹן | mā·‘ō·wn | Noun - proper - feminine singular | H4584 Maon |
| And when Saul | שָׁא֔וּל | šā·’ūl | Noun - proper - masculine singular | H7586 Shaul |
| heard of this | וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע | way·yiš·ma‘ | Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | H8085 hear |
| he pursued | וַיִּרְדֹּ֥ף | way·yir·dōp̄ | Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | H7291 pursue, chase, persecute |
| David | דָוִ֖ד | ḏā·wiḏ | Noun - proper - masculine singular | H1732 David |
| there | מִדְבַּ֥ר | miḏ·bar | Noun - masculine singular construct | H4057 mouth |
1 Samuel 23:26
| English | Hebrew | Sounds like | Grammar | Word study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saul | שָׁא֜וּל | šā·’ūl | Noun - proper - masculine singular | H7586 Shaul |
| was proceeding along | וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ | way·yê·leḵ | Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | H1980 go, come, walk |
| one | מִזֶּ֔ה | miz·zeh | Preposition-m; Pronoun - masculine singular | H2088 this, that |
| side | מִצַּ֤ד | miṣ·ṣaḏ | Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct | H6654 side |
| of the mountain | הָהָר֙ | hā·hār | Article; Noun - masculine singular | H2022 mountain, hill, hill-country |
| and David | וְדָוִ֧ד | wə·ḏā·wiḏ | Conjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine singular | H1732 David |
| and his men | וַאֲנָשָׁ֛יו | wa·’ă·nā·šāw | Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular | H582 man, mankind |
| along the other | מִזֶּ֑ה | miz·zeh | Preposition-m; Pronoun - masculine singular | H2088 this, that |
| side | מִצַּ֥ד | miṣ·ṣaḏ | Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct | H6654 side |
| Even though David | דָוִ֜ד | ḏā·wiḏ | Noun - proper - masculine singular | H1732 David |
| was hurrying | נֶחְפָּ֤ז | neḥ·pāz | Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular | H2648 be in trepidation, hurry, or alarm |
| to get away | לָלֶ֙כֶת֙ | lā·le·ḵeṯ | Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | H1980 go, come, walk |
| Saul | וְשָׁא֣וּל | wə·šā·’ūl | Conjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine singular | H7586 Shaul |
| and his men | וַאֲנָשָׁ֗יו | wa·’ă·nā·šāw | Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular | H582 man, mankind |
| were closing | עֹֽטְרִ֛ים | ‘ō·ṭə·rîm | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural | H5849 surround |
| in on | אֶל־ | ’el- | Preposition | H413 motion to |
| David | דָּוִ֥ד | dā·wiḏ | Noun - proper - masculine singular | H1732 David |
| and his men | אֲנָשָׁ֖יו | ’ă·nā·šāw | Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular | H582 man, mankind |
| to capture them | לְתָפְשָֽׂם׃ | lə·ṯā·p̄ə·śām | Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; third person masculine plural | H8610 lay hold of, wield |
Cross-references
Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.
1 Samuel 23:22 Job 5:13
1 Samuel 23:24 1 Samuel 25:2 · Joshua 15:55
1 Samuel 23:26 Psalm 17:9 · Psalm 22:12 · Psalm 118:11–13 · Psalm 22:16 · Psalm 140:1–9 · 1 Samuel 20:38 · 2 Samuel 15:14 · 2 Corinthians 1:8 · 2 Samuel 17:21–22 · Revelation 20:9 · 1 Samuel 19:12 · Psalm 31:22
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.