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.

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 23:22

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Pleaseנָ֞אnāInterjectionH4994 I (we) pray, now
goלְכוּ־lə·ḵū-Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralH1980 go, come, walk
and prepareהָכִ֣ינוּhā·ḵî·nūVerb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine pluralH3559 be firm
furtherע֗וֹד‘ō·wḏAdverbH5750 a going round, continuance
Investigateוּדְע֤וּū·ḏə·‘ūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralH3045 know
and watchוּרְאוּ֙ū·rə·’ūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralH7200 see
carefully whereאֲשֶׁ֣ר’ă·šerPronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
he goesתִּֽהְיֶ֣הtih·yehVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singularH1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
and whoמִ֥יmîInterrogativeH4310 who?
has seen himרָאָ֖הוּrā·’ā·hūVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine singularH7200 see
thereשָׁ֑םšāmAdverbH8033 there, thither
forכִּ֚יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
I am told thatאָמַ֣ר’ā·marVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
heהֽוּא׃hūPronoun - third person masculine singularH1931 he, she
is extremely cunningעָר֥וֹם‘ā·rō·wmVerb - Qal - Infinitive absoluteH6191 be shrewd, crafty

1 Samuel 23:23

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Observeוּרְא֣וּū·rə·’ūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralH7200 see
and find outוּדְע֗וּū·ḏə·‘ūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralH3045 know
allמִכֹּ֤לmik·kōlPreposition-m; Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
the placesהַמַּֽחֲבֹאִים֙ham·ma·ḥă·ḇō·’îmArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH4224 hiding-place
whereאֲשֶׁ֣ר’ă·šerPronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
he hidesיִתְחַבֵּ֣אyiṯ·ḥab·bêVerb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH2244 withdraw, hide
Then come backוְשַׁבְתֶּ֤םwə·šaḇ·temConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine pluralH7725 turn back, return
to meאֵלַי֙’ê·layPreposition; first person common singularH413 motion to
withאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
certaintyנָכ֔וֹןnā·ḵō·wnVerb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singularH3559 be firm
and I will goוְהָלַכְתִּ֖יwə·hā·laḵ·tîConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singularH1980 go, come, walk
with youאִתְּכֶ֑ם’it·tə·ḵemPreposition; second person masculine pluralH854 with
Ifאִם־’im-ConjunctionH518 if
he isיֶשְׁנ֣וֹyeš·nōwAdverb; third person masculine singularH3426 being, substance, existence
in the landבָאָ֔רֶץḇā·’ā·reṣPreposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine singularH776 earth, land
I will search him outוְחִפַּשְׂתִּ֣יwə·ḥip·paś·tîConjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singularH2664 search
among allבְּכֹ֖לbə·ḵōlPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
the clansאַלְפֵ֥י’al·p̄êNoun - masculine plural constructH505 thousand
of Judahיְהוּדָֽה׃yə·hū·ḏāhNoun - proper - masculine singularH3063 Judah

1 Samuel 23:24

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
So they set outוַיָּק֛וּמוּway·yā·qū·mūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralH6965 arise, stand up, stand
and wentוַיֵּלְכ֥וּway·yê·lə·ḵūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralH1980 go, come, walk
to Ziphזִ֖יפָהzî·p̄āhNoun - proper - feminine singular; third person feminine singularH2128 Ziph
ahead ofלִפְנֵ֣יlip̄·nêPreposition-l; Noun - common plural constructH6440 face, before
Saulשָׁא֑וּלšā·’ūlNoun - proper - masculine singularH7586 Shaul
Now Davidוְדָוִ֨דwə·ḏā·wiḏConjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine singularH1732 David
and his menוַאֲנָשָׁ֜יוwa·’ă·nā·šāwConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singularH582 man, mankind
were in the Wildernessבְּמִדְבַּ֤רbə·miḏ·barPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singular constructH4057 mouth
of Maonמָעוֹן֙mā·‘ō·wnNoun - proper - feminine singularH4584 Maon
in the Arabahבָּעֲרָבָ֔הbā·‘ă·rā·ḇāhPreposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine singularH6160 desert-plain, steppe
southיְמִ֥יןyə·mînNoun - feminine singular constructH3225 right hand
of Jeshimonהַיְשִׁימֽוֹן׃hay·šî·mō·wnArticle; Noun - masculine singularH3452 waste, wilderness

1 Samuel 23:25

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
and Saulשָׁא֣וּלšā·’ūlNoun - proper - masculine singularH7586 Shaul
and his menוַאֲנָשָׁיו֮wa·’ă·nā·šāwConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singularH582 man, mankind
wentוַיֵּ֨לֶךְway·yê·leḵConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH1980 go, come, walk
to seekלְבַקֵּשׁ֒lə·ḇaq·qêšPreposition-l; Verb - Piel - Infinitive constructH1245 seek
When Davidלְדָוִ֔דlə·ḏā·wiḏPreposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singularH1732 David
was told about itוַיַּגִּ֣דוּway·yag·gi·ḏūConjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralH5046 be conspicuous
he went downוַיֵּ֣רֶדway·yê·reḏConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH3381 come or go down, descend
to the rockהַסֶּ֔לַעhas·se·la‘Article; Noun - masculine singularH5553 crag, cliff
and stayedוַיֵּ֖שֶׁבway·yê·šeḇConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH3427 sit, remain, dwell
in the Wildernessבְּמִדְבַּ֣רbə·miḏ·barPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singular constructH4057 mouth
of Maonמָע֑וֹןmā·‘ō·wnNoun - proper - feminine singularH4584 Maon
And when Saulשָׁא֔וּלšā·’ūlNoun - proper - masculine singularH7586 Shaul
heard of thisוַיִּשְׁמַ֣עway·yiš·ma‘Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH8085 hear
he pursuedוַיִּרְדֹּ֥ףway·yir·dōp̄Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH7291 pursue, chase, persecute
Davidדָוִ֖דḏā·wiḏNoun - proper - masculine singularH1732 David
thereמִדְבַּ֥רmiḏ·barNoun - masculine singular constructH4057 mouth

1 Samuel 23:26

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Saulשָׁא֜וּלšā·’ūlNoun - proper - masculine singularH7586 Shaul
was proceeding alongוַיֵּ֨לֶךְway·yê·leḵConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH1980 go, come, walk
oneמִזֶּ֔הmiz·zehPreposition-m; Pronoun - masculine singularH2088 this, that
sideמִצַּ֤דmiṣ·ṣaḏPreposition-m; Noun - masculine singular constructH6654 side
of the mountainהָהָר֙hā·hārArticle; Noun - masculine singularH2022 mountain, hill, hill-country
and Davidוְדָוִ֧דwə·ḏā·wiḏConjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine singularH1732 David
and his menוַאֲנָשָׁ֛יוwa·’ă·nā·šāwConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singularH582 man, mankind
along the otherמִזֶּ֑הmiz·zehPreposition-m; Pronoun - masculine singularH2088 this, that
sideמִצַּ֥דmiṣ·ṣaḏPreposition-m; Noun - masculine singular constructH6654 side
Even though Davidדָוִ֜דḏā·wiḏNoun - proper - masculine singularH1732 David
was hurryingנֶחְפָּ֤זneḥ·pāzVerb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singularH2648 be in trepidation, hurry, or alarm
to get awayלָלֶ֙כֶת֙lā·le·ḵeṯPreposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH1980 go, come, walk
Saulוְשָׁא֣וּלwə·šā·’ūlConjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine singularH7586 Shaul
and his menוַאֲנָשָׁ֗יוwa·’ă·nā·šāwConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singularH582 man, mankind
were closingעֹֽטְרִ֛ים‘ō·ṭə·rîmVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralH5849 surround
in onאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
Davidדָּוִ֥דdā·wiḏNoun - proper - masculine singularH1732 David
and his menאֲנָשָׁ֖יו’ă·nā·šāwNoun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singularH582 man, mankind
to capture themלְתָפְשָֽׂם׃lə·ṯā·p̄ə·śāmPreposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; third person masculine pluralH8610 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.