1 Samuel 18:2 kjv
And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house.
1 Samuel 18:2 nkjv
Saul took him that day, and would not let him go home to his father's house anymore.
1 Samuel 18:2 niv
From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return home to his family.
1 Samuel 18:2 esv
And Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his father's house.
1 Samuel 18:2 nlt
From that day on Saul kept David with him and wouldn't let him return home.
1 Samuel 18 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 16:19 | Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, "Send me your son David..." | David's initial summoning to court was temporary; this is permanent. |
| 1 Sam 17:15 | But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem. | This verse directly contrasts David's prior temporary service with his permanent retention. |
| 1 Sam 18:5 | And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely... | Highlights David's new role as a full-time servant/commander under Saul. |
| 1 Sam 22:1-2 | David therefore departed thence... and all his father's house and brethren went down to him there. | Shows David's eventual reunion with his family, but under very different circumstances (exile). |
| Gen 12:1 | Now the LORD had said to Abram, "Go from your country, your people and your father's household..." | Echoes a divine calling involving separation from home, though David's is by royal decree. |
| Ruth 1:16-17 | But Ruth said, "Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee..." | Reflects loyalty and new identity forged away from the parental home. |
| 2 Sam 3:1 | Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David... | Highlights the ultimate conflict between Saul's royal house and the emerging Davidic one. |
| Prov 22:29 | Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings... | Illustrates David's skillful service leading to proximity with the king. |
| Matt 4:18-22 | As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew... they left their nets and followed him. | New Test. calling involving leaving one's former life/livelihood to serve a higher purpose. |
| Matt 10:37 | He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me... | Refers to a priority of divine service over earthly family ties. |
| Luke 9:59-62 | To another He said, "Follow Me." But he said, "Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father." ... But Jesus said to him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead..." | Jesus emphasizes radical separation from previous life/family for ministry. |
| John 6:37 | All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. | A contrast to David being kept by Saul, Jesus accepts all and never casts out those drawn to Him. |
| Gen 41:40 | You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be governed according to your word; only in the throne will I be greater than you. | Joseph's elevation by Pharaoh, similar integration into royal service. |
| Dan 1:1-6 | In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem... Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. | Young men removed from their homes for service in a foreign court. |
| Esth 2:7 | He had brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter... | Esther brought into the king's palace, separated from her home/family. |
| Acts 7:34-36 | "I have surely seen the affliction of My people... I have heard their groaning... Come, I will send you to Egypt." | Moses' call to return to a new task, away from his shepherd's life and family in Midian. |
| Gal 1:15-17 | But when He who had set me apart from my mother's womb and called me through His grace was pleased to reveal His Son in me... I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood. | Apostle Paul's decisive break from former life and immediate dedication to his calling. |
| Ps 118:23 | This was the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. | David's meteoric rise is an act of God, though facilitated by Saul's decision. |
| Ps 78:70-71 | He chose David his servant and took him from the sheepfolds; from tending the ewes with lambs he brought him to be the shepherd of Jacob his people. | Prophetic reflection on David's transition from shepherd to king. |
| Rom 8:28 | And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him... | God's ultimate purpose at work in David's life, even in difficult circumstances under Saul. |
1 Samuel 18 verses
1 Samuel 18 2 Meaning
This verse states King Saul's immediate decision to retain David within his royal court after David's monumental victory over Goliath, thereby preventing David from returning to his familial home in Bethlehem. This action signified a decisive shift in David's life, integrating him permanently into royal service and bringing him directly under the king's immediate oversight and control. It marked an elevation in David's status and a severing of his prior connection to his former shepherd's life and patriarchal household.
1 Samuel 18 2 Context
First Samuel chapter 18 directly follows David's momentous victory over the Philistine giant Goliath, as recounted in chapter 17. This incredible feat transformed David from an obscure shepherd boy, albeit one who occasionally played the lyre for Saul, into Israel's most celebrated hero. The immediate consequence of this national triumph was his introduction to Saul's court and, as this verse indicates, his permanent assimilation into royal life. Prior to this, David would oscillate between serving Saul and returning to his father's sheep in Bethlehem (1 Sam 17:15).
Historically and culturally, a king would often retain promising individuals for military service or administrative roles. Keeping a popular war hero like David close would be a pragmatic decision for Saul, ensuring David's loyalty and availability. However, this action also inadvertently set the stage for the dramatic power struggles and the deepening jealousy that would soon consume Saul, as David's popularity would quickly overshadow the king's. David's separation from his "father's house" signifies his transition from a private, agrarian existence to a public, courtly life, under the direct and scrutinizing eye of the reigning monarch.
1 Samuel 18 2 Word analysis
- And Saul took him that day: This signifies an immediate, decisive, and official action by King Saul. The phrase "that day" emphasizes the swiftness with which Saul recognized David's value and moved to secure his presence within the royal entourage following the monumental victory over Goliath. This decision stemmed from Saul's pragmatism and an initial desire to benefit from David's anointing and courage.
- and would let him go no more home: The verb "let go" (נתן - natan, meaning to give, permit, place) implies that David's freedom to return home was revoked. "No more" (עוֹד - ‘ōḏ, meaning still, yet, again, no longer) highlights the permanent nature of this decision. David was now permanently retained in royal service, marking an irreversible change in his lifestyle. This removal of autonomy contrasts with his previous routine (1 Sam 17:15).
- to his father's house: (בֵ֣ית אָבִ֔יו - bēyt ’āḇīw). This Hebrew phrase refers to the patriarchal household, encompassing not just the physical dwelling but the entire extended family unit, ancestral lineage, familial identity, and socio-economic base. For David, this was the house of Jesse in Bethlehem. Remaining connected to his "father's house" signified stability, roots, and personal liberty to return to his primary responsibilities. Being withheld from it means a full immersion into the king's domain, stripping him of his private identity and placing him squarely under royal jurisdiction. This separation foreshadows the spiritual significance of being called away from worldly attachments for a higher divine purpose.
1 Samuel 18 2 Bonus section
This act by Saul effectively "drafted" David into permanent royal service, eliminating the part-time arrangement previously enjoyed by David as Saul's harpist and armor-bearer (1 Sam 16:18-19). This shift was not requested by David but was a decree from the king, underscoring Saul's immediate absorption of the hero who brought him a great military victory. While presented as an elevation, this close proximity to the king and royal court also marked David for constant scrutiny. His public exposure amplified his growing popularity, igniting Saul's envy, turning David's triumph into the genesis of a long and trying period of persecution under Saul. This transition foreshadowed David's future role not just as a king but as a shepherd of God's people (2 Sam 5:2; Ps 78:71-72), requiring a break from his past pastoral life in Bethlehem to fully embrace the demands of divine leadership.
1 Samuel 18 2 Commentary
The king's act of "keeping" David reflects an astute initial strategic decision by Saul, recognizing the divine favor and prowess of the young man who had just saved Israel. This integration into the royal court was ostensibly a reward and a practical move to maintain Israel's strong military arm. However, beneath the surface, it subtly removed David from the familiar comforts and support of his family, placing him in an environment where he would soon become a source of great popular admiration, directly threatening Saul's fragile authority. This set the stage for the intense psychological drama of Saul's escalating jealousy, revealing how divine anointing (on David) can provoke human envy, leading to the persecution of the chosen one. It also highlights a common pattern in the narrative of God's chosen servants—a call that often requires separation from one's former life and security to fulfill a greater purpose. For believers, it illustrates how God positions individuals for His will, often through circumstances beyond their control, initiating a season of testing and refinement that builds character and prepares for future leadership.