1 Samuel 22 23

1 Samuel 22:23 kjv

Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: but with me thou shalt be in safeguard.

1 Samuel 22:23 nkjv

Stay with me; do not fear. For he who seeks my life seeks your life, but with me you shall be safe."

1 Samuel 22:23 niv

Stay with me; don't be afraid. The man who wants to kill you is trying to kill me too. You will be safe with me."

1 Samuel 22:23 esv

Stay with me; do not be afraid, for he who seeks my life seeks your life. With me you shall be in safekeeping."

1 Samuel 22:23 nlt

Stay here with me, and don't be afraid. I will protect you with my own life, for the same person wants to kill us both."

1 Samuel 22 verses

1 Samuel 22 23 Meaning

1 Samuel 22:23 conveys David's profound promise of refuge and security to Abiathar, the lone survivor of Saul's massacre of the priests at Nob. David reassures Abiathar that his own pursuit by Saul is inherently linked to the danger Abiathar faces for having fled to him. Consequently, by staying with David, Abiathar would find guaranteed safety and protection, as David pledges to personally guard his life, implicitly under the sovereignty of God's providence.

1 Samuel 22 23 Context

1 Samuel 22:23 is spoken by David to Abiathar, the only son of Ahimelech the high priest who escaped Saul's wrath. This event follows immediately after Saul, in his jealous paranoia, ordered the massacre of the priests of Nob because they unknowingly provided aid to David. David, as a fugitive king, is hiding in the cave of Adullam. Abiathar brings with him the ephod, an instrument for consulting the Lord, signifying a shift of priestly and, symbolically, divine favor from Saul's decaying rule to David, the Lord's anointed. In this critical moment, David, feeling partly responsible for the priests' death, reassures Abiathar that he will be safe under David's protection, binding their fates together against their common persecutor, King Saul.

1 Samuel 22 23 Word analysis

• "Stay with me" (שֵׁב עִמִּי - shebh immi):

  • Stay/Sit (shebh): From the Hebrew root yashab (יָשַׁב), meaning to sit, dwell, abide, remain. It implies a settled, secure presence, not merely a temporary halt. David invites Abiathar to a permanent dwelling under his care, signifying stability and a commitment.
  • With me (immi): Signifies deep companionship, solidarity, and shared destiny. It's more than physical proximity; it speaks of a protective embrace and shared lot.

• "do not be afraid" (אַל־תִּירָא - al-tira):

  • A frequent divine imperative in the Bible, spoken by God or His messengers to those He has chosen or to those facing overwhelming circumstances (e.g., Gen 15:1; Isa 41:10). David here echoes a divine word, extending divine-like reassurance, signifying his emerging role as God's anointed leader and protector. This command aims to calm anxieties rooted in a hostile environment.

• "for he who seeks my life seeks your life" (כִּי מְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת־נַפְשִׁי מְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת־נַפְשֶׁךָ - ki mevakkesh et-nafshi mevakkesh et-nafshekha):

  • Seeks my life/your life (mevakkesh et-nafshi/nafshekha): A common Hebrew idiom meaning to seek to kill someone, to attempt to take one's life. Here, the "he" refers to King Saul.
  • This phrase clearly identifies a common enemy and establishes a profound solidarity between David and Abiathar. Their destinies are intertwined; David acknowledges that Abiathar's association with him has made him a target. It implies that the danger to Abiathar is an extension of Saul's unjust pursuit of David.

• "but with me you will be safe" (וְאִתִּי שָׁמוּר אַתָּה - ve'itti shamur attah):

  • With me (ve'itti): Reinforces the earlier immi, emphasizing that safety is specifically found in David's presence and under his protection.
  • You will be safe (shamur attah): From the Hebrew verb shamar (שָׁמַר), meaning to guard, keep, preserve, protect, watch over. The participle shamur indicates a state of being guarded or preserved. This is a powerful assurance of secure preservation, highlighting David's commitment and capability to protect Abiathar despite his own precarious position. It reflects David taking on a divine role as a shepherd for his flock.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "Stay with me; do not be afraid": This coupling emphasizes David's compassionate leadership. He offers a place of security and immediately addresses Abiathar's understandable fear, grounding his call for abiding in an antidote to fear. It's an invitation rooted in a promise of peace amidst turmoil.
• "for he who seeks my life seeks your life": This forms the logical premise for David's promise. It's a statement of shared adversity and joint peril, which justifies Abiathar's need for David's protection and David's responsibility to provide it. It highlights Saul's indiscriminate and escalating persecution.
• "but with me you will be safe": This is the culmination of the promise, a confident declaration of David's protective capability and intention. It contrasts Saul's destructive path with David's promise of preservation, positioning David as a secure sanctuary in an era of chaos and danger. It underscores David's leadership and the safety found in aligning with God's chosen.

1 Samuel 22 23 Bonus section

The Hebrew phrasing for "you will be safe" (shamur attah) can also convey the idea of "you are guarded/preserved." This grammatical nuance emphasizes the ongoing state of protection that Abiathar will experience rather than a one-time act of saving. This aligns with God's continuous preservation of His people. The phrase highlights David's acceptance of full responsibility for the last remnant of the priestly line, an act of true leadership and a contrast to Saul's heedless actions that devastated the priesthood. David's willingness to absorb the consequences of Abiathar's association with him—even unto sharing the same life-threat—demonstrates profound empathy and covenantal loyalty, embodying a key aspect of righteous kingship rooted in divine principles.

1 Samuel 22 23 Commentary

1 Samuel 22:23 is a pivotal declaration by David, showcasing his transition into a kingly role defined by compassion, responsibility, and divinely-enabled protection, even while a fugitive himself. He pledges not only physical safety but a steadfast commitment to Abiathar, a representation of the faithful priestly line surviving Saul's madness. David, acknowledging his indirect role in the Nob massacre, accepts full responsibility for Abiathar's welfare. This act foreshadows David's righteous reign and sets him apart from Saul, who acted impulsively and cruelly against God's anointed servants. David's promise mirrors God's own protective nature towards His people, as David, the future king, begins to embody the protective care that only God can ultimately provide. It also establishes a bond that secures the continuation of priestly functions (through the ephod Abiathar brought) with God's chosen king, crucial for future Israelite worship and guidance. This deep bond of loyalty and shared destiny forms a core part of David's leadership, where followers find safety under his care, a theme echoed in Christ's promise to His flock.