1 Samuel 23:21 kjv
And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have compassion on me.
1 Samuel 23:21 nkjv
And Saul said, "Blessed are you of the LORD, for you have compassion on me.
1 Samuel 23:21 niv
Saul replied, "The LORD bless you for your concern for me.
1 Samuel 23:21 esv
And Saul said, "May you be blessed by the LORD, for you have had compassion on me.
1 Samuel 23:21 nlt
"The LORD bless you," Saul said. "At last someone is concerned about me!
1 Samuel 23 21 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 23:14 | And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not... | God's protective hand over David. |
| 1 Sam 23:25 | And Saul and his men went to seek him... | Saul's relentless pursuit of David. |
| Ps 54: Title, vv. 1-7 | When the Ziphims came and said to Saul, Doth not David hide...? | David's prayer during the Ziphite betrayal. |
| Ps 18:6, 17, 48 | In my distress I called upon the LORD... He sent from above... | God's deliverance of David from enemies. |
| Ps 37:12-13, 32 | The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him... | Wicked plots against the righteous fail. |
| Prov 16:9 | A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps. | God's sovereignty over human plans. |
| Gen 12:3 | And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him... | Divine principle of blessing & cursing. |
| Num 22:6 | ...curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me... | Misguided requests for curses/blessings. |
| 1 Sam 15:23 | For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft... | Saul's rejection for disobedience. |
| 1 Sam 16:13-14 | The Spirit of the LORD came upon David... and departed from Saul. | The cause of Saul's paranoia and torment. |
| 2 Sam 1:14-16 | How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy...? | Consequence of harming God's anointed. |
| Ps 41:9 | Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted... | Betrayal by familiar acquaintances. |
| Ps 55:12-14 | For it was not an enemy that reproached me... but thou... | The deep pain of close betrayal. |
| Prov 12:10 | A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender... | Contrast: true mercy vs. wickedness. |
| Mic 6:8 | He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD...? | God's requirement for true mercy/justice. |
| Matt 5:7 | Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. | The Beatitude on true mercy. |
| Matt 9:13 | ...I will have mercy, and not sacrifice... | Emphasis on true compassion over ritual. |
| Jam 2:13 | For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy. | Mercy triumphs over judgment for the merciful. |
| Ex 20:7 | Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain... | Misuse of God's name in false piety. |
| Isa 1:13 | Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me... | God rejects empty religious acts. |
| Jer 17:9 | The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked... | Saul's self-deceiving heart. |
| Rom 8:28 | And we know that all things work together for good to them... | God's sovereign plan in all circumstances. |
| 2 Tim 3:1-5 | ...men shall be lovers of their own selves... without natural... | Traits of those without true affection. |
| Matt 7:22-23 | Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord... depart from me... | Religious words without true knowledge of God. |
1 Samuel 23 verses
1 Samuel 23 21 Meaning
Saul expresses a blessing upon the Ziphites, declaring them "blessed by the LORD" because they have shown "compassion" towards him by informing him of David's hiding place and offering to help him capture David. This reveals Saul's profound spiritual blindness and self-absorption, as he views an act of betrayal against God's anointed as an act deserving of divine blessing.
1 Samuel 23 21 Context
Chapter 23 depicts Saul's escalating persecution of David. After David's successful deliverance of Keilah, Saul learns of his presence there and intends to capture him. David, discerning through the ephod that the people of Keilah would indeed betray him, flees with his men to the desolate wilderness of Ziph. The Ziphites, fellow Israelites from the tribe of Judah, then approach Saul, offering to deliver David into his hands. Saul, driven by an obsessive, God-defying vendetta, immediately accepts their offer and pronounces this blessing. Historically, Saul’s kingship is crumbling, marked by paranoia and the absence of the Spirit of the LORD, while God's presence increasingly confirms David as the rightful heir. The Ziphites' act is a significant betrayal within David's own tribe, highlighting the constant peril he faced despite being God's anointed.
1 Samuel 23 21 Word analysis
- And Saul said: Indicates Saul’s swift approval and endorsement of the Ziphites’ proposition, showing his eagerness to act on the information provided.
- Blessed be ye: Hebrew Baruch attem (בָּרוּךְ אַתֶּם). Baruch means "blessed," "praised," or "endowed with divine favor." Saul employs a profound spiritual declaration, typically used to acknowledge or invoke God’s true blessing, yet here applies it to human actions driven by self-interest and betrayal. This represents a misappropriation of sacred language.
- of the LORD; Hebrew lăYahweh (לַיהוָה). Literally "by Yahweh" or "to Yahweh." This specifies the invoked source of the blessing, implying that Saul believes their act is divinely sanctioned or even pleasing to God. This further underscores Saul's deep spiritual deception and misuse of God's holy name, attributing divine favor to an act that opposes God’s will (protecting David).
- for ye have had compassion on me. Hebrew kî ḥămaltem 'alay (כִּי־חֲמַלְתֶּם עָלָי).
- kî: "for" or "because," linking the Ziphites' action as the direct reason for Saul’s blessing.
- ḥămaltem: from the root ḥāmal (חָמַל), which means "to pity," "to spare," "to show mercy," or "to feel deep concern for." Saul uses this term to interpret the Ziphites’ self-serving betrayal as genuine, selfless "pity" or concern for him. His perspective is entirely self-referential; he equates their willingness to aid his murderous plot against God’s anointed with compassionate regard for his own troubled state, demonstrating his warped sense of reality and severe self-pity.
- ’alay: "on me" or "towards me," emphasizing that their supposed "compassion" is directed solely at Saul, feeding his obsessive pursuit.
1 Samuel 23 21 Bonus section
The irony in Saul's use of "compassion" is striking, as true biblical compassion (like the chesed often shown by God) is an active, merciful kindness shown especially to the weak, afflicted, or oppressed, not an enablement of murderous intent. David later writes Psalm 54 specifically from this incident, reflecting his trust in God's deliverance against these informers. The fact that the Ziphites were from David's own tribe of Judah deepens the sting of their betrayal, making their self-serving act particularly heinous and highlighting the extent of Saul's divisive influence.
1 Samuel 23 21 Commentary
This verse encapsulates the tragedy of Saul’s kingship and his deep spiritual blindness. He blesses the Ziphites, attributing divine favor to an act of informing that aims to capture and likely kill David, God’s chosen successor. This highlights a fundamental misunderstanding of true piety and God's will. Saul, blinded by jealousy and personal vengeance, interprets an opportunistic betrayal as "compassion" towards himself, a sign of his self-deception and twisted morality. The Ziphites, by assisting Saul, align themselves with the king’s unrighteous cause against a man whom God was actively protecting. This event underscores the pervasive moral decline of Saul's reign, where religious language is debased to endorse ungodly actions. It sets the stage for God's dramatic and specific intervention, reinforcing His unwavering commitment to David.