1 Samuel 23:23 kjv
See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah.
1 Samuel 23:23 nkjv
See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hides; and come back to me with certainty, and I will go with you. And it shall be, if he is in the land, that I will search for him throughout all the clans of Judah."
1 Samuel 23:23 niv
Find out about all the hiding places he uses and come back to me with definite information. Then I will go with you; if he is in the area, I will track him down among all the clans of Judah."
1 Samuel 23:23 esv
See therefore and take note of all the lurking places where he hides, and come back to me with sure information. Then I will go with you. And if he is in the land, I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah."
1 Samuel 23:23 nlt
Discover his hiding places, and come back when you are sure. Then I'll go with you. And if he is in the area at all, I'll track him down, even if I have to search every hiding place in Judah!"
1 Samuel 23 23 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 23:19 | "Then came up the Ziphites... against David..." | Ziphites' betrayal sets the stage. |
| 1 Sam 23:24-28 | "...David made haste to get away from Saul, for Saul and his men were surrounding David and his men to capture them... the Philistines made a raid on the land." | Immediate divine deliverance for David. |
| 1 Sam 18:9 | "Saul eyed David from that day on." | Origin of Saul's obsessive jealousy. |
| 1 Sam 19:1 | "Saul spoke to Jonathan his son... that he should kill David." | Saul's persistent intent to kill David. |
| 1 Sam 20:31 | "For as long as the son of Jesse lives... you shall not be established..." | Saul's conviction that David is a threat. |
| Ps 54:Superscript | "Maschil of David, when the Ziphims came and said to Saul, 'Does not David hide himself with us?'" | Direct link to this historical event. |
| Ps 57:Superscript | "A Michtam of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave." | David's life as a fugitive, seeking refuge. |
| Ps 142:Superscript | "A Maschil of David. A Prayer when he was in the cave." | Another psalm from David's fugitive experience. |
| Ps 34:Superscript | "A Psalm of David, when he changed his behavior before Abimelech..." | David's varied survival strategies. |
| 1 Sam 21:10 | "And David arose and fled that day from Saul and went to Achish the king of Gath." | David's initial flight. |
| 1 Sam 22:1-2 | "David departed... and escaped to the cave of Adullam... his brethren... joined him." | David gathering companions as a fugitive. |
| Prov 21:30 | "No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the Lord." | Saul's futile efforts against God's plan. |
| Isa 46:10 | "declaring the end from the beginning... My counsel shall stand..." | God's sovereignty over all human plans. |
| Acts 5:38-39 | "For if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them." | Divine will cannot be thwarted by human hands. |
| Ps 2:4 | "He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision." | God's view of futile human resistance. |
| Rom 8:31 | "If God is for us, who can be against us?" | Assurance of God's protection. |
| Ps 91:3-4 | "For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence... under his wings you will find refuge." | God's protection for His faithful. |
| Ps 18:1-3 | "I love you, O Lord, my strength... my rock and my fortress..." | David's ultimate trust in God as deliverer. |
| Ps 37:32-33 | "The wicked watches the righteous and seeks to put him to death; the Lord will not abandon him..." | God protects the righteous from wicked schemes. |
| Luke 21:16-18 | "...some of you they will put to death. But not a hair of your head will perish." | Divine protection for the persecuted faithful. |
| Jer 23:24 | "Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him?" | God's omnipresence vs. human hiding/seeking. |
| Jn 13:21 | "Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me." | Theme of betrayal, though in a different context. |
1 Samuel 23 verses
1 Samuel 23 23 Meaning
King Saul emphatically instructs the Ziphites to provide precise, verifiable, and comprehensive information regarding David's exact hiding places and his movements within the wilderness. He promises to personally lead and join their search with full royal force once this intelligence is confirmed, revealing his unwavering and intense determination to capture David.
1 Samuel 23 23 Context
This verse is situated during a perilous time for David, who is a fugitive continually pursued by King Saul. Saul, consumed by jealousy and an evil spirit (1 Sam 16:14, 18:12), views David as a direct threat to his kingdom and his own life, despite David's anointing as the next king by God (1 Sam 16:1-13). Chapter 23 describes David's sojourn in the wilderness of Ziph after saving Keilah. The Ziphites, native to that region in Judah, betray David's hiding place to Saul (1 Sam 23:19). Enthused by this information, Saul praises their loyalty and lays out his plan. Verse 23 details Saul's zealous, almost desperate instructions to the Ziphites, urging them to leave no stone unturned in locating David. Historically, this highlights Saul's diminishing spiritual state and his escalating paranoia, where he, the powerful king, is reduced to relying on local informants and promises personal involvement to capture one man chosen by God.
1 Samuel 23 23 Word analysis
- Know for a certainty (ESV: Find out therefore for a certainty): The Hebrew is complex here. The initial "Find out therefore" uses the root יָדַע (yadac, "to know") implying a thorough investigation and securing precise information. The phrase "for a certainty" repeats, using בָּטוּחַ (batûach) or variations of the root בָּטַח (bāṭaḥ, "to trust, be secure"). Saul is demanding reliable, trustworthy intelligence, not rumors or guesses.
- where he hides: Hebrew יִתְחַבֵּא (yitkhabbē), from חָבָא (khāba'), "to hide, conceal oneself." This highlights David's status as a fugitive, constantly on the move and in seclusion, seeking obscure places to avoid Saul.
- and who has seen him there: (Not in KJV, but crucial in ESV and most modern translations derived from Hebrew). This phrase emphasizes Saul's desire for witness verification, not just rumored locations. It underscores his demand for ironclad proof.
- and come ye again to me with the certainty (ESV: Come back to me with the certainty that you have): Reiteration of the demand for definitive, unquestionable proof. Saul will not act on speculation. He needs a firm, concrete report, highlighting his obsession with precision.
- and I will send you, and ye shall go with me (ESV: and I will go with you): This signifies Saul's absolute determination. He isn't just sending his men; he himself will personally join the hunt, demonstrating the king's direct commitment and the immense importance he places on capturing David. This also shows the lengths Saul is willing to go.
- And if he is in the land: This reflects Saul's assumption that David is still in Judah. It speaks to his conviction and perhaps underestimation of David's agility and divine protection.
- I will search him out: Hebrew וַחֲפַשְׂתִּיהוּ (wachafasṭīhū), from חָפַשׂ (khāfas), "to search, examine thoroughly, scour." It conveys a painstaking, meticulous, and exhaustive search effort that Saul intends to undertake.
- among all the thousands of Judah: The Hebrew word for "thousands," אַלְפֵי ('alfei), can also refer to clans or military units. This indicates that Saul plans to systematically scour every division, family, and unit of the Judah region, mobilizing extensive resources to locate David, leaving no potential hiding spot uninvestigated.
1 Samuel 23 23 Bonus section
The Ziphites' collaboration with Saul demonstrates a common tension in ancient Israel between local loyalties (to Saul, the king) and God's ultimate chosen one. Their actions align them with Saul's unrighteous pursuit. This verse vividly portrays the extent of the animosity David faced, yet throughout this period, his trust remained in the Lord. It sets the stage for a dramatic climax in 1 Samuel 23, showcasing divine providence in a truly remarkable way. The relentless pursuit of David also served to shape his character, forcing him into complete reliance on God and teaching him humility and leadership in hardship.
1 Samuel 23 23 Commentary
This verse encapsulates the king's frantic and deeply disturbed state of mind. Saul, blinded by envy and fear, is obsessively dedicated to eradicating David, God's chosen successor. His demand for "certainty" highlights his paranoia and his methodical, yet ultimately futile, approach to circumventing divine will. He isn't satisfied with mere leads; he desires confirmed, eyewitness accounts of David's precise locations. Saul's pledge to "go with you" reveals the depth of his personal hatred and determination; he sees this as a paramount mission. This single-minded focus on David contrasts sharply with Saul's previous reluctance to fight the Philistines. The imagery of "searching him out among all the thousands of Judah" signifies an intent for a massive, exhaustive dragnet operation, reflecting Saul's immense resources and his willingness to commit them entirely to this personal vendetta. Ironically, despite all this human planning and kingly determination, the narrative immediately follows with God's perfect and simple intervention (1 Sam 23:26-28), proving that no human scheme, however meticulously planned or powerfully executed, can thwart the sovereign purposes of the Lord.