1 Samuel 24:20
in 1 Samuel 24Now I know for sure that you will be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And now, behold, I know that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thy hand.
KJV
And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand.
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This verse in 1 Samuel 24
Commentary
7 notes on this verseI know well that thou shalt surely be king - Hebrew, Reigning, thou shalt reign. He knew this before; and yet he continued to pursue him with the most deadly hatred.
This site's exposition
you have shown this day how well you have dealt with me
on 1 Samuel 24:18-20
Saul states that the LORD delivered him into David's hand and David did not kill him. The confession peaks at verse 20: “Now I know for sure that you will be king.” Clarke notes the bitter edge under the admission, since Saul knew this before and pursued David anyway.
This site's exposition
the kingdom of Israel will be established
Henry reads Saul's admission that David will be king as a support to David's faith, coming from the man with most reason to deny it. He compares Revelation 3:9, where enemies are made to acknowledge those God has loved. Saul now knows for sure what Jonathan told David at 23:17.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
And now because I know for certain that you will reign, etc. This is the voice of the penitent people of the Jews, seeking the path of salvation from Christ whom they acknowledged. And now because I know for certain that you are He of …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Note, Sooner or later, God will force even those that are of the synagogue of Satan to know and own those that he has loved, and to worship before their feet; for so is the promise, Rev. iii. This acknowledgement which Saul made of David's incontestable title to the crown was a great encouragement to David himself and a support to his faith and hope.
David Spares Saul in the Cave. 1 And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:94%@v1-3
And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king,....
The words behind it
10 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְעַתָּה֙ | veatah | and therefore | H6258 → | 433 times |
| הִנֵּ֣ה | hineh | here! | H2009 → | 843 times |
| יָדַ֔עְתִּי | yada'ti | I know | H3045 → | 945 times |
| כִּ֥י | ki | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| מָלֹ֖ךְ | malokh | certainly <to reign> | H4427 → | 348 times |
| תִּמְל֑וֹךְ | timlokh | you will reign | H4427 → | 348 times |
| וְקָ֙מָה֙ | vekamah | and it will be established | H6965 → | 628 times |
| בְּיָ֣דְךָ֔ | beyadekha | in hand your | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| מַמְלֶ֖כֶת | mamlekhet | [the] kingdom of | H4467 → | 117 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
וְעַתָּה֙and therefore
veatahH6258 →433 times
הִנֵּ֣הhere!
hinehH2009 →843 times
יָדַ֔עְתִּיI know
yada'tiH3045 →945 times
כִּ֥יthat
kiH3588 →4482 times
מָלֹ֖ךְcertainly <to reign>
malokhH4427 →348 times
תִּמְל֑וֹךְyou will reign
timlokhH4427 →348 times
וְקָ֙מָה֙and it will be established
vekamahH6965 →628 times
בְּיָ֣דְךָ֔in hand your
beyadekhaH3027 →1618 times
מַמְלֶ֖כֶת[the] kingdom of
mamlekhetH4467 →117 times
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Israel
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Samuel 13:14But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought a man after His own heart and appointed him ruler over His people, because you have not kept the command of the LORD.”
it leads to
- Acts 13:22
After removing Saul, He raised up David as their king and testified about him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse a man after My own heart; he will carry out My will in…
- 1 Samuel 15:28
So Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you.
- Psalms 89:19–37
You once spoke in a vision; to Your godly ones You said, “I have bestowed help on a warrior; I have exalted one chosen from the people.
- Psalms 78:70
He chose David His servant and took him from the sheepfolds;
- 1 Samuel 16:1
Now the LORD said to Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending…
- Acts 13:22
Through
Matthew 2:16When Herod saw that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was filled with rage. Sending orders, he put to death all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years…
it leads to
- Isaiah 59:7
Their feet run to evil; they are swift to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are sinful thoughts; ruin and destruction lie in their wake.
- Proverbs 28:15
Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked ruler over a helpless people.
- Isaiah 59:7
Through
1 Samuel 23:17saying, “Do not be afraid, for my father Saul will never lay a hand on you. And you will be king over Israel, and I will be your second-in-command. Even my father Saul knows…
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 20:31
For as long as the son of Jesse lives on this earth, neither you nor your kingship shall be established. Now send for him and bring him to me, for he must surely die!”
- 1 Samuel 20:31
Where this verse is studied
About 1 Samuel
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Bede, Commentary on Samuel; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.