1 Samuel 23:17
in 1 Samuel 23saying, “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 this is true.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he said unto him, Fear not; for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.
KJV
And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.
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This verse in 1 Samuel 23
Commentary
6 notes on this verseNext to thee - Which he gathered either from David's generosity, and friendship to him; or from some promise made to him by David concerning it. So that the whole imports thus much;
This site's exposition
strengthened his hand in God
on 1 Samuel 23:16-18
This is the last recorded meeting between David and Jonathan, and the covenant the two make before the Lord in verse 18 renews what they had already sworn at 18:3 and again at 20:16-17, its third renewal in the book. Jonathan's word that David shall be king and he himself next to him is the clearest statement in the narrative that the king's own son understood and accepted where the throne was going. Matthew Henry reads it as what Jonathan wished rather than what he had ground to expect, since the two never meet again in the story that follows.
This site's exposition
I will be your second-in-command
Wesley thinks Jonathan drew his hope of second place from David's friendship or from a promise David had made him. Saul knows it, Jonathan says, and Henry calls it folly to fight what God had fixed. Saul says so himself at 24:20.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
And he said to him: Fear not, etc. Although Jonathan, unaware of the fate and future destiny, as a man, made a false statement about himself under David's reign, yet according to the mystical meanings, he reveals the joys of Christ and the Church. Truly, …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
This, he tells him, Saul knew very well, Jonathan having sometimes heard him say as much, whence it appears what a wicked man Saul was, to persecute one whom God favoured, and what a foolish man he was, in thinking to prevent that which God had determined and which would certainly come to pass.
And he said unto him, fear not,....
The words behind it
23 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֨אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֵלָ֜יו | ʾelav | to him | H413 → | 5510 times |
| אַל־ | ʾal- | may not | H408 → | 724 times |
| תִּירָ֗א | tira' | you be afraid | H3372 → | 315 times |
| כִּ֠י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| לֹ֤א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| תִֽמְצָאֲךָ֙ | timtzaakha | it will find you | H4672 → | 455 times |
| יַ֚ד | yad | [the] hand of | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| שָׁא֣וּל | shaul | Saul | H7586 → | 402 times |
| אָבִ֔י | ʾavi | father my | H1 → | 1212 times |
| וְאַתָּה֙ | veatah | and you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| תִּמְלֹ֣ךְ | timlokh | you will reign | H4427 → | 348 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | over | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| וְאָנֹכִ֖י | veanokhi | and I | H595 → | 359 times |
| אֶֽהְיֶה־ | ʾehyeh- | I will become | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| לְּךָ֣ | lekha | to <the> you | ||
| לְמִשְׁנֶ֑ה | lemishneh | <into> second in rank | H4932 → | 35 times |
| וְגַם־ | vegam- | and also | H1571 → | 769 times |
| שָׁא֥וּל | shaul | Saul | H7586 → | 402 times |
| אָבִ֖י | ʾavi | father my | H1 → | 1212 times |
| יֹדֵ֥עַ | yodea' | [is] knowing | H3045 → | 945 times |
| כֵּֽן׃ | ken | [it is] thus | H3651 → | 771 times |
וַיֹּ֨אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
אֵלָ֜יוto him
ʾelavH413 →5510 times
אַל־may not
ʾal-H408 →724 times
תִּירָ֗אyou be afraid
tira'H3372 →315 times
כִּ֠יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
לֹ֤אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
תִֽמְצָאֲךָ֙it will find you
timtzaakhaH4672 →455 times
יַ֚ד[the] hand of
yadH3027 →1618 times
שָׁא֣וּלSaul
shaulH7586 →402 times
אָבִ֔יfather my
ʾaviH1 →1212 times
וְאַתָּה֙and you
veatahH859 →1094 times
תִּמְלֹ֣ךְyou will reign
timlokhH4427 →348 times
עַל־over
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
וְאָנֹכִ֖יand I
veanokhiH595 →359 times
אֶֽהְיֶה־I will become
ʾehyeh-H1961 →3559 times
לְּךָ֣to <the> you
lekha
לְמִשְׁנֶ֑ה<into> second in rank
lemishnehH4932 →35 times
וְגַם־and also
vegam-H1571 →769 times
שָׁא֥וּלSaul
shaulH7586 →402 times
אָבִ֖יfather my
ʾaviH1 →1212 times
יֹדֵ֥עַ[is] knowing
yodea'H3045 →945 times
כֵּֽן׃[it is] thus
kenH3651 →771 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
Hebrews 13:6So we say with confidence: “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”
it leads to
- Psalms 118:6–9
The LORD is on my side; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
- Isaiah 41:10
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand…
- Romans 8:31
What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
- Psalms 27:1–3
The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— whom shall I dread?
- Psalms 124:8
Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
- Psalms 118:6–9
Through
Acts 28:16When we arrived in Rome, Paul was permitted to stay by himself, with a soldier to guard him.
it leads to
- Acts 27:3
The next day we landed at Sidon, and Julius treated Paul with consideration, allowing him to visit his friends and receive their care.
- Acts 24:23
He ordered the centurion to keep Paul under guard, but to allow him some freedom and permit his friends to minister to his needs.
- Acts 27:3
Through
1 Samuel 24:20Now I know for sure that you will be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands.
it leads to
- Matthew 2:3–6
When King Herod heard this, he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
- Matthew 2:3–6
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 1 Samuel
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Bede, Commentary on Samuel; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.