1 Samuel 23:17 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And he said to him, "Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Saul my father also knows this."

NIV: "Don’t be afraid," he said. "My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this."

NASB: He said to him, 'Do not be afraid, because the hand of Saul my father will not find you, and you will be king over Israel, and I will be second in command to you; and Saul my father knows that as well.'

CSB: saying, "Don’t be afraid, for my father Saul will never lay a hand on you. You yourself will be king over Israel, and I’ll be your second-in-command. Even my father Saul knows it is true."

NLT: Don’t be afraid,' Jonathan reassured him. 'My father will never find you! You are going to be the king of Israel, and I will be next to you, as my father, Saul, is well aware.'

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.

NKJV: And he said to him, “Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Even my father Saul knows that.”

First Samuel 23:15–18 records David receiving an unexpected visitor. King Saul has been chasing David and his people around the wilderness of Ziph. Jonathan—Saul's son and David's best friend (1 Samuel 18:1–4)—finds David and brings encouragement. Jonathan is sure that David will be king and that Saul will not kill him. Jonathan expects to be David's second-in-command. The friends don't have much time. Saul has heard where David is hiding and is on his way (1 Samuel 23:19–29). Sadly, Jonathan's last prediction won't come true (1 Samuel 31:2), but his covenant with David will remain when David protects Jonathan's son Mephibosheth (2 Samuel 9).

First Samuel 23 describes God's protection of David from Saul. God tells David and his men to save the city of Keilah from the Philistines. When Saul plans to trap David and his army in the city, God warns David the people will betray them. Jonathan visits and encourages David. More locals offer to betray David to Saul, but just as the king draws near, he hears the Philistines are attacking. Jonathan is right that God is protecting David.

David had been the hero of the people. He still is, in some ways. But he's had to run from his murderous king. He's been forced to feign madness to escape the Philistines. Recently, he has learned that Saul destroyed everyone in the city of the priest who helped David (1 Samuel 18—23). Now, David is responsible for 600 desperate men and their families, and Saul is hunting him. Twice, God saves David without making him fight Saul (1 Samuel 23). Next, David will refuse to kill Saul (1 Samuel 24). David is on the run, but God is keeping him safe.

First Samuel introduces the key figures who led Israel after the era of the judges. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel were originally part of a single text, split in certain translations shortly before the birth of Christ. Some of the Bible’s most famous characters are depicted in this book. These including the prophet Samuel, Israel’s first king, Saul, her greatest king, David, and other famous names such as Goliath and Jonathan. By the end of this book, Saul has fallen; the book of 2 Samuel begins with David’s ascension to the throne.