1 Samuel 23:20 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Now come down, O king, according to all your heart 's desire to come down, and our part shall be to surrender him into the king 's hand."

NIV: Now, Your Majesty, come down whenever it pleases you to do so, and we will be responsible for giving him into your hands."

NASB: Now then, O king, come down, since you fully desire to do so; and our part shall be to hand him over to the king.'

CSB: Now, whenever the king wants to come down, let him come down. Our part will be to hand him over to the king."

NLT: Come down whenever you’re ready, O king, and we will catch him and hand him over to you!'

KJV: Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king's hand.

NKJV: Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of your soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king’s hand.”

First Samuel 23:19–23 describes Saul finding the loyalty he's been seeking . The king is distraught that the people, including his servants, seem to love David more than him (1 Samuel 22:6–8). The people who live in the wilderness of Ziph contact their king to say David is near and they'll get him. Saul comes with his army and chases David and his men around a mountain. David is nearly surrounded when Saul receives news: the Philistines are attacking again. Saul hurries away, and David finds a new hiding spot (1 Samuel 24:29).

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.

Accessed 9/17/2025 2:53:20 PM