1 Samuel 23:21

1 Samuel 23:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the Lord; for ye have compassion on me.
• New International Version (NIV)Saul replied, “The Lord bless you for your concern for me.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And Saul said, "May you be blessed by the Lord, for you have had compassion on me.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And Saul said, “Blessed are you of the Lord, for you have compassion on me.

Context of 1 Samuel 23:21

19Then the Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Isn’t David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh on the hill of Hakilah, south of Jeshimon? 20Now at your own discretion, O king, come down. Delivering him into the king’s hand will be our responsibility.” Saul replied, “May you be blessed by the Lord, for you have had compassion on me. 22Go and make further arrangements. Determine precisely where he is and who has seen him there, for I am told that he is extremely cunning. 23Locate precisely all the places where he hides and return to me with dependable information. Then I will go with you. If he is in the land, I will find him among all the thousands of Judah.”

1 Samuel 23:21 word by word

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שָׁא֔וּל בְּרוּכִ֥ים אַתֶּ֖ם לַֽיהוָ֑ה כִּ֥י חֲמַלְתֶּ֖ם עָלָֽי׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Blessedבָּרַךְbârak · to blessH1288
• ye of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• for ye have compassionחָמַלchâmal · to spareH2550

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 23:21

• 1 Samuel 22:8For all of you have conspired against me! No one informs me when my own son makes an agreement with this son of Jesse! Not one of you feels sorry for me or informs me that my own son has commissioned my own servant to hide in ambush against me, as is the case today!”
• Judges 17:2He said to his mother, “You know the eleven hundred pieces of silver which were stolen from you, about which I heard you pronounce a curse? Look here, I have the silver. I stole it, but now I am giving it back to you.” His mother said, “May the Lord reward you, my son!”
• Psalms 10:3Yes, the wicked man boasts because he gets what he wants; the one who robs others curses and rejects the Lord.
• Isaiah 66:5Hear the word of the Lord, you who respect what he has to say! Your countrymen, who hate you and exclude you, supposedly for the sake of my name, say, “May the Lord be glorified, then we will witness your joy.” But they will be put to shame.
• Micah 3:11Her leaders take bribes when they decide legal cases, her priests proclaim rulings for profit, and her prophets read omens for pay. Yet they claim to trust the Lord and say, “The Lord is among us. Disaster will not overtake us!”

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 23:21

• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-29Verses 19-29 In the midst of his wickedness, Saul affected to speak the language of piety. Such expressions, without suitable effects, can only amuse or deceive those who hear, and those who use them. This mountain was an emblem of the Divine Providence coming between David and the destroyer. Let us not be dismayed at the prospect of future difficulties, but stay ourselves upon Him who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working. Sooner than his…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-29Because Saul received reports from informants, he was able to continue pursuing David (1 Samuel 23:7,13). David also had informants, which helped him stay ahead of Saul (1 Samuel 23:1, 9, 15, 25). David’s greatest advantage was that he could seek guidance and help from God, which Saul did not have (1 Samuel 23:2, 4, 12).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 19-2319-23. Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us?--From the tell of Ziph a panorama of the whole surrounding district is to be seen. No wonder, then, that the Ziphites saw David and his men passing to and fro in the mountains of the wilderness. Spying him at a distance when he ventured to show himself on the hill of Hachilah, "on the right hand of the wilderness," that is, the south side of Ziph, they sent in…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 23:21

• David
• Malice

In the dictionaries

• Saul
• Paul, Saul
• David
• Town
• Compassion
• Samuel, Books of

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings