1 Samuel 22:23

1 Samuel 22:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: but with me thou shalt be in safeguard.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Stay with me; do not be afraid, for he who seeks my life seeks your life. With me you shall be in safekeeping."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Stay with me; do not fear. For he who seeks my life seeks your life, but with me you shall be safe.”
• New Living Translation (NLT)Stay here with me, and don’t be afraid. I will protect you with my own life, for the same person wants to kill us both.”

Context of 1 Samuel 22:23

21He told David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord. 22Then David said to Abiathar, “That day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, I knew he would be sure to tell Saul. I am responsible for the death of your whole family. Stay with me; don’t be afraid. The man who wants to kill you is trying to kill me too. You will be safe with me.”

1 Samuel 22:23 word by word

שְׁבָ֤ה אִתִּי֙ אַל־תִּירָ֔א כִּ֛י אֲשֶׁר־יְבַקֵּ֥שׁ אֶת־נַפְשִׁ֖י יְבַקֵּ֣שׁ אֶת־נַפְשֶׁ֑ךָ כִּֽי־מִשְׁמֶ֥רֶת אַתָּ֖ה עִמָּדִֽי׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Abideיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
• thou with me, fearיָרֵאyârê' · to fearH3372
• not: for he that seekethבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
• my lifeנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315
• in safeguardמִשְׁמֶ֫רֶתmishmereth · chargeH4931

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 22:23

• 1 Kings 2:26To Abiathar the priest the king said, “Go back to your fields in Anathoth. You deserve to die, but I will not put you to death now, because you carried the ark of the Sovereign Lord before my father David and shared all my father’s hardships.”
• Matthew 24:9“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.
• John 15:20Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.
• John 16:2They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God.
• Hebrews 12:1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,
• John 10:28I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.
• John 17:12While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.
• John 18:9This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: “I have not lost one of those you gave me.”

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 22:23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23He that seeketh my life seeketh thy life - The enmity of Saul is directed against thee as well as against me, and thou canst have no safety but in being closely attached to me; and I will defend thee even at the risk of my own life. This he was bound in duty and conscience to do.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23The characteristic generosity of David‘s disposition breaks out in these words. He never forgot a friend. (Compare 2 Samuel 1:26; 2 Samuel 9:1, etc.) David acknowledges that Saul‘s enmity against Abiathar is the consequence of his enmity against himself, and therefore David makes common cause with him.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20-23Verses 20-23 David greatly lamented the calamity. It is great trouble to a good man to find himself any way the cause of evil to others. He must have been much pained, when he considered that his falsehood was one cause of this fatal event. David speaks with assurance of his own safety, and promises that Abiathar should have his protection. With the Son of David, all who are his may be sure they shall be in safeguard, Psa 91:1. In the hurry and…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-23Saul’s character is clear here. He could not take revenge on David himself. Instead, Saul killed those he believed had helped David.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 20-2320-23. one of the sons of Ahimelech ... escaped--This was Abiathar, who repaired to David in the forest of Hareth, rescuing, with his own life, the high priest's vestments (1Sa 23:6, 9). On hearing his sad tale, David declared that he had dreaded such a fatal result from the malice and intriguing ambition of Doeg; and, accusing himself as having been the occasion of all the disaster to Abiathar's family, David invited him to remain, because, firmly…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 22:23

• Abiathar
• Friendship

In the dictionaries

• Abiathar
• Ahimelech
• David
• Jesse
• Nob
• Priest, High
• Samuel, Books of

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 22

• 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
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings