1 Samuel 23:18

1 Samuel 23:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And they two made a covenant before the Lord: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.
• New International Version (NIV)The two of them made a covenant before the Lord. Then Jonathan went home, but David remained at Horesh.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And the two of them made a covenant before the Lord. David remained at Horesh, and Jonathan went home.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So the two of them made a covenant before the Lord. And David stayed in the woods, and Jonathan went to his own house.

Context of 1 Samuel 23:18

16Jonathan went to find David and encouraged him to stay strong in his faith in God. 17“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.” So the two of them renewed their solemn pact before the Lord. Then Jonathan returned home, while David stayed at Horesh. 19But now the men of Ziph went to Saul in Gibeah and betrayed David to him. “We know where David is hiding,” they said. “He is in the strongholds of Horesh on the hill of Hakilah, which is in the southern part of Jeshimon. 20Come down whenever you’re ready, O king, and we will catch him and hand him over to you!”

1 Samuel 23:18 word by word

וַיִּכְרְת֧וּ שְׁנֵיהֶ֛ם בְּרִ֖ית לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וַיֵּ֤שֶׁב דָּוִד֙ בַּחֹ֔רְשָׁה וִיהוֹנָתָ֖ן הָלַ֥ךְ לְבֵיתֽוֹ׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And they twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
• madeכָּרַתkârath · to cut: make(covenant)H3772
• a covenantבְּרִיתberîyth · covenantH1285
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• and Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• abodeיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
• in the woodחֹ֫רֶשׁchôresh · HoreshH2793
• and Jonathanיְהוֹנָתָןyehônâthân · JonathanH3083
• wentהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
• to his houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 23:18

• 1 Samuel 18:3And Jonathan made a solemn pact with David, because he loved him as he loved himself.
• 1 Samuel 20:12Then Jonathan told David, “I promise by the Lord, the God of Israel, that by this time tomorrow, or the next day at the latest, I will talk to my father and let you know at once how he feels about you. If he speaks favorably about you, I will let you know.
• 2 Samuel 9:1One day David asked, “Is anyone in Saul’s family still alive—anyone to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”
• 2 Samuel 21:7The king spared Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth, who was Saul’s grandson, because of the oath David and Jonathan had sworn before the Lord.

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 23:18

• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-18Verses 14-18 David made no attempt against Saul; he kept God's way, waited God's time, and was content to secure himself in woods and wildernesses. Let it make us think the worse of this world, which often gives such bad treatment to its best men: let it make us long for that kingdom where goodness shall for ever be in glory, and holiness in honour. We find Jonathan comforting David. As a pious friend, he directed him to God, the Foundation of his…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18a covenant: See 1 Samuel 18:3–4; 20:12–17. Jonathan went home: This was likely the last time David and Jonathan saw each other.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 23:18

• David
• Friendship
• Jonathan
• Malice
• Unselfishness

In the dictionaries

• David
• Jonathan
• Town
• Covenant, in the Old Testament
• Horesh
• Jonathan (2)
• Samuel, Books of
• Hachilah, the Hill

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