Tree of Life Version
1 Samuel 28:2
2David said to Achish, “Well then, you know what your servant will do.” “Well then, I appoint you my bodyguard for life,” Achish said to David.
1 Samuel 28:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And David said to Achish, Surely thou shalt know what thy servant can do. And Achish said to David, Therefore will I make thee keeper of mine head for ever.
- New International Version (NIV)David said, “Then you will see for yourself what your servant can do.” Achish replied, “Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)David said to Achish, "Very well, you shall know what your servant can do." And Achish said to David, "Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life."
- New King James Version (NKJV)So David said to Achish, “Surely you know what your servant can do.” And Achish said to David, “Therefore I will make you one of my chief guardians forever.”
Context of 1 Samuel 28:2
1At that time, the Philistines gathered their armed forces to fight against Israel. Achish said to David, “You surely know that you and your men must march out with me in the army.” David said to Achish, “Well then, you know what your servant will do.” “Well then, I appoint you my bodyguard for life,” Achish said to David. 3Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had lamented him and buried him in Ramah, his hometown. Saul had removed from the land those who were mediums and spiritists. 4So the Philistines mustered and came and camped in Shunem; and Saul gathered all Israel together and they camped at Gilboa.
Read all of 1 Samuel 281 Samuel 28:2 word by word
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר דָּוִד֙ אֶל־אָכִ֔ישׁ לָכֵן֙ אַתָּ֣ה תֵדַ֔ע אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־יַעֲשֶׂ֖ה עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אָכִישׁ֙ אֶל־דָּוִ֔ד לָכֵ֗ן שֹׁמֵ֧ר לְרֹאשִׁ֛י אֲשִֽׂימְךָ֖ כָּל־הַיָּמִֽים׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- to Achishאָכִישׁ'âkîysh · AchishH397
- Surelyכֵּןkên · rightH3651
- thou shalt knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- what thy servantעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
- can doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- Therefore will I makeשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: makeH7760
- thee keeperשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: guardH8104
- of mine headרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218
- for everיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 28:2
- 1 Samuel 27:10Achish would ask, “Where have you raided today?” So David would reply, “Against the Negev of Judah, against the Negev of the Jerahmeelite and against the Negev of the Kenites.”
- 2 Samuel 16:16Now when David’s friend Hushai the Archite came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”
- Romans 12:9Let love be without hypocrisy—detesting what is evil, holding fast to the good.
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 28:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Surely thou shalt know what thy servant can do - This was another equivocal answer; and could only be understood by his succeeding conduct. It might imply what he could do in favor of the Philistines against Israel; or in favor of Israel against the Philistines. Achish understood it in the former sense; and therefore he said to David, I will make thee keeper of my head for ever; i.e., Thou shalt be captain of my life-guards.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Thou shalt know - David dissembled (compare also 1 Samuel 29:8), hoping, no doubt, that something would happen to prevent his fighting against his king and country. Keeper of mine head - Captain of his bodyguard.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. Surely thou shalt know what thy servant can do--This answer, while it seemed to express an apparent cheerfulness in agreeing to the proposal, contained a studied ambiguity--a wary and politic generality. Therefore will I make thee keeper of mine head for ever--or, "my life"; that is, "captain of my bodyguard," an office of great trust and high honor.Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 28:2
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 28
- 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
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
Tree of Life Version — © 2015 The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
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