If he says thus: ‘It is well,’ your servant will be safe. But if he is very angry, be sure that evil is determined by him.
Parallel translations
- WEB If he says, ‘It is well;’ your servant shall have peace: but if he is angry, then know that evil is determined by him.
- KJV If he say thus, It is well; thy servant shall have peace: but if he be very wroth, then be sure that evil is determined by him.
- BSB If he says, ‘Good,’ then your servant is safe, but if he is enraged, you will know he has evil intentions.
- NASB If he says, ‘That is good,’ your servant will be safe; but if he is very angry, be aware that he has decided on evil.
- NLT If he says, ‘Fine!’ you will know all is well. But if he is angry and loses his temper, you will know he is determined to kill me.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
David says Saul's calm or angry response will reveal whether peace or harm is intended toward him.
Overview
David lays out the interpretation of the test: a calm reply means safety, an angry one confirms deadly intent. He seeks objective evidence of Saul's heart before deciding his course. The plan reflects prudent wisdom, gathering truth rather than acting on assumption.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- 1 Sam 25:17Now therefore know and consider what you will do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his house; for he is such a worthless fellow that one can’t speak to him.”
- Esth 7:7The king arose in his wrath from the banquet of wine and went into the palace garden. Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther the queen; for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king.
- 1 Sam 20:9Jonathan said, “Far be it from you; for if I should at all know that evil were determined by my father to come on you, then wouldn’t I tell you that?”
- 2 Sam 17:4The saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel.
- Deut 1:23The thing pleased me well. I took twelve men of you, one man for every tribe.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The rise of the anointed king after Israel's failed first choice points to the true Anointed One (Messiah means 'anointed'), the shepherd-king after God's own heart from Bethlehem.
How 1 Samuel 20:7 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.