And Saul’s son Jonathan came to David in Horesh and strengthened his hand in God,
Parallel translations
- WEB Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose, and went to David into the woods, and strengthened his hand in God.
- KJV And Jonathan Saul’s son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.
- NKJV Then Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David in the woods and strengthened his hand in God.
- NASB And Jonathan, Saul’s son, set out and went to David at Horesh, and encouraged him in God.
- NLT Jonathan went to find David and encouraged him to stay strong in his faith in God.
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
Jonathan visits David in the woods and strengthens his hand in God.
Overview
Jonathan seeks out David in his hiding place and strengthens his hand in God, pointing him to the LORD as his true refuge. This act of covenant friendship encourages David's faith in a dark hour. Jonathan models how believers are to build one another up in God, fixing each other's hope on Him rather than circumstances.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Isa 35:3–4Strengthen the limp hands and steady the feeble knees!
- Heb 12:12–13Therefore strengthen your limp hands and weak knees.
- Job 4:3–4Surely you have instructed many, and have strengthened their feeble hands.
- 2 Tim 2:1You therefore, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
- Eph 6:10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.
- Luke 22:32But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith will not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
- 1 Sam 30:6And David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of every man grieved for his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God.
- Luke 22:43Then an angel from heaven appeared to Him and strengthened Him.
- Neh 2:18I also told them about the gracious hand of my God upon me, and what the king had said to me. “Let us start rebuilding,” they replied, and they set their hands to this good work.
- Prov 27:9Oil and incense bring joy to the heart, and the sweetness of a friend is counsel to the soul.
- Prov 27:17As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.
- Deut 3:28But commission Joshua, encourage him, and strengthen him, for he will cross over ahead of the people and enable them to inherit the land that you will see.”
- Eccl 4:9–12Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.
- Job 16:5But I would encourage you with my mouth, and the consolation of my lips would bring relief.
- Ezek 13:22Because you have disheartened the righteous with your lies, even though I have caused them no grief, and because you have encouraged the wicked not to turn from their evil ways to save their lives,
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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 23:16 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
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