“May you be blessed by the LORD,” replied Saul, “for you have had compassion on me.
Parallel translations
- WEB Saul said, “You are blessed by Yahweh; for you have had compassion on me.
- KJV And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have compassion on me.
- NKJV And Saul said, “Blessed are you of the Lord, for you have compassion on me.
- NASB Saul said, “May you be blessed of the Lord, since you have had compassion on me.
- NLT “The Lord bless you,” Saul said. “At last someone is concerned about 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
Saul blesses the Ziphites for their compassion on him, welcoming their help.
Overview
Saul invokes the LORD's blessing on the Ziphites for their loyalty, ironically claiming divine favor for an unjust pursuit. His twisted gratitude shows a conscience that has confused God's name with his own murderous aims. The scene exposes how rejected leadership can cloak evil in pious language.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- 1 Sam 22:8Is that why all of you have conspired against me? Not one of you told me that my own son had made a covenant with the son of Jesse. Not one of you has shown concern for me or revealed to me that my son has stirred up my own servant to lie in wait against me, as is the case today.”
- Judg 17:2said to his mother, “The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from you and about which I heard you utter a curse—I have the silver here with me; I took it.” Then his mother said, “Blessed be my son by the LORD!”
- Isa 66:5You who tremble at His word, hear the word of the LORD: “Your brothers who hate you and exclude you because of My name have said, ‘Let the LORD be glorified that we may see your joy!’ But they will be put to shame.”
- Mic 3:11Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets practice divination for money. Yet they lean upon the LORD, saying, “Is not the LORD among us? No disaster can come upon us.”
- Ps 10:3For the wicked man boasts in the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD.
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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 23:21 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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