The Meaning of 1 Samuel 23:8 Explained

1 Samuel 23:8

KJV: And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.

YLT: And Saul summoneth the whole of the people to battle, to go down to Keilah, to lay siege unto David and unto his men.

Darby: And Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.

ASV: And Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Saul  called  all the people  together  to war,  to go down  to Keilah,  to besiege  David  and his men. 

What does 1 Samuel 23:8 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 23:1-14 - Success And Safety Under God's Guidance
We learn here that those who are called to walk in the maze of human life need to look constantly upward for direction. "It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps." Our eyes need to be fixed constantly on the Lord. "Lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." We have no priestly ephod to direct us. But if we roll the responsibility of our way on God and wait for Him, the conviction of His plan will steal into our hearts, and this will be corroborated by the advice of experienced friends and the trend of circumstances.
The recompense of the people of Keilah for David's noble interposition on their behalf was very base, and warns us not to trust in human safeguards, which are so liable to be broken down. The only place of absolute security is in God. Blessed are they whose life is "hid with Christ in God"! David knew that, and in these sad and difficult days, when he was hunted as a partridge on the mountains, he was composing some of his most helpful psalms. See Psalms 11:1-7; Psalms 54:1-7; Psalms 57:1-11. In our own troubled times, how good it is that we should listen to the sweet music of the eternal world which surrounds this one and in which the harried soul may have its abiding-place. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Samuel 23

1  David, enquiring of the Lord by Abiathar, rescues Keilah
7  God showing him the coming of Saul, and the treachery of the Keilites,
13  he escapes from Keilah
14  In Ziph Jonathan comes and comforts him
19  The Ziphites discover him to Saul
25  At Maon he is rescued from Saul by the invasion of the Philistines
29  He dwells at En Gedi

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 23:8 mean?

And called together Saul - all the people for war to go down to Keilah to besiege to besiege David and his men
וַיְשַׁמַּ֥ע שָׁא֛וּל אֶת־ כָּל־ הָעָ֖ם לַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה לָרֶ֣דֶת קְעִילָ֔ה לָצ֥וּר אֶל־ דָּוִ֖ד וְאֶל־ אֲנָשָֽׁיו

וַיְשַׁמַּ֥ע  And  called  together 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
שָׁא֛וּל  Saul 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁאוּל  
Sense: a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the st king of Israel.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָעָ֖ם  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
לַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה  for  war 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִלְחָמָה  
Sense: battle, war.
לָרֶ֣דֶת  to  go  down 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: יָרַד  
Sense: to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down.
קְעִילָ֔ה  to  Keilah 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: קְעִילָה  
Sense: a city in the lowlands of Judah northwest of Hebron.
לָצ֥וּר  to  besiege 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: צוּר 
Sense: to bind, besiege, confine, cramp.
אֶל־  to  besiege 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
דָּוִ֖ד  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
אֲנָשָֽׁיו  his  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.

What are the major concepts related to 1 Samuel 23:8?

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