The Meaning of 1 Samuel 28:1 Explained

1 Samuel 28:1

KJV: And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered their armies together for warfare, to fight with Israel. And Achish said unto David, Know thou assuredly, that thou shalt go out with me to battle, thou and thy men.

YLT: And it cometh to pass in those days, that the Philistines gather their camps for the war, to fight against Israel, and Achish saith unto David, 'Thou dost certainly know that with me thou dost go out into the camp, thou and thy men.'

Darby: And it came to pass in those days that the Philistines gathered together their armies for warfare to fight against Israel. And Achish said to David, Know thou assuredly that thou shalt go out with me to the camp, thou and thy men.

ASV: And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered their hosts together for warfare, to fight with Israel. And Achish said unto David, Know thou assuredly, that thou shalt go out with me in the host, thou and thy men.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And it came to pass in those days,  that the Philistines  gathered  their armies  together  for warfare,  to fight  with Israel.  And Achish  said  unto David,  Know  thou assuredly,  that thou shalt go out  with me to battle,  thou and thy men. 

What does 1 Samuel 28:1 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 28:1-14 - Resorting To A Familiar Spirit
This chapter records the climax to which Saul's sins led, and which sealed his fate. See 1 Chronicles 10:13-14. He went back to that which he had put away and sought counsel of a familiar spirit, 2 Peter 2:20-22.
The soul cannot live apart from the unseen world. It is its native element. Divorce it from God, and it will fill the empty space with demons. When the king could get no answer to his questions by the usual means, he sent his servants, in desperation, to seek for a medium. Had he been right with God, there would have been no need for this. It is the decay of the old religious spirit that nowadays gives occasion for the rise of crystal-gazing, palmistry and spirit-rapping. What a tragedy was presented that night in the witch's hut, and how terrible must have been Saul's long tramp to and fro, between his own encampment and Endor, which lay in the rear of the Philistine host! It is an evil thing and a bitter to forsake the fountain of living waters, and hew out "broken cisterns that can hold no water," Jeremiah 2:13; Jeremiah 2:19. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Samuel 28

1  Achish puts confidence in David
3  Saul having destroyed the witches
4  and now in his fear forsaken of God
7  has recourse to a witch
8  who, encouraged by Saul, raises up Samuel
15  Saul hearing his ruin, faints
21  The woman and his servants refresh him with meat

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 28:1 mean?

And it came to pass in days those that gathered together the Philistines - their armies for war to fight with Israel And said Achish to David assuredly You know that with me you will go out to battle you and your men
וַֽיְהִי֙ בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֔ם וַיִּקְבְּצ֨וּ פְלִשְׁתִּ֤ים אֶת־ מַֽחֲנֵיהֶם֙ לַצָּבָ֔א לְהִלָּחֵ֖ם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אָכִישׁ֙ אֶל־ דָּוִ֔ד יָדֹ֣עַ תֵּדַ֗ע כִּ֤י אִתִּי֙ תֵּצֵ֣א בַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה אַתָּ֖ה וַאֲנָשֶֽׁיךָ

וַֽיְהִי֙  And  it  came  to  pass 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
בַּיָּמִ֣ים  in  days 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הָהֵ֔ם  those 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person masculine plural
Root: הֵם 
Sense: they, these, the same, who.
וַיִּקְבְּצ֨וּ  that  gathered  together 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: קָבַץ  
Sense: to gather, assemble.
פְלִשְׁתִּ֤ים  the  Philistines 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: פְּלִשְׁתִּי  
Sense: an inhabitant of Philistia; descendants of Mizraim who immigrated from Caphtor (Crete?) to the western seacoast of Canaan.
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.
מַֽחֲנֵיהֶם֙  their  armies 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: מַחֲנֶה  
Sense: encampment, camp.
לַצָּבָ֔א  for  war 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
לְהִלָּחֵ֖ם  to  fight 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Nifal, Infinitive construct
Root: לָחַם 
Sense: to fight, do battle, make war.
בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל  with  Israel 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אָכִישׁ֙  Achish 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָכִישׁ  
Sense: Philistine king of Gath.
דָּוִ֔ד  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
יָדֹ֣עַ  assuredly 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
תֵּדַ֗ע  You  know 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
כִּ֤י  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
אִתִּי֙  with  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.
תֵּצֵ֣א  you  will  go  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
בַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה  to  battle 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: מַחֲנֶה  
Sense: encampment, camp.
וַאֲנָשֶֽׁיךָ  and  your  men 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.