The Meaning of 1 Samuel 28:2 Explained

1 Samuel 28:2

KJV: And David said to Achish, Surely thou shalt know what thy servant can do. And Achish said to David, Therefore will I make thee keeper of mine head for ever.

YLT: And David saith unto Achish, 'Therefore -- thou dost know that which thy servant dost do.' And Achish saith unto David, 'Therefore -- keeper of my head I do appoint thee all the days.'

Darby: And David said to Achish, Thereby thou shalt know what thy servant can do. And Achish said to David, Therefore will I make thee keeper of my person for ever.

ASV: And David said to Achish, Therefore thou shalt know what thy servant will do. And Achish said to David, Therefore will I make thee keeper of my head for ever.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And David  said  to Achish,  Surely  thou shalt know  what thy servant  can do.  And Achish  said  to David,  Therefore will I make  thee keeper  of mine head  for ever. 

What does 1 Samuel 28:2 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 28:2 mean?

And said David to Achish surely you know - what can do Your servant Achish David therefore one of my guardians chief I will make you all forever -
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר דָּוִד֙ אֶל־ אָכִ֔ישׁ לָכֵן֙ אַתָּ֣ה תֵדַ֔ע אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־ יַעֲשֶׂ֖ה עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ אָכִישׁ֙ דָּוִ֔ד לָכֵ֗ן שֹׁמֵ֧ר לְרֹאשִׁ֛י אֲשִֽׂימְךָ֖ כָּל־ הַיָּמִֽים פ

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
דָּוִד֙  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
אָכִ֔ישׁ  Achish 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָכִישׁ  
Sense: Philistine king of Gath.
לָכֵן֙  surely 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֵּן 
Sense: so, therefore, thus.
תֵדַ֔ע  know 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
אֵ֥ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יַעֲשֶׂ֖ה  can  do 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ  Your  servant 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
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.
שֹׁמֵ֧ר  one  of  my  guardians 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
לְרֹאשִׁ֛י  chief 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
אֲשִֽׂימְךָ֖  I  will  make  you 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular, second person masculine singular
Root: שׂוּמָה 
Sense: to put, place, set, appoint, make.
הַיָּמִֽים  forever 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation

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