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Read the Bible

King James Version (1611 Edition)

1 Samuel 24:2

Then Saul tooke three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to secke Dauid and his men vpon the rockes of the wilde goates.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Goat;   Saul;   Self-Control;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Goat, the;   Rocks;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Goat;   Right-Hand;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Palestine;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Prayer;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Army;   Goat;   Host;   Roe;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Army;   Carmel;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Animals;   Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Goat;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Election;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Caves;   Goat;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Da'vid;   En'-Gedi;   Goat;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Rock;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Chamois;   Deer;   Goat;   Hill;   Names, Proper;   Saul;   Zoology;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Captain;   Caves in Palestine;   Engedi;   Goat;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
So Saul took three thousand of Israel’s fit young men and went to look for David and his men in front of the Rocks of the Wild Goats.
Hebrew Names Version
Then Sha'ul took three thousand chosen men out of all Yisra'el, and went to seek David and his men on the rocks of the wild goats.
King James Version
Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.
Lexham English Bible
So Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel, and he and his men went to search for David in the direction of the Rocks of the Mountain Goats.
English Standard Version
Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Wildgoats' Rocks.
New Century Version
So he took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and began looking for David and his men near the Rocks of the Wild Goats.
New English Translation
So Saul took three thousand select men from all Israel and went to find David and his men in the region of the rocks of the mountain goats.
Amplified Bible
Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel and went to search for David and his men in front of the Rocks of the Wild Goats.
New American Standard Bible
Then Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and went to search for David and his men in front of the Rocks of the Mountain Goats.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then Saul tooke three thousande chosen men out of all Israel, & went to seeke Dauid and his men vpon the rocks among the wilde goates.
Legacy Standard Bible
Then Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Rocks of the Wild Goats.
Contemporary English Version
Saul led three thousand of Israel's best soldiers out to look for David and his men near Wild Goat Rocks at En-Gedi.
Complete Jewish Bible
When Sha'ul returned from pursuing the P'lishtim, he was told that David was in the desert at ‘Ein-Gedi.
Darby Translation
And Saul took three thousand men, chosen out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.
Easy-to-Read Version
So Saul chose 3000 men from all over Israel and began searching for David and his men. They looked near Wild Goat Rocks.
George Lamsa Translation
Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the mountains of the wild goats.
Good News Translation
Saul took three thousand of the best soldiers in Israel and went looking for David and his men east of Wild Goat Rocks.
Literal Translation
And Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men on the front of the rocks of the wild goats.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And Saul toke thre thousande chosen men out of all Israel, and wente to seke Dauid with his men vpon the stony rockes of the wylde goates.
American Standard Version
Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.
Bible in Basic English
Then Saul took three thousand of the best men out of all Israel, and went in search of David and his men on the rocks of the mountain goats.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then Saul toke three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seke Dauid and his men in the heyght of the rockes where wilde goates remayne.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And it came to pass when Saul returned from pursuing after the Philistines, that it was reported to him, saying, David is in the wilderness of Engaddi.
English Revised Version
Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.
Berean Standard Bible
So Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and went to look for David and his men in the region of the Rocks of the Wild Goats.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor Saul took three thousinde of chosun men of al Israel, and yede to seke Dauid and hise men, yhe on moost brokun rochis, that ben `able to weie to wield geet aloone.
Young's Literal Translation
And Saul taketh three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and goeth to seek David and his men, on the front of the rocks of the wild goats,
Update Bible Version
Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men on the rocks of the wild goats.
Webster's Bible Translation
Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.
World English Bible
Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men on the rocks of the wild goats.
New King James Version
Then Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel, and went to seek David and his men on the Rocks of the Wild Goats.
New Living Translation
So Saul chose 3,000 elite troops from all Israel and went to search for David and his men near the rocks of the wild goats.
New Life Bible
Then Saul took 3,000 chosen men from all Israel, and went to find David and his men in front of the Rocks of the Wild Goats.
New Revised Standard
Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to look for David and his men in the direction of the Rocks of the Wild Goats.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then Saul took three thousand chosen men, out of all Israel, - and went to seek David and his men, over the face of the rocks of the mountain-goats.
Douay-Rheims Bible
(24-3) Saul, therefore, took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went out to seek after David and his men, even upon the most craggy rocks, which are accessible only to wild goats.
Revised Standard Version
Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men in front of the Wildgoats' Rocks.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Rocks of the Wild Goats.

Contextual Overview

1 And it came to passe when Saul was returned from folowing the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, Dauid is in the wildernesse En-gedi. 2 Then Saul tooke three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to secke Dauid and his men vpon the rockes of the wilde goates. 3 And hee came to the sheepe coates by the way, where was a caue, and Saul went in to couer his feete: and Dauid and his men remained in the sides of the caue. 4 And the men of Dauid sayd vnto him, Beholde the day of which the Lord sayd vnto thee, Behold, I wil deliuer thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest doe to him as it shall seeme good vnto thee. Then Dauid arose, and cut off the skirt of Sauls robe priuily. 5 And it came to passe afterward, that Dauids heart smote him, because he had cut off Sauls skirt. 6 And hee sayd vnto his men, The Lord forbid that I should doe this thing vnto my master the Lords Anoynted, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the Anoynted of the Lord. 7 So Dauid stayed his seruants with these wordes, and suffered them not to rise against Saul: but Saul rose vp out of the caue, and went on his way. 8 Dauid also rose afterward, and went out of the caue, and cryed after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behinde him, Dauid stouped with his face to the earth, and bowed himselfe.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Saul took: 1 Samuel 13:2

and went: Psalms 37:32, Psalms 38:12

the rocks: Psalms 104:18, Psalms 141:6

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 26:2 - three thousand 2 Kings 6:14 - sent he thither horses Job 39:1 - the wild Psalms 17:11 - compassed

Cross-References

Genesis 15:2
And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou giue me, seeing I goe childlesse? and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus.
Genesis 24:4
But thou shalt go vnto my countrey, and to my kinred, and take a wife vnto my sonne Isaac.
Genesis 24:6
And Abraham said vnto him, Beware thou, that thou bring not my sonne thither againe.
Genesis 24:8
And if the woman wil not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt bee cleare from this my othe: onely bring not my sonne thither againe.
Genesis 24:9
And the seruant put his hand vnder the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning that matter.
Genesis 24:10
And the seruant tooke ten camels, of the camels of his master, and departed, ( for all the goods of his master were in his hand) and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, vnto the citie of Nahor.
Genesis 44:1
And hee commaunded the steward of his house, saying, Fill the mens sackes with food, as much as they can carie, and put euery mans money in his sacks mouth.
Genesis 47:29
And the time drew nigh that Israel must die, and he called his sonne Ioseph, and said vnto him, If now I haue found grace in thy sight, put, I pray thee, thy hand vnder my thigh, and deale kindly and truely with mee, bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt.
1 Chronicles 29:24
And all the princes and the mightie men, and all the sonnes likewise of king Dauid, submitted themselues vnto Solomon the King.
1 Timothy 5:17
Let the Elders that rule well, be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel,.... Out of his army, with which he had been pursuing the Philistines:

and went to seek David, and his men, upon the rocks of the wild goats; which were in the wilderness of Engedi; those rocks were exceeding high and terrible to look at, full of precipices, and so prominent, that to travellers they seemed as if they would fall into the adjacent valleys, that it even struck terror into them to look at them x; called the rocks of wild goats, because these creatures, called from hence "rupicaprae", or rock goats, see Job 39:1; delighted to be there; and are, as Pliny y says, of such prodigious swiftness, that they will leap from mountain to mountain, and back again at pleasure; these mountains David and his men chose for safety, and the height and craggedness of them did not deter Saul and his men from seeking him there.

x Adrichom Theatrum Terrae Sanct. p. 47. & Brocard. in ib. y Nat. Hist. l. 8. c. 53.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The rocks of the wild goats - To signify the craggy precipitous character of the country.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Samuel 24:2. Rocks of the wild goats. — The original (צורי היעלים tsurey haiyeelim) is variously understood. The VULGATE makes a paraphrase: Super abruptissimas petras quae solis ibicibus perviae sunt; "On the most precipitous rocks over which the ibexes alone can travel." The TARGUM: the caverns of the rocks. The SEPTUAGINT make the original a proper name; for out of צורי היעלים tsurey haiyeelim, they make Σαδδαιεμ Saddaiem, and in some copies Αειαμειν Aeiamein, which are evidently corruptions of the Hebrew.


 
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