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Saturday, July 19th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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Read the Bible

THE MESSAGE

1 Samuel 22:3

Then David went to Mizpah in Moab. He petitioned the king of Moab, "Grant asylum to my father and mother until I find out what God has planned for me." David left his parents in the care of the king of Moab. They stayed there all through the time David was hiding out.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Children;   Doubting;   Jesse;   Mizpah;   Moabites;   Thompson Chain Reference - Filial Honour;   Honour;   Jesse;   Mothers;   Young People;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Ahimelech;   Jesse;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Mizpah;   Moab;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Prayer;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Jesse;   Mizpah;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Bethlehem;   Boaz;   Ithmah;   Ithra;   Joab;   Mizpah;   Moab;   Nahash;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Mizpah, Mizpeh;   Moab and the Moabite Stone;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Jesse;   Moab, Moabites;   Nob;   Priests and Levites;   Samuel, Books of;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Mizpah, Mizpeh ;   Moab, Moabites ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - David;   Mizpah;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Miz'pah;   Mo'ab;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Mizpah;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Adullam;   David;   Jesse;   Mizpah;   Moab;   Relationships, Family;   Ruth, the Book of;   Samuel, Books of;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Boaz;   Jesse;   Mizpah;   Nahash;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
From there David went to Mizpeh of Moab where he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and mother stay with you until I know what God will do for me.”
Hebrew Names Version
David went there to Mitzpeh of Mo'av: and he said to the king of Mo'av, Please let my father and my mother come forth, [and be] with you, until I know what God will do for me.
King James Version
And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said unto the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, and be with you, till I know what God will do for me.
Lexham English Bible
And David went up from there to Mizpah of Moab. He said to the king of Moab, "Please let my father and my mother stay with you until I know what God will do for me."
English Standard Version
And David went from there to Mizpeh of Moab. And he said to the king of Moab, "Please let my father and my mother stay with you, till I know what God will do for me."
New Century Version
From there David went to Mizpah in Moab and spoke to the king of Moab. He said, "Please let my father and mother come and stay with you until I learn what God is going to do for me."
New English Translation
Then David went from there to Mizpah in Moab, where he said to the king of Moab, "Please let my father and mother stay with you until I know what God is going to do for me."
Amplified Bible
And David went from there to Mizpah of Moab; and he said to the king of Moab, "Please let my father and my mother come [out of Judah] and stay with you until I know what God will do for me."
New American Standard Bible
And David went from there to Mizpah of Moab; and he said to the king of Moab, "Please let my father and my mother come and stay with you until I know what God will do for me."
Geneva Bible (1587)
And Dauid went thence to Mizpeh in Moab, and said vnto the King of Moab, I pray thee, let my father & my mother come and abide with you, till I knowe what God wil doe for me.
Legacy Standard Bible
And David went from there to Mizpah of Moab; and he said to the king of Moab, "Please let my father and my mother come and stay with you until I know what God will do for me."
Contemporary English Version
David left Adullam Cave and went to the town of Mizpeh in Moab, where he talked with the king of Moab. "Please," David said, "let my father and mother stay with you until I find out what God will do with me."
Complete Jewish Bible
David went from there to Mitzpeh of Mo'av and said to the king of Mo'av, "Please let my father and mother come and stay with you until I know what God will do for me."
Darby Translation
And David went thence to Mizpeh in Moab, and said to the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth amongst you, till I know what God will do for me.
Easy-to-Read Version
David left Adullam and went to Mizpah in Moab. David said to the king of Moab, "Please let my father and mother come and stay with you until I learn what God is going to do to me."
George Lamsa Translation
And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab; and he said to the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother dwell with you, till I know what God will do with me.
Good News Translation
David went on from there to Mizpah in Moab and said to the king of Moab, "Please let my father and mother come and stay with you until I find out what God is going to do for me."
Literal Translation
And David went from there to Mizpeh of Moab. And he said to the king of Moab, Please let my father and my mother come and be with you, until I know what God will do to me.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And Dauid wente from thence towarde Mispa in the londe of the Moabites, and sayde vnto the kynge of the Moabites: Let my father and my mother go out and in amonge you, tyll I se what God wil do with me.
American Standard Version
And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said unto the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, and be with you, till I know what God will do for me.
Bible in Basic English
And from there David went to Mizpeh in the land of Moab: and he said to the king of Moab, Let my father and mother come and make their living-place with you till it is clear to me what God will do for me.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Dauid went thence to Mispah in the land of Moab, and sayde vnto the king of Moab: Let my father and my mother (I pray thee) come foorth vnto you, till I knowe what God wyl do for me.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab; and he said unto the king of Moab: 'Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, and be with you, till I know what God will do for me.'
King James Version (1611)
And Dauid went thence to Mizpeh of Moab; and he said vnto the king of Moab, Let my father, and my mother, I pray thee, come foorth, and be with you, till I know what God will doe for me.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And David departed thence to Massephath of Moab, and said to the king of Moab, Let, I pray thee, my father and my mother be with thee, until I know what God will do to me.
English Revised Version
And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said unto the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, [and be] with you, till I know what God will do for me.
Berean Standard Bible
From there David went to Mizpeh of Moab, where he said to the king of Moab, "Please let my father and mother stay with you until I learn what God will do for me."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Dauid yede forth fro thennus in to Masphat, which is of Moab; and he seide to the kyng of Moab, Y preye, dwelle my fadir and my modir with you, til Y wite what thing God schal do to me.
Young's Literal Translation
And David goeth thence to Mizpeh of Moab, and saith unto the king of Moab, `Let, I pray thee, my father and my mother go out with you, till that I know what God doth for me;'
Update Bible Version
And David went from there to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said to the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray you, come forth, [and be] with you, until I know what God will do for me.
Webster's Bible Translation
And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said to the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, [and be] with you, till I know what God will do for me.
World English Bible
David went there to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said to the king of Moab, Please let my father and my mother come forth, [and be] with you, until I know what God will do for me.
New King James Version
Then David went from there to Mizpah of Moab; and he said to the king of Moab, "Please let my father and mother come here with you, till I know what God will do for me."
New Living Translation
Later David went to Mizpeh in Moab, where he asked the king, "Please allow my father and mother to live here with you until I know what God is going to do for me."
New Life Bible
David went from there to Mizpah of Moab. He said to the king of Moab, "I beg of you, let my father and mother come and stay with you until I know what God will do for me."
New Revised Standard
David went from there to Mizpeh of Moab. He said to the king of Moab, "Please let my father and mother come to you, until I know what God will do for me."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And David departed thence, to Mizpah of Moab, - and said unto the king of Moab, I pray thee, let my father and my mother dwell with you, until that I know what God will do for me.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And David departed from thence into Maspha of Moab: and he said to the king of Moab: Let my father and my mother tarry with you, I beseech thee, till I know what God will do for me.
Revised Standard Version
And David went from there to Mizpeh of Moab; and he said to the king of Moab, "Pray let my father and my mother stay with you, till I know what God will do for me."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
And David went from there to Mizpah of Moab; and he said to the king of Moab, "Please let my father and my mother come and stay with you until I know what God will do for me."

Contextual Overview

1So David got away and escaped to the Cave of Adullam. When his brothers and others associated with his family heard where he was, they came down and joined him. Not only that, but all who were down on their luck came around—losers and vagrants and misfits of all sorts. David became their leader. There were about four hundred in all. 3Then David went to Mizpah in Moab. He petitioned the king of Moab, "Grant asylum to my father and mother until I find out what God has planned for me." David left his parents in the care of the king of Moab. They stayed there all through the time David was hiding out. 5 The prophet Gad told David, "Don't go back to the cave. Go to Judah." David did what he told him. He went to the forest of Hereth.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Mizpeh: Judges 11:29

the king: 1 Samuel 14:47, Ruth 1:1-4, Ruth 4:10, Ruth 4:17

Let my father: Genesis 47:11, Exodus 20:12, Matthew 15:4-6, 1 Timothy 5:4

till I know: 1 Samuel 3:18, 2 Samuel 15:25, 2 Samuel 15:26, Philippians 2:23, Philippians 2:24

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 25:26 - as the Lord liveth 2 Samuel 10:2 - as his father Psalms 11:1 - how

Cross-References

Genesis 17:23
Then Abraham took his son Ishmael and all his servants, whether houseborn or purchased—every male in his household—and circumcised them, cutting off their foreskins that very day, just as God had told him.
Genesis 21:14
Abraham got up early the next morning, got some food together and a canteen of water for Hagar, put them on her back and sent her away with the child. She wandered off into the desert of Beersheba. When the water was gone, she left the child under a shrub and went off, fifty yards or so. She said, "I can't watch my son die." As she sat, she broke into sobs.
Genesis 22:3
Abraham got up early in the morning and saddled his donkey. He took two of his young servants and his son Isaac. He had split wood for the burnt offering. He set out for the place God had directed him. On the third day he looked up and saw the place in the distance. Abraham told his two young servants, "Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I are going over there to worship; then we'll come back to you."
Genesis 22:19
Then Abraham went back to his young servants. They got things together and returned to Beersheba. Abraham settled down in Beersheba.
Hebrews 11:8
By an act of faith, Abraham said yes to God's call to travel to an unknown place that would become his home. When he left he had no idea where he was going. By an act of faith he lived in the country promised him, lived as a stranger camping in tents. Isaac and Jacob did the same, living under the same promise. Abraham did it by keeping his eye on an unseen city with real, eternal foundations—the City designed and built by God.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab,.... So called to distinguish it from a place of the same name in the land of Israel; which Junius says is the same with Malle, and signifies a fortified place, and refers to the Apocrypha:

"And how that many of them were shut up in Bosora, and Bosor, and Alema, Casphor, Maked, and Carnaim; all these cities are strong and great:'' (1 Maccabees 5:26)

here he might think himself safer, though in an enemy's country, than in the land of Israel:

and he said unto the king of Moab, let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth; out of the land of Israel, or out of the cave of Adullam, whither they were come to him:

[and be] with you; if not with the king of Moab at his court, yet in some part or other of his country, where they might be safe from the rage of Saul:

till I know what God will do for me; on whose power and providence he wholly relied, and not upon the men that flocked to him, nor upon his own power and policy, courage and wisdom; he knew the promise of God to him, and he put his trust in him for the performance of it; but knew not the time, nor way, and manner, in which it would be performed; and expected in the meanwhile to be obliged to remove from place to place; and considering that his aged parents were not fit for such quick and sudden motions, and long flights, he provided as well as he could for their settlement; which was an instance of his filial affection for them, and piety towards them. His father's name is well known, Jesse, Ruth 4:22, c. but his mother's name is nowhere mentioned the Jews say her name was Natzbet, the daughter of Adal y.

y T. Bab. Bava Bathra, fol. 91. 1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Mizpeh of Moab - A good conjecture connects it with “Zophim” (a word of the same root as Mizpeh) on the top of Pisgah Numbers 23:14. It is probable that David’s descent from Ruth the Moabitess may have had something to do with his seeking an asylum for Jesse, Ruth’s grandson, in the land of her birth. It would be very easy to get to the Jordan from the neighborhood of Bethlehem, and cross over near its embouchure into the Dead Sea.

Come forth, and be with you - The construction of the Hebrew is very strange. The Vulgate, Syriac, and Arabic seem to have read “dwell” instead of “come forth.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Samuel 22:3. He said unto the king of Moab — David could not trust his parents within the reach of Saul, and he found it very inconvenient to them to be obliged to go through all the fatigues of a military life, and therefore begs the king of Moab to give them shelter. The king of Moab, being one of Saul's enemies, would be the more ready to oblige a person from whom he might at least expect friendship, if not considerable services.


 
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