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Tuesday, August 26th, 2025
the Week of Proper 16 / Ordinary 21
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Read the Bible

New Revised Standard

1 Samuel 28:2

David said to Achish, "Very well, then you shall know what your servant can do." Achish said to David, "Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Achish;   David;   Philistines;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Head;   Philistines, the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Endor;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Prayer;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Achish;   Bodyguard;   Head;   Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Death;   En-Dor;   Head;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Achish ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Achish;   Saul;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - War;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Achish;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
David replied to Achish, “Good, you will find out what your servant can do.”
Hebrew Names Version
David said to Akhish, Therefore you shall know what your servant will do. Akhish said to David, Therefore will I make you keeper of my head for ever.
King James Version
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.
Lexham English Bible
David said to Achish, "Very well, you will know what your servant can do." Achish said to David, "Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life."
English Standard Version
David said to Achish, "Very well, you shall know what your servant can do." And Achish said to David, "Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life."
New Century Version
David answered, "You will see for yourself what I, your servant, can do!" Achish said, "Fine, I'll make you my permanent bodyguard."
New English Translation
David replied to Achish, "That being the case, you will come to know what your servant can do!" Achish said to David, "Then I will make you my bodyguard from now on."
Amplified Bible
David said to Achish, "All right, you shall know what your servant can do." So Achish said to David, "Therefore I will make you my bodyguard for life."
New American Standard Bible
David said to Achish, "Very well, you will learn what your servant can do." So Achish said to David, "Then I will assuredly make you my bodyguard for life!"
Geneva Bible (1587)
And Dauid said to Achish, Surely thou shalt knowe, what thy seruant can doe. And Achish sayde to Dauid, Surely I will make thee keeper of mine head for euer.
Legacy Standard Bible
And David said to Achish, "Very well, you shall know what your servant can do." So Achish said to David, "Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life."
Complete Jewish Bible
David answered Akhish, "I see that you already know what your servant will do." Akhish said to David, "For that answer, I am making you my personal bodyguard for life."
Darby Translation
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.
Easy-to-Read Version
David answered, "Certainly, then you can see for yourself what I can do." Achish said, "Fine, I will make you my permanent bodyguard."
George Lamsa Translation
And David said to Achish, Surely you shall know what your servant can do. And Achish said to David, Therefore I will make you my bodyguard forever.
Good News Translation
"Of course," David answered. "I am your servant, and you will see for yourself what I can do." Achish said, "Good! I will make you my permanent bodyguard."
Literal Translation
And David said to Achish, By this you shall know that which your servant will do. And Achish said to David, Then I appoint you keeper of my head all the days.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Dauid sayde vnto Achis: Well, thou shalt se what thy seruaut shal do. Achis saide vnto Dauid: Therfore wyll I ordene the to be the keper of my heade as longe as I lyue.
American Standard Version
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.
Bible in Basic English
And David said to Achish, You will see now what your servant will do. And Achish said to David, Then I will make you keeper of my head for ever.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Dauid sayde to Achis: Surelie thou shalt knowe what thy seruaunt can do. And Achis said to Dauid: Then I will make thee keper of my head for euer.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
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.'
King James Version (1611)
And Dauid said to Achish, Surely thou shalt know what thy seruant can doe. And Achish said to Dauid, Therfore will I make thee keeper of mine head for euer.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And David said to Anchus, Thus now thou shalt know what thy servant will do. And Anchus said to David, So will I make thee captain of my body-guard continually.
English Revised Version
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 mine head for ever.
Berean Standard Bible
David replied, "Then you will come to know what your servant can do." "Very well," said Achish. "I will make you my bodyguard for life."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Dauid seide to Achis, Now thou schalt wyte what thingis thi seruaunt schal do. And Achis seide to Dauid, And Y schal sette thee kepere of myn heed in alle dayes.
Young's Literal Translation
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.'
Update Bible Version
And David said to Achish, Therefore you shall know what your slave will do. And Achish said to David, Therefore I will make you keeper of my head forever.
Webster's Bible Translation
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 my head for ever.
World English Bible
David said to Achish, Therefore you shall know what your servant will do. Achish said to David, Therefore will I make you keeper of my head for ever.
New King James Version
So David said to Achish, "Surely you know what your servant can do." And Achish said to David, "Therefore I will make you one of my chief guardians forever."
New Living Translation
"Very well!" David agreed. "Now you will see for yourself what we can do." Then Achish told David, "I will make you my personal bodyguard for life."
New Life Bible
David said to Achish, "Very well, you will know what your servant can do." And Achish said to David, "Very well, I will make you the soldier who stands by me and keeps me safe for life."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And David said unto Achish, Therefore, now, shalt thou know what thy servant can do. And Achish said unto David, Therefore, keeper of my head, will I appoint thee, all the days.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And David said to Achis: Now thou shalt know what thy servant will do. And Achis said to David: And I will appoint thee to guard my life for ever.
Revised Standard Version
David said to A'chish, "Very well, you shall know what your servant can do." And A'chish said to David, "Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life."
THE MESSAGE
And David said, "Good! Now you'll see for yourself what I can do!" "Great!" said Achish. "I'm making you my personal bodyguard—for life!"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
David said to Achish, "Very well, you shall know what your servant can do." So Achish said to David, "Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life."

Contextual Overview

1 In those days the Philistines gathered their forces for war, to fight against Israel. Achish said to David, "You know, of course, that you and your men are to go out with me in the army." 2 David said to Achish, "Very well, then you shall know what your servant can do." Achish said to David, "Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life." 3 Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. Saul had expelled the mediums and the wizards from the land. 4 The Philistines assembled, and came and encamped at Shunem. Saul gathered all Israel, and they encamped at Gilboa. 5 When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. 6 When Saul inquired of the Lord , the Lord did not answer him, not by dreams, or by Urim, or by prophets.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Surely: 1 Samuel 27:10, 2 Samuel 16:16-19, Romans 12:9

Reciprocal: Exodus 21:6 - for ever 1 Samuel 29:1 - the Philistines 1 Samuel 29:2 - but David 1 Samuel 29:8 - that I may not 2 Samuel 16:19 - should I not serve Psalms 60:7 - strength Song of Solomon 3:7 - threescore

Cross-References

Genesis 24:10
Then the servant took ten of his master's camels and departed, taking all kinds of choice gifts from his master; and he set out and went to Aram-naharaim, to the city of Nahor.
Genesis 24:29
Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban; and Laban ran out to the man, to the spring.
Genesis 24:50
Then Laban and Bethuel answered, "The thing comes from the Lord ; we cannot speak to you anything bad or good.
Genesis 25:20
and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah, daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, sister of Laban the Aramean.
Genesis 28:5
Thus Isaac sent Jacob away; and he went to Paddan-aram, to Laban son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother.
Genesis 28:15
Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you."
Genesis 28:20
Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear,
Genesis 29:1
Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the people of the east.
Genesis 31:18
and he drove away all his livestock, all the property that he had gained, the livestock in his possession that he had acquired in Paddan-aram, to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan.
Genesis 32:10
I am not worthy of the least of all the steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan; and now I have become two companies.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And David said to Achish, surely thou shalt know what thy servant can do,.... By which he would have Achish understand, and so he did, that he would exert himself in favour of the Philistines, and against Israel, and do great and brave things, of which Achish would be, made sensible, through his heroic courage and valour; though he meant rather what he could and should do for Israel against the Philistines, if he had an opportunity: but it seems best of all to consider David as quite undetermined, and at a loss what to do, hoping that God in his providence would extricate him out of this difficulty, and direct him what he should do, which then Achish would know; and accordingly he was delivered out of it:

and Achish said to David: putting confidence in him on account of his answer, and believing he was hearty in engaging in the war with the Philistines against Israel:

therefore will I make thee keeper of mine head for ever; the captain of his bodyguard, which post he should hold for life; or he proposed to put him into this post, that he might be with him, near his person, and under his eye, that he might observe how he behaved himself; which may show some suspicion of him.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Thou shalt know ... - David dissembled (compare also 1 Samuel 29:8), hoping, no doubt, that something would happen to prevent his fighting against his king and country.

Keeper of mine head - Captain of his bodyguard.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Samuel 28:2. Surely thou shalt know what thy servant can do — This was another equivocal answer; and could only be understood by his succeeding conduct. It might imply what he could do in favour of the Philistines against Israel; or in favour of Israel against the Philistines. Achish understood it in the former sense; and therefore he said to David, I will make thee keeper of my head for ever; i.e., Thou shalt be captain of my life-guards.


 
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