1 Samuel 23:21
New International Version
Saul replied, “The LORD bless you for your concern for me.

New Living Translation
“The LORD bless you,” Saul said. “At last someone is concerned about me!

English Standard Version
And Saul said, “May you be blessed by the LORD, for you have had compassion on me.

Berean Standard Bible
“May you be blessed by the LORD,” replied Saul, “for you have had compassion on me.

King James Bible
And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have compassion on me.

New King James Version
And Saul said, “Blessed are you of the LORD, for you have compassion on me.

New American Standard Bible
Saul said, “May you be blessed of the LORD, since you have had compassion on me.

NASB 1995
Saul said, “May you be blessed of the LORD, for you have had compassion on me.

NASB 1977
And Saul said, “May you be blessed of the LORD; for you have had compassion on me.

Legacy Standard Bible
And Saul said, “May you be blessed of Yahweh, for you have had compassion on me.

Amplified Bible
Saul said, “May you be blessed by the LORD, because you have had compassion on me.

Christian Standard Bible
“May you be blessed by the LORD,” replied Saul, “for you have shown concern for me.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
“May you be blessed by the LORD,” replied Saul, “for you have taken pity on me.

American Standard Version
And Saul said, Blessed be ye of Jehovah; for ye have had compassion on me.

Contemporary English Version
Saul told them: You've done me a big favor, and I pray that the LORD will bless you.

English Revised Version
And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have had compassion on me.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Saul responded, "The LORD bless you for feeling sorry for me!

Good News Translation
Saul answered, "May the LORD bless you for being so kind to me!

International Standard Version
Saul said, "May you be blessed by the LORD, because you have been gracious to me.

Majority Standard Bible
?May you be blessed by the LORD,? replied Saul, ?for you have had compassion on me.

NET Bible
Saul replied, "May you be blessed by the LORD, for you have had compassion on me.

New Heart English Bible
Saul said, "You are blessed by the LORD; for you have had compassion on me.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have compassion on me.

World English Bible
Saul said, “You are blessed by Yahweh, for you have had compassion on me.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Saul says, “Blessed [are] you of YHWH, for you have pity on me;

Young's Literal Translation
And Saul saith, 'Blessed are ye of Jehovah, for ye have pity on me;

Smith's Literal Translation
And Saul will say, Blessed ye, by Jehovah; for ye had pity upon me.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Saul said: Blessed be ye of the Lord, for you have pitied my case.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And Saul said: “You have been blessed by the Lord. For you have grieved for my situation.

New American Bible
Saul replied: “The LORD bless you for your compassion toward me.

New Revised Standard Version
Saul said, “May you be blessed by the LORD for showing me compassion!
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And Saul said to them, Blessed be you of the LORD; for you have compassion on me.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Shaul said to them: “You are blessed by God, for you have had pity on me!
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And Saul said: 'Blessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have had compassion on me.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Saul said to them, Blessed be ye of the Lord, for ye have been grieved on my account.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Saul Pursues David
20Now, O king, come down whenever your soul desires, and we will be responsible for delivering him into your hand.” 21“May you be blessed by the LORD,” replied Saul, “for you have had compassion on me. 22Please go and prepare further. Investigate and watch carefully where he goes and who has seen him there, for I am told that he is extremely cunning.…

Cross References
Psalm 54:1-7
For the choirmaster. With stringed instruments. A Maskil of David. When the Ziphites went to Saul and said, “Is David not hiding among us?” Save me, O God, by Your name, and vindicate me by Your might! / Hear my prayer, O God; listen to the words of my mouth. / For strangers rise up against me, and ruthless men seek my life—men with no regard for God. Selah ...

Matthew 2:8
And sending them to Bethlehem, he said: “Go and search carefully for the Child, and when you find Him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship Him.”

Proverbs 26:24-26
A hateful man disguises himself with his speech, but he lays up deceit in his heart. / When he speaks graciously, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart. / Though his hatred is concealed by deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

Jeremiah 12:6
Even your brothers—your own father’s household—even they have betrayed you; even they have cried aloud against you. Do not trust them, though they speak well of you.

Matthew 26:48-49
Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The One I kiss is the man; arrest Him.” / Going directly to Jesus, he said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him.

Psalm 41:9
Even my close friend whom I trusted, the one who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.

John 13:21-27
After Jesus had said this, He became troubled in spirit and testified, “Truly, truly, I tell you, one of you will betray Me.” / The disciples looked at one another, perplexed as to which of them He meant. / One of His disciples, the one whom Jesus loved, was reclining at His side. ...

Proverbs 27:6
The wounds of a friend are faithful, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

Luke 22:47-48
While He was still speaking, a crowd arrived, led by the man called Judas, one of the Twelve. He approached Jesus to kiss Him. / But Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”

Psalm 55:12-14
For it is not an enemy who insults me; that I could endure. It is not a foe who rises against me; from him I could hide. / But it is you, a man like myself, my companion and close friend. / We shared sweet fellowship together; we walked with the crowd into the house of God.

2 Samuel 15:31
Now someone told David: “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David pleaded, “O LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!”

Mark 14:44-45
Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The One I kiss is the man; arrest Him and lead Him away securely.” / Going directly to Jesus, he said, “Rabbi!” and kissed Him.

Micah 7:5-6
Do not rely on a friend; do not trust in a companion. Seal the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your arms. / For a son dishonors his father, a daughter rises against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man’s enemies are the members of his own household.

Acts 23:12-15
When daylight came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. / More than forty of them were involved in this plot. / They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul. ...

Psalm 52:1-4
For the choirmaster. A Maskil of David. After Doeg the Edomite went to Saul and told him, “David has gone to the house of Ahimelech.” Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man? The loving devotion of God endures all day long. / Your tongue devises destruction like a sharpened razor, O worker of deceit. / You love evil more than good, falsehood more than speaking truth. Selah ...


Treasury of Scripture

And Saul said, Blessed be you of the LORD; for you have compassion on me.

1 Samuel 22:8
That all of you have conspired against me, and there is none that sheweth me that my son hath made a league with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you that is sorry for me, or sheweth unto me that my son hath stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?

Judges 17:2
And he said unto his mother, The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from thee, about which thou cursedst, and spakest of also in mine ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it. And his mother said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my son.

Psalm 10:3
For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth.

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Bless Blessed Blessing Compassion Concern Lord's Pity Saul
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Bless Blessed Blessing Compassion Concern Lord's Pity Saul
1 Samuel 23
1. David, enquiring of the Lord by Abiathar, rescues Keilah
7. God showing him the coming of Saul, and the treachery of the Keilites,
13. he escapes from Keilah
14. In Ziph Jonathan comes and comforts him
19. The Ziphites discover him to Saul
25. At Maon he is rescued from Saul by the invasion of the Philistines
29. He dwells at En Gedi














May you be blessed by the LORD,
This phrase reflects the common practice of invoking God's blessing as a form of gratitude or approval. Saul's use of "the LORD" indicates his acknowledgment of the God of Israel, despite his disobedience and moral decline. The invocation of a blessing here is ironic, as Saul is seeking to harm David, the Lord's anointed. This highlights the tension between Saul's words and his actions, a recurring theme in his reign. The blessing also reflects the cultural and religious practice of seeking divine favor, which was central to Israelite life.

replied Saul,
Saul's response is significant in the narrative of 1 Samuel, as it shows his continued pursuit of David, whom he sees as a threat to his throne. Saul's character is complex; he is a king chosen by God but later rejected due to his disobedience. His reply here is part of his manipulative and desperate attempts to maintain power. This moment is set against the backdrop of Saul's deteriorating mental state and his increasing paranoia about David's rise.

for you have had compassion on me.
Saul's statement of receiving compassion is ironic, as he is the one pursuing David with the intent to kill him. The people he addresses are the Ziphites, who have informed Saul of David's whereabouts. This reflects the political dynamics of the time, where local tribes and groups often aligned with the reigning king for protection or favor. Saul's use of "compassion" is manipulative, as he seeks to justify his actions and gain support. This contrasts with the true compassion shown by David, who spares Saul's life on multiple occasions, demonstrating a Christ-like forbearance and mercy.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Saul
The first king of Israel, who is in pursuit of David, perceiving him as a threat to his throne.

2. David
The anointed future king of Israel, who is fleeing from Saul's attempts to kill him.

3. Ziphites
The inhabitants of Ziph, who inform Saul of David's whereabouts, seeking favor with the king.

4. Ziph
A region in the wilderness of Judah where David is hiding.

5. The LORD
The God of Israel, whom Saul invokes in his blessing to the Ziphites.
Teaching Points
The Danger of Misplaced Trust
Saul's reliance on the Ziphites' information shows the danger of placing trust in human schemes rather than seeking God's guidance.

The Irony of Saul's Blessing
Saul's invocation of God's blessing on the Ziphites is ironic, as his intentions are contrary to God's will for David.

Responding to Betrayal
David's experience with the Ziphites teaches us to seek God's help and maintain integrity when betrayed.

The Misuse of God's Name
Saul's use of God's name to bless the Ziphites highlights the importance of sincerity and reverence when invoking God's name.

God's Sovereignty in Adversity
Despite Saul's pursuit, God's plan for David prevails, reminding us of God's control over our circumstances.Verses 21-23. - Ye have compassion on me. There is something pitiable in Saul's answer. He had brooded over his rejection from being king, and the many indications that David was to be his successor, till he had become the prey of abject melancholy. He evidently regarded himself as a wronged and injured man, while David to his diseased imagination was ever conspiring against him and plotting his murder. With much prolixity he encourages them still to keep a close watch upon all David's movements, so as to know his place where his haunt is. Literally, "his place where his foot will be," the place whither he goes for rest and refuge. The reason he gives for this long and close observation of David's doings is that it is told him that he dealeth very subtilly. That is, according to Saul's information, he behaved with the utmost prudence, ever keeping a careful look out against surprise, and using much skill to conceal his movements and to provide for his escape from danger. Finally, they are to return with the certainty - with trustworthy and accurate information, and then Saul will gather his forces and search David out throughout all the thousands of Judah. These are the larger divisions of the territory of the tribe (Numbers 1:16; Numbers 10:4), throughout which Saul will hunt for him till he has got him into his power.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
“May you
אַתֶּ֖ם (’at·tem)
Pronoun - second person masculine plural
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

be blessed
בְּרוּכִ֥ים (bə·rū·ḵîm)
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine plural
Strong's 1288: To kneel, to bless God, man, to curse

by the LORD,”
לַֽיהוָ֑ה (Yah·weh)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

replied
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

Saul,
שָׁא֔וּל (šā·’ūl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 7586: Saul -- first king of Israel, also an Edomite and two Israelites

“for
כִּ֥י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

you have had compassion
חֲמַלְתֶּ֖ם (ḥă·mal·tem)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 2550: To commiserate, to spare

on me.
עָלָֽי׃ (‘ā·lāy)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against


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OT History: 1 Samuel 23:21 Saul said Blessed be you of Yahweh (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa)
1 Samuel 23:20
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