King James Version

1 Chronicles 12:17

And David went out to meet them, and answered and said unto them, If ye be come peaceably unto me to help me, mine heart shall be knit unto you: but if ye be come to betray me to mine enemies, seeing there is no wrong in mine hands, the God of our fathers look thereon, and rebuke it.

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Hebrew

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In the Hebrew text this line is 1 Chronicles 12:18.

וַיֵּצֵ֣אvayetseand bring forthיָצָאconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and bring forth”, the next action in the storyH3318to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim.[idiom] after, appear, [idiom] assuredly, bear out, [idiom] begotten, break out, bring forth (out, up), carry out, come (abroad, out, thereat, without), [phrase] be condemned, depart(-ing, -ure), draw forth, in the end, escape, exact, fail…דָוִיד֮davidDavidדָּוִדnoun, proper name — “David”H1732David, the youngest son of JesseDavid.לִפְנֵיהֶם֒lifneyhemto a- foreפָּנִיםpreposition, noun, common, both genders, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “to a- fore”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6440the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)[phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-…וַיַּ֨עַן֙vayaanand shoutעָנָהconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and shout”, the next action in the storyH6030properly, to eye or (generally) to heed, i.e. pay attention; by implication, to respond; by extension to begin to speak; specifically to sing, shout, testify, announcegive account, afflict (by mistake for H6031 (עָנָה)), (cause to, give) answer, bring low (by mistake for H6031 (עָנָה)), cry, hear, Leannoth, lift up, say, [idiom] scholar, (give a) shout, sing (together by course), speak, testify, utter,…וַיֹּ֣אמֶרvayomerand sayאָמַרconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and say”, the next action in the storyH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…לָהֶ֔םlahemtoלָהֶ֔םpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “to”toאִםimoh thatאִםconjunction — “oh that”H518used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not(and, can-, doubtless, if, that) (not), [phrase] but, either, [phrase] except, [phrase] more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or, [phrase] save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, [phrase] surely (no more, none, not), t…לְשָׁל֞וֹםleshalomto healthשָׁלוֹםpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “to health”, the ordinary formH7965safe, i.e. (figuratively) well, happy, friendly; also (abstractly) welfare, i.e. health, prosperity, peace[idiom] do, familiar, [idiom] fare, favour, [phrase] friend, [idiom] great, (good) health, ([idiom] perfect, such as be at) peace(-able, -ably), prosper(-ity, -ous), rest, safe(-ty), salute, welfare, ([idiom] all is, be) well, [idiom] whol…בָּאתֶ֤םbatemto comeבּוֹאverb, qal, perfect, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “to come”, a completed actionH935to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat,…אֵלַי֙elayamongאֵלpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).לְעָזְרֵ֔נִיleazerenito helpעָזַרpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “to help”, the to-form of the verbH5826to surround, i.e. protect or aidhelp, succour.יִֽהְיֶהyihyehbeהָיָהverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “be”, an unfinished actionH1961to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use.לִּ֧יlitoלִּ֧יpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “to”toעֲלֵיכֶ֛םaleykhemaboveעַלpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…לֵבָ֖בlevavbreastלֵבָבnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “breast”, the ordinary formH3824the heart (as the most interior organ);[phrase] bethink themselves, breast, comfortably, courage, ((faint), (tender-) heart(-ed), midst, mind, [idiom] unawares, understanding.לְיָ֑חַדleyachadto alikeיַחַדpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “to alike”, the ordinary formH3162properly, a unit, i.e. (adverb) unitedlyalike, at all (once), both, likewise, only, (al-) together, withal.וְאִֽםveimand oh thatאִםconjunction, conjunction — “and oh that”H518used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not(and, can-, doubtless, if, that) (not), [phrase] but, either, [phrase] except, [phrase] more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or, [phrase] save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, [phrase] surely (no more, none, not), t…לְרַמּוֹתַ֣נִיleramotanito betrayרָמָהpreposition, verb, piel, infinitive construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “to betray”, the to-form of the verbH7411to hurl; specifically, to shoot; figuratively, to delude or betray (as if causing to fall)beguile, betray, (bow-) man, carry, deceive, throw.לְצָרַ֗יletsarayto narrowצַרpreposition, noun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “to narrow”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6862narrow; (as a noun) a tight place (usually figuratively, i.e. trouble); also a pebble ; (transitive) an opponent (as crowding)adversary, afflicted(-tion), anguish, close, distress, enemy, flint, foe, narrow, small, sorrow, strait, tribulation, trouble.בְּלֹ֤אbeloin no , -r,לֹאpreposition, particle, negative — “in no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…חָמָס֙chamasviolenceחָמָסnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “violence”, the ordinary formH2555violence; by implication, wrong; by meton. unjust gaincruel(-ty), damage, false, injustice, [idiom] oppressor, unrighteous, violence (against, done), violent (dealing), wrong.בְּכַפַּ֔יbekhapayin hand , -dle,כַּףpreposition, noun, common, feminine, dual, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “in hand , -dle,”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3709the hollow hand or palm (so of the paw of an animal, of the sole, and even of the bowl of a dish or sling, the handle of a bolt, the leaves of a palm-tree); figuratively, powerbranch, [phrase] foot, hand((-ful), -dle, (-led)), hollow, middle, palm, paw, power, sole, spoon.יֵ֛רֶאyereseeרָאָהverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “see”, an unfinished actionH7200to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)advise self, appear, approve, behold, [idiom] certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] joyfully, lo, look (on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up, upon), m…אֱלֹהֵ֥יeloheGodאֱלֹהִיםnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “God”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH430gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlativeangels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty.אֲבוֹתֵ֖ינוּavoteynvfatherאָבnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, plural — “father”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote applicationchief, (fore-) father(-less), [idiom] patrimony, principal. Compare names in 'Abi-'.וְיוֹכַֽחveyokhachand argueיָכַחconjunction, verb, hiphil, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and argue”, an unfinished actionH3198to be right (i.e. correct); reciprocal, to argue; causatively, to decide, justify or convictappoint, argue, chasten, convince, correct(-ion), daysman, dispute, judge, maintain, plead, reason (together), rebuke, reprove(-r), surely, in any wise.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

(12-18) And David went out to meet them, and answered and said unto them: 'If ye be come peaceably unto me to help me, my heart shall be knit unto you; but if ye be come to betray me to mine adversaries, seeing there is no wrong in my hands, the God of our fathers look thereon, and give judgment.'

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

And David went out to meet them, and answered and said unto them, If ye be come peaceably unto me to help me, my heart shall be knit unto you; but if ye be come to betray me to mine adversaries, seeing there is no wrong in my hands, the God of our fathers look thereon, and rebuke it.

Young’s Literal Translation

and David goeth out before them, and answereth and saith to them, 'If for peace ye have come in unto me, to help me, I have a heart to unite with you; and if to betray me to mine adversaries — without violence in my hands — the God of our fathers doth see and reprove.'

World English Bible

David went out to meet them, and answered them, “If you have come peaceably to me to help me, my heart will be united with you; but if you have come to betray me to my adversaries, since there is no wrong in my hands, may the God of our fathers see this and rebuke it.”

Darby Translation

And David went out to meet them, and answered and said to them, If ye come peaceably to me to help me, my heart shall be knit unto you; but if to betray me to mine enemies, seeing there is no wrong in my hands, the God of our fathers see [it] and rebuke [it].

Douay-Rheims

And David went out to meet them, and said: If you are come peaceably to me to help me, let my heart be joined to you: but if you plot against me for my enemies whereas I have no iniquity in my hands, let the God of our fathers see, and judge.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And David went out to meet them, and said to them, If ye are come peaceably to me, let my heart be at peace with you: but if ye are come to betray me to my enemies unfaithfully, the God of your fathers look upon it, and reprove it.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ Δαυὶδ ἐξῆλθεν εἰς ἀπάντησιν αὐτῶν, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, εἰ εἰς εἰρήνην ἥκατε πρὸς μέ, εἴη μοι καρδία καθʼ ἑαυτὴν ἐφʼ ὑμᾶς· καὶ εἰ τοῦ παραδοῦναί με τοῖς ἐχθροῖς μου οὐκ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ χειρὸς, ἴδοι ὁ Θεὸς τῶν πατέρων ὑμῶν καὶ ἐλέγξαιτο.