King James Version

1 Samuel 23:25

Saul also and his men went to seek him. And they told David: wherefore he came down into a rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.

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Hebrew

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וַיֵּ֨לֶךְvayelekhand carryיָלַךְconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and carry”, the next action in the storyH3212to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses)[idiom] again, away, bear, bring, carry (away), come (away), depart, flow, [phrase] follow(-ing), get (away, hence, him), (cause to, made) go (away, -ing, -ne, one's way, out), grow, lead (forth), let down, march, prosper, [phrase] pursue,…שָׁא֣וּלshaulShaulשָׁאוּלnoun, proper name — “Shaul”H7586Shaul, the name of an Edomite and two IsraelitesSaul, Shaul.וַאֲנָשָׁיו֮vaanashayvand a certainאִישׁconjunction, noun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and a certain”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH376a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)also, another, any (man), a certain, [phrase] champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), [phrase] none, one, people, person, [phra…לְבַקֵּשׁ֒levaqeshto beseechבָּקַשׁpreposition, verb, piel, infinitive construct — “to beseech”, the to-form of the verbH1245to search out (by any method, specifically in worship or prayer); by implication, to strive afterask, beg, beseech, desire, enquire, get, make inquisition, procure, (make) request, require, seek (for).וַיַּגִּ֣דוּvayagidvand bewrayנָגַדconjunction, verb, hiphil, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “and bewray”, the next action in the storyH5046properly, to front, i.e. stand boldly out opposite; by implication (causatively), to manifest; figuratively, to announce (always by word of mouth to one present); specifically, to expose, predict, explain, praisebewray, [idiom] certainly, certify, declare(-ing), denounce, expound, [idiom] fully, messenger, plainly, profess, rehearse, report, shew (forth), speak, [idiom] surely, tell, utter.לְדָוִ֔דledavidto Davidדָּוִדpreposition, noun, proper name — “to David”H1732David, the youngest son of JesseDavid.וַיֵּ֣רֶדvayeredand bring downיָרַדconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and bring down”, the next action in the storyH3381to descend (literally, to go downwards; or conventionally to a lower region, as the shore, a boundary, the enemy, etc.; or figuratively, to fall); causatively, to bring down (in all the above applications)[idiom] abundantly, bring down, carry down, cast down, (cause to) come(-ing) down, fall (down), get down, go(-ing) down(-ward), hang down, [idiom] indeed, let down, light (down), put down (off), (cause to, let) run down, sink, subdue, take…הַסֶּ֔לַעhaselathe rockסֶלַעdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the rock”, the ordinary formH5553a craggy rock, literally or figuratively (a fortress)(ragged) rock, stone(-ny), strong hold.וַיֵּ֖שֶׁבvayeshevand dwellיָשַׁבconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and dwell”, the next action in the storyH3427properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry(make to) abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease self, endure, establish, [idiom] fail, habitation, haunt, (make to) inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, [idiom] marry(-ing), (bring again to) place, remain, r…בְּמִדְבַּ֣רbemidbarin desertמִדְבָּרpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “in desert”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4057a pasture (i.e. open field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert; also speech (including its organs)desert, south, speech, wilderness.מָע֑וֹןmaonMaonמָעוֹןnoun, proper name — “Maon”H4584Maon, the name of an Israelite and of a place in PalestineMaon, Maonites. Compare H1010 (בֵּית בַּעַל מְעוֹן), H4586 (מְעוּנִי)lemma מְעוּנָי third vowel, corrected to מְעוּנִי.וַיִּשְׁמַ֣עvayishmaand hearשָׁמַעconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and hear”, the next action in the storyH8085to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)[idiom] attentively, call (gather) together, [idiom] carefully, [idiom] certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, [idiom] diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell), [idiom] indeed, listen, make (a) n…שָׁא֔וּלshaulShaulשָׁאוּלnoun, proper name — “Shaul”H7586Shaul, the name of an Edomite and two IsraelitesSaul, Shaul.וַיִּרְדֹּ֥ףvayirdofand chaseרָדַףconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and chase”, the next action in the storyH7291to run after (usually with hostile intent; figuratively (of time) gone by)chase, put to flight, follow (after, on), hunt, (be under) persecute(-ion, -or), pursue(-r).אַחֲרֵֽיachareafterאַחַרpreposition — “after”H310properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses)after (that, -ward), again, at, away from, back (from, -side), behind, beside, by, follow (after, -ing), forasmuch, from, hereafter, hinder end, [phrase] out (over) live, [phrase] persecute, posterity, pursuing, remnant, seeing, since, the…דָוִ֖דdavidDavidדָּוִדnoun, proper name — “David”H1732David, the youngest son of JesseDavid.מִדְבַּ֥רmidbardesertמִדְבָּרnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “desert”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4057a pasture (i.e. open field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert; also speech (including its organs)desert, south, speech, wilderness.מָעֽוֹןmaonMaonמָעוֹןnoun, proper name — “Maon”H4584Maon, the name of an Israelite and of a place in PalestineMaon, Maonites. Compare H1010 (בֵּית בַּעַל מְעוֹן), H4586 (מְעוּנִי)lemma מְעוּנָי third vowel, corrected to מְעוּנִי.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And Saul and his men went to seek him. And they told David; wherefore he came down to the rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

And Saul and his men went to seek him. And they told David: wherefore he came down to the rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that , he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.

Young’s Literal Translation

And Saul and his men go to seek, and they declare to David, and he goeth down the rock, and abideth in the wilderness of Maon; and Saul heareth, and pursueth after David [to] the wilderness of Maon.

World English Bible

Saul and his men went to seek him. When David was told, he went down to the rock, and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. When Saul heard that, he pursued David in the wilderness of Maon.

Darby Translation

And Saul and his men went to seek [him]. And they told David; and he came down from the rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And Saul heard [that], and he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.

Douay-Rheims

Then Saul and his men went to seek him: and it was told David, and forthwith he went down to the rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon: and when Saul had heard of it he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And Saul and his men went to seek him: and they brought word to David, and he went down to the rock that was in the wilderness of Maon: and Saul heard, and followed after David to the wilderness of Maon.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ ἐπορεύθη Σαοὺλ καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες αὐτοῦ ζητεῖν αὐτόν· καὶ ἀπήγγειλαν τῷ Δαυὶδ, καὶ κατέβη εἰς τὴν πέτραν τὴν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ Μαών· καὶ ἤκουσε Σαοὺλ, καὶ κατεδίωξεν ὀπίσω Δαυὶδ εἰς τὴν ἔρημον Μαών.