King James Version

1 Samuel 27:1

And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.

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Hebrew

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וַיֹּ֤אמֶרvayomerand 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…דָּוִד֙davidDavidדָּוִדnoun, proper name — “David”H1732David, the youngest son of JesseDavid.אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “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).לִבּ֔וֹlibvocomfortablyלֵבnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “comfortably”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3820the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the centre of anything[phrase] care for, comfortably, consent, [idiom] considered, courag(-eous), friend(-ly), ((broken-), (hard-), (merry-), (stiff-), (stout-), double) heart(-ed), [idiom] heed, [idiom] I, kindly, midst, mind(-ed), [idiom] regard(-ed), [idiom]…עַתָּ֛הatahthis timeעַתָּהadverb — “this time”H6258at this time, whether adverb, conjunction or expletivehenceforth, now, straightway, this time, whereas.אֶסָּפֶ֥הesafehperishסָפָהverb, niphal, imperfect, 1st person, common, singular — “perish”, an unfinished actionH5595properly, to scrape (literally, to shave; but usually figuratively) together (i.e. to accumulate or increase) or away (i.e. to scatter, remove, or ruin; intransitively, to perish)add, augment, consume, destroy, heap, join, perish, put.יוֹםyomas long asיוֹםnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “as long as”, the ordinary formH3117a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) lon…אֶחָ֖דechadfirstאֶחָדadjective, cardinal, masculine, singular, absolute — “first”, the ordinary formH259properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) firsta, alike, alone, altogether, and, any(-thing), apiece, a certain, (dai-) ly, each (one), [phrase] eleven, every, few, first, [phrase] highway, a man, once, one, only, other, some, together,בְּיַדbeyadin handיָדpreposition, noun, common, both genders, singular, construct — “in hand”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3027a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),([phrase] be) able, [idiom] about, [phrase] armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, [idiom] bounty, [phrase] broad, (broken-) handed, [idiom] by, charge, coast, [phrase] consecrate, [phrase] creditor, custody, debt, dominion, […שָׁא֑וּלshaulShaulשָׁאוּלnoun, proper name — “Shaul”H7586Shaul, the name of an Edomite and two IsraelitesSaul, Shaul.אֵֽיןeynelseאַיִןparticle, negative — “else”H369a non-entity; generally used as a negative particleelse, except, fail, (father-) less, be gone, in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any, thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable), well-nigh, without. Compare H370 (אַיִן).לִ֨יlitoלִ֨יpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “to”toט֜וֹבtovgoodטוֹבadjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “good”, the ordinary formH2896good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well)beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, [idiom] fair (word), (be in) favour, fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s), graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving, merry, [idiom] most, pleasant,…כִּ֣יkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “assured”H3588(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexedand, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + til…הִמָּלֵ֥טhimaletescapeמָלַטverb, niphal, infinitive construct — “escape”, the to-form of the verbH4422properly, to be smooth, i.e. (by implication) to escape (as if by slipperiness); causatively, to release or rescue; specifically, to bring forth young, emit sparksdeliver (self), escape, lay, leap out, let alone, let go, preserve, save, [idiom] speedily, [idiom] surely.אִמָּלֵ֣טimaletescapeמָלַטverb, niphal, imperfect, 1st person, common, singular — “escape”, an unfinished actionH4422properly, to be smooth, i.e. (by implication) to escape (as if by slipperiness); causatively, to release or rescue; specifically, to bring forth young, emit sparksdeliver (self), escape, lay, leap out, let alone, let go, preserve, save, [idiom] speedily, [idiom] surely.אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “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).אֶ֣רֶץeretsearthאֶרֶץnoun, common, both genders, singular, construct — “earth”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH776the earth (at large, or partitively a land)[idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world.פְּלִשְׁתִּ֗יםpelishtimPhilistineפְּלִשְׁתִּיnoun, gentilic, masculine, plural, absolute — “Philistine”, the ordinary formH6430a Pelishtite or inhabitant of PeleshethPhilistine.וְנוֹאַ֨שׁvenoashand despairיָאַשׁconjunction, verb, niphal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and despair”, a completed actionH2976to desist, i.e. (figuratively) to despond(cause to) despair, one that is desperate, be no hope.מִמֶּ֤נִּיmimenifromמִןpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “from”H4480properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many sensesabove, after, among, at, because of, by (reason of), from (among), in, [idiom] neither, [idiom] nor, (out) of, over, since, [idiom] then, through, [idiom] whether, with.שָׁאוּל֙shaulShaulשָׁאוּלnoun, proper name — “Shaul”H7586Shaul, the name of an Edomite and two IsraelitesSaul, Shaul.לְבַקְשֵׁ֤נִיlevaqshenito beseechבָּקַשׁpreposition, verb, piel, infinitive construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “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).עוֹד֙odagainעוֹדadverb — “again”H5750properly, iteration or continuance; used only adverbially (with or without preposition), again, repeatedly, still, moreagain, [idiom] all life long, at all, besides, but, else, further(-more), henceforth, (any) longer, (any) more(-over), [idiom] once, since, (be) still, when, (good, the) while (having being), (as, because, whether, while) yet (within).בְּכָלbekhalin allכֹּלpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “in all”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3605properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).גְּב֣וּלgevulborderגְּבוּלnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “border”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1366properly, a cord (as twisted), i.e. (by implication) a boundary; by extension the territory inclosedborder, bound, coast, [idiom] great, landmark, limit, quarter, space.יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לyisraelIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵלnoun, proper name — “Israel”H3478Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterityIsrael.וְנִמְלַטְתִּ֖יvenimlattiand escapeמָלַטconjunction, verb, niphal, sequential perfect, 1st person, common, singular — “and escape”, a completed action in a sequenceH4422properly, to be smooth, i.e. (by implication) to escape (as if by slipperiness); causatively, to release or rescue; specifically, to bring forth young, emit sparksdeliver (self), escape, lay, leap out, let alone, let go, preserve, save, [idiom] speedily, [idiom] surely.מִיָּדֽוֹmiyadvofrom handיָדpreposition, noun, common, both genders, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “from hand”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3027a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),([phrase] be) able, [idiom] about, [phrase] armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, [idiom] bounty, [phrase] broad, (broken-) handed, [idiom] by, charge, coast, [phrase] consecrate, [phrase] creditor, custody, debt, dominion, […

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And David said in his heart: 'I shall now be swept away one day by the hand of Saul; there is nothing better for me than that I should escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me any more in all the borders of Israel; so shall I escape out of his hand.'

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me any more in all the borders of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.

Young’s Literal Translation

And David saith unto his heart, 'Now am I consumed one day by the hand of Saul; there is nothing for me better than that I diligently escape unto the land of the Philistines, and Saul hath been despairing of me — of seeking me any more in all the border of Israel, and I have escaped out of his hand.'

World English Bible

David said in his heart, “I will now perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me any more in all the borders of Israel. So I will escape out of his hand.”

Darby Translation

And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me to seek me any more within all the limits of Israel, and I shall escape out of his hand.

Douay-Rheims

And David said in his heart: I shall gone day or other fall into the hands of Saul: is it not better for me to flee, and to be saved in the land of the Philistines, that Saul may despair of me, and cease to seek me in all the coasts of Israel? I will flee then out of his hands.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And David said in his heart, Now shall I be one day delivered for death into the hands of Saul; and there is no good thing for me unless I should escape into the land of the Philistines, and Saul should cease from seeking me through every coast of Israel: so I shall escape out of his hand.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ εἶπε Δαυὶδ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ, λέγων, νῦν προστεθήσομαι ἐν ἡμέρᾳ μιᾷ εἰς χεῖρας Σαούλ· καὶ οὐκ ἔστι μοι ἀγαθὸν ἐὰν μὴ σωθῶ εἰς γῆν ἀλλοφύλων, καὶ ἀνῇ ἀπʼ ἐμοῦ Σαοὺλ τοῦ ζητεῖν με εἰς πᾶν ὅριον Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ σωθήσομαι ἐκ χειρὸς αὐτοῦ.