Lectionary Calendar
Tuesday, April 29th, 2025
the Second Week after Easter
Attention!
Tired of seeing ads while studying? Now you can enjoy an "Ads Free" version of the site for as little as 10¢ a day and support a great cause!
Click here to learn more!

Read the Bible

King James Version

1 Samuel 28:2

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.

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.
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."
New Revised Standard
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."
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 And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered their armies together for warfare, to fight with Israel. And Achish said unto David, Know thou assuredly, that thou shalt go out with me to battle, thou and thy men. 2 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. 3 Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land. 4 And the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and pitched in Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they pitched in Gilboa. 5 And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled. 6 And when Saul enquired of the Lord , the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor 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
And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor.
Genesis 24:29
And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban: and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the well.
Genesis 24:50
Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the Lord : we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.
Genesis 25:20
And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram, the sister to Laban the Syrian.
Genesis 28:5
And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went to Padanaram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother.
Genesis 28:15
And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.
Genesis 28:20
And Jacob vowed 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 raiment to put on,
Genesis 29:1
Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east.
Genesis 31:18
And he carried away all his cattle, and all his goods which he had gotten, the cattle of his getting, which he had gotten in Padanaram, for to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan.
Genesis 32:10
I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands.

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.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile