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1 Samuel 30:20 — Word Study

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WLCוַיִּקַּ֣ח דָּוִ֔ד אֶת־ כָּל־ הַצֹּ֖אן וְהַבָּקָ֑ר נָהֲג֗וּ לִפְנֵי֙ הַמִּקְנֶ֣ה הַה֔וּא וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ זֶ֖ה שְׁלַ֥ל דָּוִֽד׃

BSAAnd heDâvid tooklâqach allkôl the flockstsôʼn [sheep and goats] and herdsbâqâr [cattle, livestock] which his men drovenâhag ahead ofpânîym [led, guided] the other livestockmiqneh [animals, cattle] calling outʼâmar Thiszeh is David’sDâvid [belonging to David, spoils of war] plundershâlâl [spoils, booty]

Word
Listen & take away1 Samuel 30
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 20 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (da.Vid) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
1 Samuel 30:20quick helps
In a sentenceDavid took back everything that had been stolen, leading the livestock and declaring it as his plunder.
Who is speakingDavid, with his men, as they celebrate their victory.
Where we areAfter a successful pursuit of the Amalekites, David returns with the recovered goods.
The hard wordשְׁלַ֥ל
Take awayThe spoils of war belong to David.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectדָּוִד verbלָקַח The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — 1 Samuel 30:20

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — David's Victory Over the Amalekitesgenerated

19Nothing was missing, young or old, son or daughter, or any of the plunder the Amalekites had taken. David brought everything back.
20And he recovered all the flocks and herds, which his men drove ahead of the other livestock, calling out, “This is David’s plunder!”
21When David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow him from the Brook of Besor, they came out to meet him and the troops with him. As David approached the men, he greeted them,
22but all the wicked and worthless men among those who had gone with David said, “Because they did not go with us, we will not share with them the plunder we recovered, except for each man’s wife and children. They may take them and go.”

1 Samuel 30:20 recounts how David recovered all that was taken by the Amalekites, demonstrating his leadership and strength. This event showcases the importance of loyalty and the consequences of conflict, as seen in the reactions of his men in the following verses. The narrative highlights David's role as a protector and leader, reinforcing his status as king and warrior.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
11 Samuel 30:26When David arrived in Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to his friends, the elders of Judah, saying, “Here is a gift for you from the plunder of the LORD’s enemies.”
2Numbers 31:9–12The Israelites captured the Midianite women and their children, and they plundered all their herds, flocks, and goods.
32 Chronicles 20:25Then Jehoshaphat and his people went to carry off the plunder, and they found on the bodies an abundance of goods and valuables —more than they could carry away. They were gathering the plunder for three days because there was so much.
4Isaiah 53:12Therefore I will allot Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the spoils with the strong, because He has poured out His life unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors. Yet He bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors.
5Romans 8:37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 5 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word שְׁלַ֥ל, she.Lalgenerated

The Hebrew word שָׁלָל (*shalal*) refers to spoils or plunder, particularly in the context of warfare. It indicates the goods or treasures taken from an enemy, emphasizing the notion of victory and ownership over what has been seized.

This term is often associated with the spoils of war and reflects the outcome of conflict, where the victor claims what was lost. The parsing indicates it is a noun in the masculine singular, showing it as a concrete entity or concept in the verse.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb is יִּקַּ֣ח, he took, which governs the entire clause. This is followed by a noun phrase indicating what was taken, and a participial phrase describing the actions of his men.

The structure emphasizes David's action and the collective effort of his men in driving the livestock, with the phrase נָהֲג֗וּ they drove showing their active role in the recovery.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates וַיִּקַּ֣ח as ἔλαβεν, which means 'he took.' This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, maintaining the focus on David's action of taking back what was lost.

However, the Septuagint's structure may imply a slightly different emphasis, as the Greek syntax often alters the flow and focus of the narrative compared to the Hebrew.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

1 Samuel 30:20 tells us that David recovered all the sheep and cattle that his men had driven ahead of the other livestock. They celebrated their victory by calling out that this was David's plunder, showing the importance of reclaiming what was lost.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that David recovered all the flocks and herds?

It signifies that David successfully reclaimed everything taken by the Amalekites, demonstrating his leadership and the loyalty of his men.

Why do the men call it David's plunder?

They recognize David as the leader and warrior who led them to victory, thus attributing the spoils of war to him.

What is the significance of the livestock in this context?

The livestock represents not just material wealth but also the restoration of what was lost to the enemy, highlighting the theme of recovery and victory.

How does this event reflect on David's character?

It shows David as a capable leader who not only fights for his people but also ensures their rewards are recognized, reinforcing his role as a protector.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What does this passage teach us about leadership and responsibility?
  2. How do we respond to losses in our own lives, and what steps can we take to recover?
  3. In what ways can we celebrate victories in our lives, acknowledging those who helped us achieve them?
  4. What can we learn from David's actions about the importance of loyalty and teamwork?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 1 Samuel 30:20 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And David took all the flocks, and the herds,.... Which they had taken from the land of the Philistines, or which belonged to the Amalekites properly: [which] they drave before those [other] cattle;

Read John Gill on 1 Samuel 30 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away: and David rescued his two wives. No JFB commentary on these verses.

Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Samuel 30 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

All the flocks and the herds, to wit, which the Amalekites had taken from the Philistines, or others. Before those other cattle; before those which belonged to Ziklag. This is David’ s spoil, i.e. the soldiers, who lately were so incensed against David, that they spake of stoning him; now upon this success magnify him, and triumphantly celebrate his praise; and say concerning this spoil, David purchased it by his valour and conduct, and he may dispose of it as he pleaseth.

Read Matthew Poole on 1 Samuel 30 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

1 Samuel 30:20 And David took all the flocks and the herds, [which] they drave before those [other] cattle, and said, This [is] David’ s spoil.Ver. 20. And David took all the flocks,] i.e., All the rest of the flocks and herds which the enemy had pillaged from other places. And said, This is David’ s spoil.] The soldiers said so, and as some think, sung so, this being the burden of their triumphant song. This was better, I trow, than to speak of stoning him: to make him amends for which, some say they gave him all this booty.

Read John Trapp on 1 Samuel 30 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(20) The flocks and the herds, which they drave.—In the English translation the word “which,” inserted in italics, obscures the sense; the literal reading is, “And David took all the flocks and the herds; they drove them before their cattle, and said, this is David’s spoil.” David took, no doubt, by popular acclamation as his share of the plunder, all the flocks and herds belonging to the Amalekites, mostly acquired, no doubt, in the late raid; these were driven in front of “those cattle” thus particularising the cattle of Ziklag belonging to David’s own people. Of course, this plunder went back to the original Israelitish owners. The drovers, as they marched behind the vast herds of…

Read Charles John Ellicott on 1 Samuel 30 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 20. And David took all the flocks] He and his men not only recovered all their own property, but they recovered all the spoil which these Amalekites had taken from the south of Judah, the Cherethites, and the south of Caleb. When this was separated from the rest, it was given to David, and called David's spoil.

Read AdamClarke on 1 Samuel 30 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

20. This verse as it stands admits of no satisfactory explanation. It is best to follow the Vulgate, with which the Sept. in the main agrees, and read, And he took all the flocks and the herds, and drave them before him: and they said, This is David’s spoil: i.e. he not only recovered his own property, but took a rich booty besides, which his men drove off with shouts of triumph. The number of places to which he sent presents (1 Samuel 30:26-31) shews how large it must have been.

Read Cambridge on 1 Samuel 30 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The meaning is, “and David took all the sheep and oxen which the Amalekites drove” (i. e.

Read Albert Barnes on 1 Samuel 30 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

And he recovered all the flocks and herds, which his men drove ahead of the other livestock, calling out, “This is David’s plunder!”

WEBWorld English Bible2000

David took all the flocks and the herds, which they drove before those other livestock, and said, “This is David’s plunder.”

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

And he took all the flocks and herds, which his men drove ahead of the other livestock, calling out, “This is David’s plunder!”

NETBNew English Translation2006

David took all the flocks and herds and drove them in front of the rest of the animals. People were saying, “This is David’s plunder!”

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And David took all the flocks and the herds, which they drave before those other cattle, and said, This is David’s spoil.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And David took all the flocks and the herds, which they drove before those other cattle, and said, This is David’s spoil.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And David took all the flocks and the herds, which they drave before those other cattle, and said, This is David’s spoil.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And David took all the flocks and the herds, which they drove before those other cattle, and said, This is David's spoil.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Dauid also tooke all the sheepe, and the oxen, and they draue them before his cattell, and said, This is Dauids pray.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And David took all the flocks and the herds, [which] they drove before the other cattle, and said, This is David's spoil.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

and David taketh the whole of the flock, and of the herd, they have led on before these cattle, and they say, 'This [is] David's spoil.'

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

and David takes the whole of the flock and of the herd [that] they have led on before these livestock, and they say, “This [is] David’s spoil.”

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And David took all the flocks and the herds: these they drove before those other cattle, and said, This is David's spoil.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

David took all the flocks and the herds, which the men drove ahead of the other cattle. They said, “This is David's booty.”

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And he took all the flocks and the herds, and made them go before him: and they said: This is the prey of David.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

He also recovered all the flocks and herds. His men drove them ahead of the other livestock, shouting, “This is David's plunder!”

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And they took all the flocks and herds, and driving them in front of him, said, These are David's.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

וַandclauseverbיִּקַּ֣חhe.tooksubjectדָּוִ֔דDavidnoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)noun phraseכָּלallnoun phrasenoun phraseהַtheצֹּ֖אןsheepוְandnoun phraseהַtheבָּקָ֑רcattleclauseverbנָהֲג֗וּthey.drove.[them]prepositional phrase · prepositionalלִbeforenoun phraseפְנֵי֙aheadnoun phraseהַthenoun phraseמִּקְנֶ֣הlivestockadjective phraseהַ(the)ה֔וּאthatוַandclauseverbיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּthey.saidclausesubjectזֶ֖הthisnoun phrase · predicateשְׁלַ֥ל[is].the.bootyדָּוִֽדof.David

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text states that David took all the sheep and cattle, which his men drove ahead of the other livestock, and they proclaimed, 'This is David's plunder!' The Septuagint, while not providing a direct translation of the verse, has a word-by-word correspondence with 11 out of 14 words in the Masoretic Text, indicating a significant level of agreement in content, though the exact wording and structure differ. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Dead Sea Scrolls are not mentioned in the provided witnesses, so their readings cannot be compared here. Overall, the primary agreement is between the Masoretic Text and the Septuagint in terms of the main ideas conveyed, despite differences in phrasing.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

וַיִּקַּ֣ח דָּוִ֔ד אֶת־ כָּל־ הַצֹּ֖אן וְהַבָּקָ֑ר נָהֲג֗וּ לִפְנֵי֙ הַמִּקְנֶ֣ה הַה֔וּא וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ זֶ֖ה שְׁלַ֥ל דָּוִֽד׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיִּקַּ֣חἔλαβενדָּוִ֔דδαυιδכָּל־πάνταהַצֹּ֖אןποίμνιαוְהַבָּקָ֑רβουκόλιαלִפְנֵי֙ἔμπροσθενהַמִּקְנֶ֣הσκύλωνהַה֔וּאἐκείνοιςוַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּἐλέγετοזֶ֖הταῦταדָּוִֽד׃δαυιδ

11 of the 14 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

1 Samuel 30:20לָקַחand he tookand he tookלָקַחדָּוִדDavidDavidדָּוִדאֵתthe object the object markאֵתכֹּלallallכֹּלצֹאןthe sheepthe sheepצֹאןבָּקַרand the catand the cattleבָּקַרנָהַגthey drove they drove [theנָהַגפָּנֶהbeforebeforeפָּנֶהמִקְנֶהthe livestothe livestockמִקְנֶההוּאthatthatהוּאאָמַרand they saand they saidאָמַרזֶהthisthisזֶהשָׁלָל[is] [the] [is] [the] bootשָׁלָלדָּוִדDavidDavidדָּוִדשָׁלַלto taketo takeשָׁלַלדּוֹדbelovedbelovedדּוֹדאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתכָּלַלto perfectto perfectכָּלַלבָּקַרto enquireto enquireבָּקַרפָּנָהCorner (GaCorner (Gate)פָּנָהקָנָהto buyto buyקָנָהזֶהthisthisזֶהזֹהthisthisזֹהמִזְמוֹרmelodymelodyמִזְמוֹרנָצַחto conductto conductנָצַחצֹאןSheep (GatSheep (Gate)צֹאןמוּסָרdisciplinedisciplineמוּסָראִשָּׁהwomanwomanאִשָּׁהמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁעֵדָהcongregaticongregationעֵדָהעֲבֹדָהserviceserviceעֲבֹדָהבָּקַרcattlecattleבָּקַר
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in 1 Samuel 30:20

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

and he took David the object marker all the sheep and the cattle they drove [them] before the livestock that and they said this [is] [the] booty of David
וַיִּקַּ֣חvai.yi.Kach and he took H3947 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
966× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to take or get something, and it is used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to take a wife, to take possession of something, or to receive a gift. For example, in Genesis 2:22, God takes a rib from Adam to create Eve.
Tyndale gloss
to take: take
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word לָקַח (*laqach*) means 'to take' and encompasses a wide range of actions, including to receive, seize, capture, and carry away. It can refer to taking something in hand, taking a wife, or even taking vengeance. The verb has various forms indicating different nuances, such as being taken away or captured.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לָקַח 965 vb. take

Qal

take, take in hand

take and carry along with oneself

take from, or out of

take, carry away

take away from, so as to deprive of

esp. take away life

take to or for a person

take up, upon = put upon

= fetch

take = lead, conduct (with or without contact)

take = capture, seize

take = carry off

in phr. take vengeance

Niph.

be captured, of ark

be taken away, removed

be taken, brought unto

Pu.

be taken from, out of

= be stolen from

be taken captive

be taken away, removed

Hoph.

be taken, brought unto

be taken out of

be taken away from

Hithp. lit. fire taking hold of itself, of lightning

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3947 לָקַח take .. take, take in hand

. take and carry along with oneself

. . take from, or out of

. take, carry away

. take away from, so as to deprive of

. esp. take away life

. take to or for a person

. take up, upon = put upon

. = fetch

. take = lead, conduct (with or without contact)

. take = capture, seize

. take = carry off

. in phr. take vengeance

. . be captured, of ark

. be taken away, removed

. be taken, brought unto

. . be taken from, out of

. = be stolen from

. be taken captive

. be taken away, removed

. . be taken, brought unto

. be taken out of

. be taken away from

. lit. fire taking hold of itself, of lightning

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3947 laqach law-kakh'

a primitive root; to take (in the widest variety of

applications):--accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch,

get, infold, X many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve,

seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לָקַח (la.qach) — to take: take.

: take

1) to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to take, take in the hand

1a2) to take and carry along

1a3) to take from, take out of, take, carry away, take away

1a4) to take to or for a person, procure, get, take possession of, select, choose, take in marriage, receive, accept

1a5) to take up or upon, put upon

1a6) to fetch

1a7) to take, lead, conduct

1a8) to take, capture, seize

1a9) to take, carry off 1a10) to take (vengeance)

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be captured

1b2) to be taken away, be removed

1b3) to be taken, brought unto

1c) (Pual)

1c1) to be taken from or out of

1c2) to be stolen from

1c3) to be taken captive

1c4) to be taken away, be removed

1d) (Hophal)

1d1) to be taken unto, be brought unto

1d2) to be taken out of

1d3) to be taken away

1e) (Hithpael)

1e1) to take hold of oneself

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he took David the object marker all the sheep and the cattle they drove [them] before the livestock that and they said this [is] [the] booty of David
דָּוִ֔דda.Vid David H1732 Noun proper masculine
1,075× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
David was the youngest son of Jesse and a king of Judah, first mentioned in Ruth 4:17, and an ancestor of Jesus.
Tyndale gloss
David
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

דָּוִד (David) refers to the second king of Israel, known as the youngest son of Jesse. The name means 'beloved' and is associated with a significant lineage, including many siblings and notable descendants like Solomon. The entries highlight his familial connections and historical context, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

דָּוִד, דָּוִיד 1066 n.pr.m. David

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1732 דָּוִד, דָּוִיד David

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1732 David daw-veed'

rarely (fully); Daviyd {daw-veed'}; from the same as 1730;

loving; David, the youngest son of Jesse:--David.

see HEBREW for 01730

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

דָּוִד (da.vid) — David.

A king of the tribe of Judah living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at Rut.4.17;

son of: Jesse (H3448) and Nahash (H5176I);

brother of: Eliab (H0446I), Abinadab (H0041I), Shimeah (H8093), Zeruiah (H6870), Abigail (H0026H)(?), Nethanel (H5417H), Raddai (H7288), Ozem (H0684) and Elihu (H0453J); married to Michal (H4324), Abigail (H0026), Ahinoam (H0293H), Maacah (H4601I), Haggith (H2294), Abital (H0037), Eglah (H5698) and Bathsheba (H1339);

father of: Amnon (H0550), Chileab (H3609), Absalom (H0053), Adonijah (H0138), Shephatiah (H8203), Ithream (H3507), Shammua (H8051H), Shobab (H7727), Nathan (H5416), Solomon (H8010), Ibhar (H2984), Elishua (H0474), Nepheg (H5298H), Japhia (H3309I), Elishama (H0476H), Eliada (H0450), Eliphelet (H0467), Tamar (H8559H), Elpelet (H0467I), Nogah (H5052) and Jerimoth (H3406N)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

da'-vid (dawidh, or dawidh, "beloved"; Daueid, also in New Testament, Dauid, Dabid; see Thayer's Lexicon):

I. NAME AND GENEALOGY

II. EARLY YEARS

1. Shepherd

2. Slinger

3. Harpist

4. Poet

5. Psalmist

6. Tribesman

III. IN THE SERVICE OF SAUL

1. David First Meets Saul

2. His First Exploit

3. Envy of Saul and Flight of David

4. Jonathan and David

IV. DAVID IN EXILE

1. David as Outlaw

2. David Joins the Philistines

V. DAVID AS KING

1. Civil War

2. Conquests Abroad

3. Political Situation

4. The Ark

VI. DOMESTIC LIFE

1. His Wives and Children

2. Domestic Troubles

VII. HIS OFFICIALS

1. Prophets

2. Priests

3. Military Officers

4. Other Officials

5. Mutual Rivalry

VIII. PERSONAL CHARACTER OF DAVID

1. Chronicles

2. Psalms

3. Complex Character

4. Physical Courage

5. Moral Courage

6. Prudence

7. Strategy

8. Nobility

9. David in Relation to His Family

10. David in Relation to His Friends

11. His Success

12. His Foreign Friends

13. Nemesis

Easton's Bible Dictionary

David

Beloved, the eighth and youngest son of Jesse, a citizen of Bethlehem. His father seems to have been a man in humble life. His mother’s name is not recorded. Some think she was the Nahash of 2 Sam. 17:25. As to his personal appearance, we only know that he was red-haired, with beautiful eyes and a fair face (1 Sam. 16:12; 17:42).

His early occupation was that of tending his father’s sheep on the uplands of Judah. From what we know of his after history, doubtless he frequently beguiled his time, when thus engaged, with his shepherd’s flute, while he drank in the many lessons taught him by the varied scenes spread around him. His first recorded exploits were his encounters with the wild beasts of the field. He mentions that with his own unaided hand he slew a lion and also a…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(well-beloved), the son of Jesse. His life may be divided into three portions: His youth before his introduction to the court of Saul; His relations with Saul; His reign. The early life of David contains in many important respects the antecedents of his future career. It appears that David was the youngest son, probably the youngest child, of a family of ten, and was born in Bethlehem B.C. 1085. The first time that David appears in history at once admits us to the whole family circle. The annual sacrificial feast is being held when Samuel appears, sent by God to anoint one of Jesse’s sons as they pass before him, (1 Samuel 16:6-10) Samuel sends for the youngest, David, who was "keeping the sheep," and anoints him. (1 Samuel 16:11-13) As David stood before Samuel we are enabled to…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Beloved, the youngest son of Jesse, of the tribe of Judah, born in Bethlehem B. C. 1085; one of the most remarkable men in either sacred of secular history. His life is fully recorded in 1Sa 16:1 1Ki 2:46. He was "the Lord’s anointed," chosen by God to be king of Israel instead of Saul, and consecrated to that office by the venerable prophet Samuel long before he actually came to the throne, 1Sa 16:1-13, for which God prepared him by the gift of his Spirit, and a long course of vicissitudes and dangers. In his early pastoral life he distinguished himself by his boldness, fidelity, and faith in God; and while yet a youth was summoned to court, as one expert in music, valiant, prudent in behavior, and comely in person. He…

and he took David the object marker all the sheep and the cattle they drove [them] before the livestock that and they said this [is] [the] booty of David
אֶת־'et- the object marker H853 Particle
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTo — Particle
HTo
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he took David the object marker all the sheep and the cattle they drove [them] before the livestock that and they said this [is] [the] booty of David
כָּל־kol- all H3605 Noun common · masculine singular construct
5,415× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Tyndale gloss
all
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all

with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

Absolutely:

without the art., all things, all

with the art. הַכֹּל

where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all

. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3605 kol kole

or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, 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).

see HEBREW for 03634

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֹּל (kol) — all.

1) all, the whole

1a) all, the whole of

1b) any, each, every, anything

1c) totality, everything

Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ol: Used in various combinations, and with different meanings.

(1) All along, "Weeping all along as he went" (Jer 41:6), i.e. throughout the whole way he went, feigning equal concern with the men from Shiloh, etc., for the destruction of the Temple, so as to put them off their guard.

(2) All in all, "That God may be all in all" (1Co 15:28, Greek: panta en pasin, "all things in all (persons and) things"). "The universe, with all it comprises, will wholly answer to God's will and reflect His mind" (Dummelow).

(3) All one, "It is all one" (Job 9:22), "it makes no difference whether I live or die."

(4) At all, "If thy father miss me at all" (1Sa 20:6), "in any way," "in the least."

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he took David the object marker all the sheep and the cattle they drove [them] before the livestock that and they said this [is] [the] booty of David
הַצֹּ֖אןha.Tzon the sheep H6629 Particle · noun common both singular absolute
274× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a flock of sheep or goats, and is sometimes used to describe people in a figurative sense. It is also associated with the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem, a significant location in biblical times.
Amplified meaning
sheep and goats
Tyndale gloss
Sheep (Gate)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

צֹאן (tso'n) refers to small cattle, specifically sheep and goats, and is used to denote a flock or flocks. It can also be used metaphorically to describe a multitude. The term appears in contexts such as Psalm 144:13, where it emphasizes the collective nature of these animals.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

צֹאן 273 n.coll.f. small cattle, sheep and goats, flock, flocks

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6629 צֹאן small cattle, sheep and goats, flock, flocks

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6629 tso'n tsone

or tsaown (Psalm 144:13) {tseh-one'}; from an unused root

meaning to migrate; a collective name for a flock (of sheep or

goats); also figuratively (of men):--(small) cattle, flock

(+ -s), lamb (+ -s), sheep((-cote, -fold, -shearer, -herds)).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

צֹאן (tson) — flock.

1) small cattle, sheep, sheep and goats, flock, flocks

1a) small cattle (usually of sheep and goats)

1b) of multitude (simile)

1c) of multitude (metaphor)

צֹאן (tson) — Sheep (Gate).

This name means sheep and goats

Also named: probatikos (προβατικός "Sheep Gate" G4262)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-cs — Particle · noun common both singular absolute
HTd/Ncbsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

shep:

1. Names:

The usual Hebrew word is tso'n, which is often translated "flock," e.g. "Abel .... brought of the firstlings of his flock" (Ge 4:4); "butter of the herd, and milk of the flock" (De 32:14). The King James Version and the English Revised Version have "milk of sheep." Compare Arabic da'n. The Greek word is probaton. For other names, see notes under CATTLE; EWE; LAMB; RAM.

2. Zoology:

The origin of domestic sheep is unknown. There are 11 wild species, the majority of which are found in Asia, and it is conceivable that they may have spread from the highlands of Central Asia to the other portions of their habitat. In North America is found the "bighorn," which is very closely related to a Kamschatkan species. One species, the urial or sha, is found in India. The Barbary…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Sheep

Are of different varieties. Probably the flocks of Abraham and Isaac were of the wild species found still in the mountain regions of Persia and Kurdistan. After the Exodus, and as a result of intercourse with surrounding nations, other species were no doubt introduced into the herds of the people of Israel. They are frequently mentioned in Scripture. The care of a shepherd over his flock is referred to as illustrating God’s care over his people (Ps. 23:1, 2; 74:1; 77:20; Isa. 40:11; 53:6; John 10:1-5, 7-16).

“The sheep of Palestine are longer in the head than ours, and have tails from 5 inches broad at the narrowest part to 15 inches at the widest, the weight being in proportion, and ranging generally from 10 to 14 lbs.…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Sheep were an important part of the possessions of the ancient Hebrews and of eastern nations generally. The first mention of sheep occurs in (Genesis 4:2) They were used in the sacrificial offering,as, both the adult animal, (Exodus 20:24) and the lamb. See (Exodus 29:28; Leviticus 9:3; 12:6) Sheep and lambs formed an important article of food. (1 Samuel 25:18) The wool was used as clothing. (Leviticus 13:47) "Rams skins dyed red" were used as a covering for the tabernacle. (Exodus 25:5) Sheep and lambs were…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Of the Syrian sheep, according to Dr. Russell, there are two varieties; the one called Bedaween sheep, which differ in no respect from the larger kinds of sheep among us, except that their tails are somewhat longer and thicker; the others are those often mentioned by travellers on account of their extraordinary tails; and this species is by far the most numerous. The tail of one of these animals is very broad and large, terminating in a small appendage that turns back upon it. It is of a substance between fat and marrow, and is not eaten separately, but mixed with the lean meat in many of their dishes, and also often used instead of butter. A common sheep of this sort, without the head, feet, skin, and entrails, weighs from sixty to eighty pounds, of which the tail itself is usually ten or fifteen pounds, and when the animal is fattened, twice or thrice that weight, and very…

and he took David the object marker all the sheep and the cattle they drove [them] before the livestock that and they said this [is] [the] booty of David
וְהַבָּקָ֑רve.ha.ba.Kar and the cattle H1241 Conjunction · particle · noun common both singular absolute
183× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Domesticated cattle or oxen, used for work or sacrifice, like the animals used in the temple sacrifices in 1 Kings 8:63.
Amplified meaning
cattle, livestock
Tyndale gloss
cattle
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בָּקַר (baqar) refers to cattle, specifically oxen and herds, and can denote individual animals or a collective group. It is derived from a root meaning related to cattle and encompasses various forms such as beef cattle and oxen used for plowing. The term appears in contexts discussing livestock in the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בָּקַר 182 n.m. cattle, herd, ox

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1241 בָּקַר cattle, herd, ox

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1241 baqar baw-kawr'

from 1239; beef cattle or an animal of the ox family of

either gender (as used for plowing); collectively, a herd:--

beeve, bull (+ -ock), + calf, + cow, great (cattle), + heifer,

herd, kine, ox.

see HEBREW for 01239

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בָּקָר (ba.qar) — cattle.

1) cattle, herd, oxen, ox

1a) cattle (generic pl. but sing. in form-coll)

1b) herd (particular one)

1c) head of cattle (individually)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Art | N-cs — Conjunction · particle · noun common both singular absolute
HC/Td/Ncbsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

kat'-'-l (behemah, "a dumb beast"; miqneh, "a possession" from qanah, "to acquire" (compare Arabic qana', "to acquire," and Greek kienos, "beast," and plural ktenea, "flocks," from ktaomai, "to acquire," flocks being both with the Homeric peoples and with the patriarchs an important form of property; compare English "fee"); tso'n "small cattle," "sheep" or goats (compare Arabic da'n, "sheep"); seh, a single sheep or goat (compare Arabic shah); mela'khah, "property," from la'akh, "to minister" (compare Arabic malakah and mulk, "property," from malak, "to possess"); meri' "fatling" (1Ki 19); thremma (Joh 4:12), "cattle," i.e. "that which is nourished," from trepho, "to nourish"; baqar, "kine," "oxen" (compare Arabic baqar, "cattle"); shor, tor (Da 4:25), tauros (

Cattle

Abounded in the Holy Land. To the rearing and management of them the inhabitants chiefly devoted themselves (Deut. 8:13; 12:21; 1 Sam. 11:5; 12:3; Ps. 144:14; Jer. 3:24). They may be classified as,

(1.) Neat cattle. Many hundreds of these were yearly consumed in sacrifices or used for food. The finest herds were found in Bashan, beyond Jordan (Num. 32:4). Large herds also pastured on the wide fertile plains of Sharon. They were yoked to the plough (1 Kings 19:19), and were employed for carrying burdens (1 Chr.…

→ (Of the bovine species)

→ Used for sacrifice 1Ki 8:63

→ See HEIFER

→ See OFFERINGS

→ Sheltered Ge 33:17

→ Stall-fed Pr 15:17

→ Gilead adapted to the raising of Nu 32:1-4

→ Bashan suitable to the raising of Ps 22:12; Eze 39:18; Am 4:1

→ See ANIMALS

→ See BULL

→ See BULLOCK

→ See COW

→ See HEIFER

→ See KINE

→ See OFFERING

and he took David the object marker all the sheep and the cattle they drove [them] before the livestock that and they said this [is] [the] booty of David
נָהֲג֗וּna.ha.Gu they drove [them] H5090 Verb · Qal · perfect third person common plural
31× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To moan means to sigh or lament, like in Psalm 77:3 when the psalmist moaned in his sleepless night. It can also mean to lead or guide someone, like in 1 Samuel 25:42 when Abigail led her maids to follow David.
Tyndale gloss
to lead
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָהַג (nahag) is a Hebrew verb meaning to drive, lead, or guide. It can refer to driving animals or chariots, as well as guiding oneself or others. Additionally, in the Piel form, it can mean to moan or lament. The word appears in contexts that emphasize both physical guidance and emotional expression.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָהַג vb. drive, conduct

Qal

drive

fig. my heart behaving itself in wisdom

Pi.

drive away, lead off

lead on, guide

cause to drive

base

[נָהַג] vb. Pi. moan, lament;—Pi. Na 2:8

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5090a נָהַג drive, conduct .. drive

. fig. my heart behaving itself in wisdom

. . drive away, lead off

. lead on, guide

. cause to drive

H5090b נָהַג Pi. moan, lament

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5090 nahag naw-hag'

a primitive root; to drive forth (a person, an animal or

chariot), i.e. lead, carry away; reflexively, to proceed (i.e.

impel or guide oneself); also (from the panting induced by

effort), to sigh:--acquaint, bring (away), carry away, drive

(away), lead (away, forth), (be) guide, lead (away, forth).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָהַג (na.hag) — to lead.

1) to drive, lead, guide, conduct

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to drive, lead on, drive away, drive off

1a2) to behave itself (fig.) (of heart)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to drive away, lead off

1b2) to lead on, guide, guide on

1b3) to cause to drive

נָהַג (na.hag) — to moan.

(Piel) to moan, lament

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Qal · perfect third person common plural
HVqp3cp
and he took David the object marker all the sheep and the cattle they drove [them] before the livestock that and they said this [is] [the] booty of David
לִפְנֵי֙lif.Nei before H6440 Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct
2,127× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means face or presence, like being in front of someone or something. It's used in many contexts, like in Genesis, Exodus, and Psalms, to describe interactions and relationships.
Amplified meaning
led, guided
Tyndale gloss
face
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word פָּנֶה (*pāneh*) is a noun meaning 'face' or 'presence,' and it appears in various contexts, including the faces of seraphim and animals, as well as the surface of the ground. It can also function as an adverb meaning 'before' or 'in front of.' The word is built from a root that suggests turning or facing, and it encompasses a wide range of applications, both literal and figurative.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[פָּנֶה], pl. פָּנִים 2123 n.m. face, also faces

face, faces

presence, person

technically, see one's face, i.e. appear before one, in one's presence

face of seraphim

face of animals

face (= surface) of ground

as adv.loc. before

for other phrases

with prepositions

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6440 פָּנֶה, pl. פָּנִים face, also faces . . face, faces

. . presence, person

. technically, see one's face, i.e. appear before one, in one's presence

. face of seraphim

. face of animals

. face (= surface) of ground

. as adv. loc. before

. for other phrases

. with prepositions

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6440 paniym paw-neem'

plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun (paneh

{paw-neh'}; from 6437); the 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.):--+ accept, a-(be- )fore(-time),

against, anger, X as (long as), at, + battle, + because (of),

+ beseech, countenance, edge, + employ, endure, + enquire,

face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er

time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, X him(-self), +

honourable, + impudent, + in, it, look(-eth) (- s), X me, +

meet, X more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), X on,

open, + out of, over against, the partial, person, + please,

presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, + regard, right

forth, + serve, X shewbread, sight, state, straight, + street,

X thee, X them(-selves), through (+ - out), till, time(-s)

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פָּנֶה (pa.neh) — face: before.

: before/to/front

1) face

1a) face, faces

1b) presence, person

1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim)

1d) face (of animals)

1e) face, surface (of ground)

1f) as adv of loc/temp

1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before

1g) with prep

1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from before the face of

פָּנֶה (pa.neh) — face.

: face

1) face

1a) face, faces

1b) presence, person

1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim)

1d) face (of animals)

1e) face, surface (of ground)

1f) as adv of loc/temp

1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before

1g) with prep

1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from…

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-cp — Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct
HR/Ncmpc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

be-for': The translation of a great variety of Hebrew and Greek words. "Haran died before (the English Revised Version "in the presence of," literally "before the face of") his father Terah" (Ge 11:28). To be "before" God is to enjoy His favor (Ps 31:22). "The Syrians before" (Isa 9:12 the Revised Version, margin "on the east," as "behind," owing to the position of Canaan, relative to Syria, implies the west).

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he took David the object marker all the sheep and the cattle they drove [them] before the livestock that and they said this [is] [the] booty of David
הַמִּקְנֶ֣הha.mik.Neh the livestock H4735 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
76× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Livestock, such as cattle, sheep, and goats, are domestic animals that can be bought and owned, as described in the Bible, including in the book of Genesis and the story of Abraham's wealth.
Amplified meaning
animals, cattle
Tyndale gloss
livestock
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִקְנֶה (miqneh) refers to cattle or livestock, specifically domestic animals that can be purchased. It encompasses general terms for herds and flocks, including cows, sheep, and goats. The word is derived from a root meaning 'something bought' and relates to property and possession.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִקְנֶה 76 n.m. cattle

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4735 מִקְנֶה cattle

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4735 miqneh mik-neh'

from 7069; something bought, i.e. property, but only

livestock; abstractly, acquisition:--cattle, flock, herd,

possession, purchase, substance.

see HEBREW for 07069

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִקְנֶה (miq.neh) — livestock.

1) cattle, livestock

1a) cattle, livestock

1a1) in general of a purchasable domestic animal

1b) cows, sheep, goats (in herds and flocks)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
HTd/Ncmsa
and he took David the object marker all the sheep and the cattle they drove [them] before the livestock that and they said this [is] [the] booty of David
הַה֔וּאha.Hu' that H1931 Particle · pronoun
1,879× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is a pronoun meaning 'he', 'she', or 'it', used to refer to a person or thing. It is used in the Bible to emphasize a subject or make it clear who is being talked about.
Tyndale gloss
he/she/it
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הוּא (hu) is a third-person singular pronoun meaning he, she, or it, used for emphasis or when no verb is present. It can also refer to oneself or serve as a demonstrative pronoun. The word has various nuances, including resuming the subject with emphasis or expressing it unobtrusively. It can indicate 'that' or 'those' when used with the definite article.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הוּא m. הִיא f., pron. of the 3rd ps. sing. he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it

an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)

It resumes the subj. with emph.

Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible

It anticipates (as it seems) the subject

As an emph. predicate, of God

In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)

With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1931 הוּא, הִיא he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it . an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)

. It resumes the subj. with emph.

. Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible

. It anticipates (as it seems) the subject

. As an emph. predicate, of God

. In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)

. With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1931 huw' hoo

of which the feminine (beyond the Pentateuch) is hiyw {he}; a

primitive word, the third person pronoun singular, he (she or

it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also

(intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same;

sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally

(instead of copula) as or are:--he, as for her, him(-self),

it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they,

this, those, which (is), who.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הוּא (hu) — he/she/it.

pron 3p s

1) he, she, it

1a) himself (with emphasis)

1b) resuming subj with emphasis

1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate)

1d) (anticipating subj)

1e) (emphasising predicate)

1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron

2) that (with article)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTd/Pp3ms — Particle · pronoun
HTd/Pp3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he took David the object marker all the sheep and the cattle they drove [them] before the livestock that and they said this [is] [the] booty of David
וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּvai.Yo.me.Ru and they said H559 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
5,309× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Tyndale gloss
to say
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

Say

Say in the heart (= think)

Promise

Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

Hithp. act proudly, boast

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say

. Say in the heart (= think)

. Promise

. Command (esp. late)

. be said, told

. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

. act proudly, boast

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

559 'amar aw-mar'

a primitive root; to say (used with great

latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,

certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),

commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X

expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,

publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X

suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),

utter, X verily, X yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.

1) to say, speak, utter

1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend

1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called

1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly

1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch

Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
Hc/Vqw3mp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he took David the object marker all the sheep and the cattle they drove [them] before the livestock that and they said this [is] [the] booty of David
זֶ֖הzeh this H2088 Particle
1,180× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is a pronoun meaning this or that, used to point out a specific person or thing. It appears in many contexts, including Genesis and Psalms, to indicate something specific. The KJV translates it as he, here, or it.
Tyndale gloss
this
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זֶה (zeh) is a demonstrative pronoun meaning 'this' or 'here.' It can stand alone, be used appositively, or function as a predicate. The word can also attach enclitically to interrogative pronouns, adding emphasis and directness. In poetry, it may serve as a relative pronoun, though this usage is rare.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זֶה demonstr.pron. and adv.; fem. זֹאת, once זֹאתָה; this, here

standing alone

In appos. to subst.

More oft. as pred.

It is attached enclitically, almost as an adv., to certain words, esp. interrog. pronouns, to impart, in a manner often not reproducible in Engl. idiom, directness and force, bringing the question or statement made into close relation with the speaker.

In poetry, as a relative pron. (rare)

With prefixes (in special senses)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2088 זֶה demonstr. pron. and adv.; fem. זֹאת, once זֹאתָה; this, here . standing alone

. In appos. to subst.

. More oft. as pred.

. It is attached enclitically, almost as an adv., to certain words, esp. interrog. pronouns, to impart, in a manner often not reproducible in Engl. idiom, directness and force, bringing the question or statement made into close relation with the speaker.

. In poetry, as a relative pron. (rare)

. With prefixes (in special senses)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2088 zeh zeh

a primitive word; the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this

or that:--he, X hence, X here, it(-self), X now, X of him, the

one...the other, X than the other, (X out of) the (self) same,

such (a one) that, these, this (hath, man), on this side...on

that side, X thus, very, which. Compare 2063, 2090, 2097,

2098.

see HEBREW for 02063

see HEBREW for 02090

see HEBREW for 02097

see HEBREW for 02098

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זֶה (zeh) — this.

1) this, this one, here, which, this...that, the one...the other, another, such

1a) (alone)

1a1) this one

1a2) this...that, the one...the other, another

1b) (appos to subst)

1b1) this

1c) (as predicate)

1c1) this, such

1d) (enclitically)

1d1) then

1d2) who, whom

1d3) how now, what now

1d4) what now

1d5) wherefore now

1d6) behold here

1d7) just now

1d8) now, now already

1e) (poetry)

1e1) wherein, which, those who

1f) (with prefixes)

1f1) in this (place) here, then

1f2) on these conditions, herewith, thus provided, by, through this, for this cause, in this matter

1f3) thus and thus

1f4) as follows, things such as these, accordingly, to that effect, in like manner, thus and thus

1f5) from here, hence, on one side...on the other side

1f6) on this account

1f7) in spite of this, which, whence, how

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Pron — Particle
HTm
and he took David the object marker all the sheep and the cattle they drove [them] before the livestock that and they said this [is] [the] booty of David
שְׁלַ֥לshe.Lal [is] [the] booty of H7998 Noun common · masculine singular construct
73× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Shâlâl refers to the spoils of war, or the booty taken from enemies. It is used in the Bible to describe the plunder or prey taken in battle. In the KJV, it is translated as 'prey' or 'spoil'.
Amplified meaning
spoils, booty
Tyndale gloss
spoil
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁלָל (shalal) refers to prey, spoil, or plunder, often in the context of war. It is derived from the root word שָׁלַל (H7997). The term encompasses various forms of gain, including private plunder and booty. The entries consistently emphasize its association with spoils of war.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁלָל 75 n.m. prey, spoil, plunder, booty

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7998 שָׁלָל prey, spoil, plunder, booty

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7998 shalal shaw-lawl'

from 7997; booty:--prey, spoil.

see HEBREW for 07997

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁלָל (sha.lal) — spoil.

1) prey, plunder, spoil, booty

1a) prey

1b) booty, spoil, plunder (of war)

1c) plunder (private)

1d) gain (meaning uncertain)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

and he took David the object marker all the sheep and the cattle they drove [them] before the livestock that and they said this [is] [the] booty of David
דָּוִֽד׃da.Vid David H1732 Noun proper masculine
1,075× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
David was the youngest son of Jesse and a king of Judah, first mentioned in Ruth 4:17, and an ancestor of Jesus.
Amplified meaning
belonging to David, spoils of war
Tyndale gloss
David
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

דָּוִד (David) refers to the second king of Israel, known as the youngest son of Jesse. The name means 'beloved' and is associated with a significant lineage, including many siblings and notable descendants like Solomon. The entries highlight his familial connections and historical context, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

דָּוִד, דָּוִיד 1066 n.pr.m. David

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1732 דָּוִד, דָּוִיד David

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1732 David daw-veed'

rarely (fully); Daviyd {daw-veed'}; from the same as 1730;

loving; David, the youngest son of Jesse:--David.

see HEBREW for 01730

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

דָּוִד (da.vid) — David.

A king of the tribe of Judah living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at Rut.4.17;

son of: Jesse (H3448) and Nahash (H5176I);

brother of: Eliab (H0446I), Abinadab (H0041I), Shimeah (H8093), Zeruiah (H6870), Abigail (H0026H)(?), Nethanel (H5417H), Raddai (H7288), Ozem (H0684) and Elihu (H0453J); married to Michal (H4324), Abigail (H0026), Ahinoam (H0293H), Maacah (H4601I), Haggith (H2294), Abital (H0037), Eglah (H5698) and Bathsheba (H1339);

father of: Amnon (H0550), Chileab (H3609), Absalom (H0053), Adonijah (H0138), Shephatiah (H8203), Ithream (H3507), Shammua (H8051H), Shobab (H7727), Nathan (H5416), Solomon (H8010), Ibhar (H2984), Elishua (H0474), Nepheg (H5298H), Japhia (H3309I), Elishama (H0476H), Eliada (H0450), Eliphelet (H0467), Tamar (H8559H), Elpelet (H0467I), Nogah (H5052) and Jerimoth (H3406N)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

da'-vid (dawidh, or dawidh, "beloved"; Daueid, also in New Testament, Dauid, Dabid; see Thayer's Lexicon):

I. NAME AND GENEALOGY

II. EARLY YEARS

1. Shepherd

2. Slinger

3. Harpist

4. Poet

5. Psalmist

6. Tribesman

III. IN THE SERVICE OF SAUL

1. David First Meets Saul

2. His First Exploit

3. Envy of Saul and Flight of David

4. Jonathan and David

IV. DAVID IN EXILE

1. David as Outlaw

2. David Joins the Philistines

V. DAVID AS KING

1. Civil War

2. Conquests Abroad

3. Political Situation

4. The Ark

VI. DOMESTIC LIFE

1. His Wives and Children

2. Domestic Troubles

VII. HIS OFFICIALS

1. Prophets

2. Priests

3. Military Officers

4. Other Officials

5. Mutual Rivalry

VIII. PERSONAL CHARACTER OF DAVID

1. Chronicles

2. Psalms

3. Complex Character

4. Physical Courage

5. Moral Courage

6. Prudence

7. Strategy

8. Nobility

9. David in Relation to His Family

10. David in Relation to His Friends

11. His Success

12. His Foreign Friends

13. Nemesis

Easton's Bible Dictionary

David

Beloved, the eighth and youngest son of Jesse, a citizen of Bethlehem. His father seems to have been a man in humble life. His mother’s name is not recorded. Some think she was the Nahash of 2 Sam. 17:25. As to his personal appearance, we only know that he was red-haired, with beautiful eyes and a fair face (1 Sam. 16:12; 17:42).

His early occupation was that of tending his father’s sheep on the uplands of Judah. From what we know of his after history, doubtless he frequently beguiled his time, when thus engaged, with his shepherd’s flute, while he drank in the many lessons taught him by the varied scenes spread around him. His first recorded exploits were his encounters with the wild beasts of the field. He mentions that with his own unaided hand he slew a lion and also a…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(well-beloved), the son of Jesse. His life may be divided into three portions: His youth before his introduction to the court of Saul; His relations with Saul; His reign. The early life of David contains in many important respects the antecedents of his future career. It appears that David was the youngest son, probably the youngest child, of a family of ten, and was born in Bethlehem B.C. 1085. The first time that David appears in history at once admits us to the whole family circle. The annual sacrificial feast is being held when Samuel appears, sent by God to anoint one of Jesse’s sons as they pass before him, (1 Samuel 16:6-10) Samuel sends for the youngest, David, who was "keeping the sheep," and anoints him. (1 Samuel 16:11-13) As David stood before Samuel we are enabled to…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Beloved, the youngest son of Jesse, of the tribe of Judah, born in Bethlehem B. C. 1085; one of the most remarkable men in either sacred of secular history. His life is fully recorded in 1Sa 16:1 1Ki 2:46. He was "the Lord’s anointed," chosen by God to be king of Israel instead of Saul, and consecrated to that office by the venerable prophet Samuel long before he actually came to the throne, 1Sa 16:1-13, for which God prepared him by the gift of his Spirit, and a long course of vicissitudes and dangers. In his early pastoral life he distinguished himself by his boldness, fidelity, and faith in God; and while yet a youth was summoned to court, as one expert in music, valiant, prudent in behavior, and comely in person. He…

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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