Psalms 89:35 — Word Study
WLCאַ֭חַת נִשְׁבַּ֣עְתִּי בְקָדְשִׁ֑י אִֽם־ לְדָוִ֥ד אֲכַזֵּֽב׃
BSAnotlôʼ [under any circumstances, never] to borechâlal covenantbᵉrîyth exitmôwtsâʼ lipssâphâh notlôʼ to changeshânâh
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| אַ֭חַת | one [time] | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
| נִשְׁבַּ֣עְתִּי | I have sworn an oath | Verb, Niphal, perfect first person common singular |
| בְקָדְשִׁ֑י | by holiness my | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| אִֽם־ | if | Particle |
| לְדָוִ֥ד | to David | Preposition, noun proper masculine |
| אֲכַזֵּֽב׃ | I will lie | Verb, Piel, imperfect first person common singular |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Once and for all I have sworn by My holiness— I will not lie to David— |
| KJV | Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David. |
| ASV | Once have I sworn by my holiness: I will not lie unto David: |
| YLT | Once I have sworn by My holiness, I lie not to David, |
| WEB | Once I have sworn by my holiness, I will not lie to David. |
| BBE | I have made an oath once by my holy name, that I will not be false to David. |
The translations agree on the essence of God's promise to David — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence is structured around a main clause with a conditional phrase that emphasizes the promise's certainty.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbחָלַל
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
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 — Psalms 89:35
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 — God's Covenant with Davidgenerated
Psalms 89:35 is part of a larger passage where God reassures David of His unwavering commitment. The surrounding verses highlight God's faithfulness to His covenant promises, emphasizing that He will not alter His word. This promise is foundational to the understanding of God's relationship with David and his descendants, which is echoed throughout Scripture.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 110:4 | The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind: “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.” |
| 2 | Psalm 132:11 | The LORD swore an oath to David, a promise He will not revoke: “One of your descendants I will place on your throne. |
| 3 | Amos 4:2 | The Lord GOD has sworn by His holiness: “Behold, the days are coming when you will be taken away with hooks, and your posterity with fishhooks. |
| 4 | Amos 8:7 | The LORD has sworn by the Pride of Jacob: “I will never forget any of their deeds. |
| 5 | Hebrews 6:13–17 | When God made His promise to Abraham, since He had no one greater to swear by, He swore by Himself, |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 7 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — נִשְׁבַּ֣עְתִּי, nish.Ba'.tigenerated
The verb נִשְׁבַּ֣עְתִּי (nish.Ba'.ti) is a perfect form in the Niphal stem, indicating a completed action of swearing an oath. This word conveys the seriousness of God's promise, as swearing often involves invoking God as a witness to the truth of the statement.
In the context of this verse, it underscores God's commitment to David, highlighting that this is not a casual statement but a solemn vow made by the divine.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations generally agree on the meaning of the verse.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb נִשְׁבַּ֣עְתִּי governs the clause, indicating the action of swearing. This is followed by a prepositional phrase בְקָדְשִׁ֑י that specifies the basis of the oath, and concludes with a conditional phrase אִֽם־ לְדָוִ֥ד that identifies the recipient of the promise.
The structure emphasizes the solemnity of the promise and the certainty of God's commitment, with the main action of swearing highlighted at the beginning.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew נִשְׁבַּ֣עְתִּי is rendered as βεβηλώσω (G953), which conveys a sense of defilement or violation. This choice suggests a different nuance, potentially indicating the seriousness of breaking an oath.
This translation choice reflects a broader understanding of the implications of God's promises and the consequences of failing to uphold them.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalms 89:35 shows God making a solemn promise that He will not lie to David. This promise emphasizes God's faithfulness and the importance of His covenant with David, assuring that His word is unbreakable.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Swearing by His holiness signifies that God is invoking His very nature as a guarantee of His promise, emphasizing the seriousness and reliability of His word.
The promise to David is significant because it establishes a covenant relationship, affirming that David's lineage will endure and that God will be faithful to His word.
This verse highlights God's character as faithful and unchanging, reinforcing the idea that He keeps His promises and does not lie.
We learn about the importance of faithfulness and the assurance that God honors His commitments, which can encourage us in our own faith.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How does understanding God's promise to David impact your view of His faithfulness in your life?
- In what ways can you reflect God's faithfulness in your own commitments?
- What does it mean to you that God does not lie?
- How can you apply the assurance of God's promises in your daily life?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early Church Fathers reference this verse to discuss God's faithfulness and the assurance of His promises, illustrating its significance in understanding divine covenant.
Listen for your confirmation in hope, for your security, if you know yourself to be among the members of Christ. "I have sworn once by My holiness that I will not lie unto David" [Early Church Fathers on Psalms 89 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 89:35 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleOnce have I sworn by my holiness,.... Swearing is ascribed to God after the manner of men, and is done in condescension to the weakness of his people, and to remove doubts and hesitations from them,
Read John Gill on Psalms 89 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThen thou spakest in vision to thy holy one, and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 89 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleHere he gives some reasons why he would not break his covenant with David, though he should have just cause to do so, and though he had upon such just cause broke his covenant made with others; first, Because this covenant was confirmed by his oath, which adds not only more solemnity, but more stability and certainty to it, as is evident from , wherein he showeth that God addeth an oath to his promise or covenant to make and prove it to be immutable; and from , &c., where he proveth the priesthood of Melchisedec to be unchangeable, because it was confirmed by an oath. And though judgments simply threatened have not always been executed, but sometimes were prevented, yet those comminations…
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 89 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 89:35 Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David.Ver. 35. Once have I sworn by mine holiness] Which is as deep an oath as I know how to take; for my holiness is myself, who am most holy, and the fountain of all holiness. By this I have sworn once, that is, once for all, immobiliter, immutabiliter.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 89 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 35. Once have I sworn] I have made one determination on this head, and have bound myself by my holiness; it is impossible that I should change, and there needs no second oath, the one already made is of endless obligation.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 89 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges19–37. The mention of the king in Psalms 89:18 naturally leads up to the covenant with David which was briefly alluded to in Psalms 89:3-4. The Psalmist now recites the promise in detail in a poetical expansion of the narrative in 2 Samuel 7.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 89 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleOnce have I sworn by my holiness - That is, once for all; - a single oath - an oath once taken by me - makes it certain.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 89 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible35. Sworn by my holiness—In my holiness. The most awful sanction of the covenant. I will not lie—Comp. Hebrews 6:17-18
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Psalms 89 →The verse in English, compared — 16 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
Once and for all I have sworn by My holiness— I will not lie to David—
Once I have sworn by my holiness, I will not lie to David.
Once and for all I have sworn by My holiness—I will not lie to David—
Once and for all I have vowed by my own holiness, I will never deceive David.
Tyndale line
Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David.
Once have I sworn by my holiness: I will not lie unto David:
Once have I sworn by my holiness; I will not lie unto David;
Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie to David.
I haue sworne once by mine holines, that I will not fayle Dauid, saying,
Strictly literal
Once have I sworn by my holiness; I will not lie unto David:
Once I have sworn by My holiness, I lie not to David,
Once I have sworn by My holiness, || I do not lie to David,
(89:36) One thing have I sworn by my holiness, that I will not lie unto David.
Once and for all I have sworn by my holiness— I will not lie to David:
Simplified
By my holy character I have made a vow to David that I will not lie to him.
I have made an oath once by my holy name, that I will not be false to David.
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.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree in their wording, with five of the six words matched. However, the Septuagint's rendering may reflect a different interpretation of the promise's implications.
אַ֭חַת נִשְׁבַּ֣עְתִּי בְקָדְשִׁ֑י אִֽם־ לְדָוִ֥ד אֲכַזֵּֽב׃
5 of the 6 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.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 89:35
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.
אֶחָד (echad) means 'one' and is derived from a numeral. It encompasses meanings such as each, every, a certain, and can serve as an indefinite article. It is also used as an ordinal to denote 'first' and appears in various combinations, including eleven. The entries consistently emphasize its numerical and qualitative aspects.
אֶחָד 972 adj.num. one
one
= each, every
= a certain
= indef. art.
only, & (fem.) once
one … another, one … the other
as ordinal first
in combin.
base
H259 אֶחָד one . one
. = each, every
. = a certain
. = indef. art.
. only, & (fem.) once
. one … another, one … the other
. as ordinal first
. in combin.
259 'echad ekh-awd'
a numeral from 258; properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an
ordinal) first:--a, alike, alone, altogether, and,
any(-thing), apiece, a certain, (dai-)ly, each (one), +
eleven, every, few, first, + highway, a man, once, one, only,
other, some, together,
see HEBREW for 0258
אֶחָד (e.chad) — one.
1) one (number)
1a) one (number)
1b) each, every
1c) a certain
1d) an (indefinite article)
1e) only, once, once for all
1f) one...another, the one...the other, one after another, one by one
1g) first
1h) eleven (in combination), eleventh (ordinal)
HNcfsa — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa
tim: The basis of the Hebrew measurement of time was the day and the lunar month, as with the Semites generally. The division of the day into hours was late, probably not common until after the exile, although the sun-dial of Ahaz (2Ki 20:9; Isa 38:8) would scent to indicate some division of the day into periods of some sort, as we know the night was divided, The word used for "hour" is Aramaic she`a' (sha`ta'), and does not occur in the Old Testament until the Book of Daniel (4:33; 5:5), and even there it stands for an indefinite period for which "time" would answer as well.
1. The Day:
The term "day" (yom) was in use from the earliest times, as is indicated in the story of the Creation (Ge 1). It there doubtless denotes an indefinite period, but is marked off by "evening and…
Besides the ordinary uses of this word, the Bible sometimes employs it to denote a year, as in Da 4:16; or a prophetic year, consisting of three hundred and sixty natural year, a day being taken for a year. Thus in Da 7:25 12:7, the phrase "a time, times, and the dividing of a time" is supposed to mean three and a half prophetic years, or 1,260 natural years. This period is elsewhere paralleled by the expression, "forty-two months," each month including thirty years, Re 11:2-3 12:6,14 13:5.
שָׁבַע (shaba`) primarily means to swear or take an oath, possibly derived from the idea of binding oneself by seven things. It can also mean to adjure or to cause someone to take an oath. The word appears in various forms, including participles and different verb stems, indicating actions related to swearing and oaths.
[שָׁבַע] 186 vb. swear (prob. so to say, seven oneself, or bind oneself by seven things)
Qal Pt. pass. those sworn with (= who have sworn) oaths
Niph.;—swear, take an oath
Hiph.
cause take an oath, subj. always man
adjure
base
H7650 שָׁבַע swear (prob. so to say, seven oneself, or bind oneself by seven things) .Pt. pass. those sworn with (= who have sworn) oaths
.;—swear, take an oath
. . cause take an oath, subj. always man
. adjure
7650 shaba` shaw-bah'
a primitive root; propr. to be complete, but used only as a
denominative from 7651; to seven oneself, i.e. swear (as if by
repeating a declaration seven times):--adjure, charge (by an
oath, with an oath), feed to the full (by mistake for 7646),
take an oath, X straitly, (cause to, make to) swear.
see HEBREW for 07651
see HEBREW for 07646
שָׁבַע (sha.va) — to swear.
1) to swear, adjure
1a) (Qal) sworn (participle)
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to swear, take an oath
1b2) to swear (of Jehovah by Himself)
1b3) to curse
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to cause to take an oath
1c2) to adjure
HVNp1cs — Verb · Niphal · perfect first person common singularHVNp1cs
oth (shebhu`ah, probably from shebha`, "seven," the sacred number, which occurs frequently in the ritual of an oath; horkos; and the stronger word 'alah, by which a curse is actually invoked upon the oath-breaker Septuagint ara)): In Mt 26:70-74 Peter first denies his Lord simply, then with an oath (shebhu`ah), then invokes a curse ('alah), thus passing through every stage of asseveration.
1. Law Regarding Oaths:
The oath is the invoking of a curse upon one's self if one has not spoken the truth (Mt 26:74), or if one fails to keep a promise (1Sa 19:6; 20:17; 2Sa 15:21; 19:23). It played a very important part, not only in lawsuits (
Oath
A solemn appeal to God, permitted on fitting occasions (Deut. 6:13; Jer. 4:2), in various forms (Gen. 16:5; 2 Sam. 12:5; Ruth 1:17; Hos. 4:15; Rom. 1:9), and taken in different ways (Gen. 14:22; 24:2; 2 Chr. 6:22). God is represented as taking an oath (Heb. 6:16-18), so also Christ (Matt. 26:64), and…
The principle on which an oath is held to be binding is incidentally laid down in (Hebrews 6:16) viz. as an ultimate appeal to divine authority to ratify an assertion. On the same principle, that oath has always been held most binding which appealed to the highest authority, as regards both individuals and communities. As a consequence of this principle, appeals to God’s name on the one hand, and to heathen deities on the other, are treated in scripture as tests of allegiance. (Exodus 23:13; 34:6; 29:12) etc. So also the sovereign’s name is sometimes used as a form of obligation. (Genesis 42:15; 2 Samuel 11:11; 14:19) Other forms of oath, serious or frivolous, are…
A solemn affirmation accompanied by an appeal to the Supreme Being. God has prohibited all false oaths, and all useless and customary swearing in ordinary discourse; but when the necessity or importance of a matter requires an oath, he allows men to swear by his name, Ex 22:11 Le 5:1. To swear by a false god was an act of idolatry, Jer 5:7 12:16.
Among the Hebrews an oath was administered by the judge, who stood up, and adjured the party who was to be sworn. In this manner our Lord was adjured by Caiaphas, Mt 26:63. Jesus had remained silent under long examination, when the high priest, rising up, knowing he had a sure mode of obtaining an answer said, "I adjure thee by the…
קֹ֫דֶשׁ (qodesh) refers to the concepts of apartness, sacredness, and holiness. It can denote a sacred place or thing, such as the Most Holy Place or a sanctuary. The term emphasizes the idea of being set apart, whether in relation to God, places, or objects.
קֹ֫דֶשׁ 469 n.m. apartness, sacredness
base
H6944 קֹ֫דֶשׁ apartness, sacredness
6944 qodesh ko'-desh
from 6942; a sacred place or thing; rarely abstract,
sanctity:--consecrated (thing), dedicated (thing), hallowed
(thing), holiness, (X most) holy (X day, portion, thing),
saint, sanctuary.
see HEBREW for 06942
קֹ֫דֶשׁ (qo.desh) — holiness.
1) apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness
1a) apartness, sacredness, holiness
1a1) of God
1a2) of places
1a3) of things
1b) set-apartness, separateness
קֹ֫דֶשׁ (qo.desh) — Most Holy Place.
This name means apartness, holiness, sacredness
Also named: hagion (ἅγιον "Most Holy Place" G0039H)
קֹ֫דֶשׁ (qo.desh) — (Way of) Holiness.
Combined with de.rekh (דֶּ֫רֶךְ "Way" H1870H)
This name means apartness, holiness, sacredness
קֹ֫דֶשׁ (qo.desh) — Holy Place.
This name means apartness, holiness, sacredness
Also named: hagion (ἅγιον "Holy Place" G0039)
HR/Ncmsc/Sp1bs — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHR/Ncmsc/Sp1bs
אִם (im) is a Hebrew conjunction primarily meaning 'if' and is used in various contexts, including conditional clauses and interrogative situations. It can also express negation, alternatives, or exceptions, and appears frequently in the Old Testament. The lexicons note its use in oaths and its ability to connect different clauses, sometimes altering their meanings.
אִם conj.
hypoth. part. if
Interrog. part.
base
כִּי אם־
each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:
that if
for if
(About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—
limiting the prec. clause, except
the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but
after an oath, surely
base
H518a אִם conj. . hypoth. part. if
. Interrog. part.
H518b כִּי אם־ . each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause: . that if
. for if
. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause— . limiting the prec. clause, except
. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but
. after an oath, surely
518 'im eem
a primitive particle; used very widely as demonstrative, lo!;
interrog., whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh
that!, when; hence, as a negative, not:--(and, can-,
doubtless, if, that) (not), + but, either, + except, +
more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or,
+ save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, + surely (no more,
none, not), though, + of a truth, + unless, + verily, when,
whereas, whether, while, + yet.
אִם (im) — if.
: if/whether_or/though
1) if
1a) conditional clauses
1a1) of possible situations
1a2) of impossible situations
1b) oath contexts
1b1) no, not
1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or
1d) when, whenever
1e) since
1f) interrogative particle
1g) but rather
[כִּי] אם (ki im) — if: except.
1) except if
1a) but if
אִם (im) — if: surely no.
: surely_no
1) if
1a) conditional clauses
1a1) of possible situations
1a2) of impossible situations
1b) oath contexts
1b1) no, not
1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or
1d) when, whenever
1e) since
1f) interrogative particle
1g) but rather
אִם (im) — if: surely yes.
: surely_yes
1) if
1a) conditional clauses
1a1) of possible situations
1a2) of impossible situations
1b) oath contexts
1b1) no, not
1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or
1d) when, whenever
1e) since
1f) interrogative particle
1g) but rather
אִם (im) — if: until.
: until/except
HTc — ParticleHTc
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.
דָּוִד, דָּוִיד 1066 n.pr.m. David
base
H1732 דָּוִד, דָּוִיד David
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
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)
HR/Npm — Preposition · noun proper masculineHR/Npm
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
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…
(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…
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…
כָּזַב (kazab) is a Hebrew verb meaning to lie or deceive. It encompasses various forms, including being a liar, telling a lie, and failing or disappointing. The entries indicate its use in different stems, such as Qal, Niphal, Piel, and Hiphil, which express nuances of lying and deception. One example noted is the phrase, "who will make me a liar?"
[כָּזַב] vb. lie, be a liar
Qal Pt.
Niph. his hope has been made deceptive
Pi.
lie, tell a lie
disappoint, fail
Hiph. who will make me a liar? i.e. prove me to be so
base
H3576 כָּזַב lie, be a liar .Pt.
. his hope has been made deceptive
. . lie, tell a lie
. disappoint, fail
. who will make me a liar? i.e. prove me to be so
3576 kazab kaw-zab'
a primitive root; to lie (i.e. deceive), literally or
figuratively:--fail, (be found a, make a) liar, lie, lying, be
in vain.
כָּזַב (ka.zav) — to lie.
1) to lie, tell a lie, be a liar, be found a liar, be in vain, fail
1a) (Qal) liar (participle)
1b) (Niphal) to be proven to be lying
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to lie, tell a lie, tell a lie with, deceive
1c2) to disappoint, fail
1d) (Hiphil) to make a liar, prove to be a liar
HVpi1cs — Verb · Piel · imperfect first person common singularHVpi1cs
Lie
An intentional violation of the truth. Lies are emphatically condemned in Scripture (John 8:44; 1 Tim. 1:9, 10; Rev. 21:27; 22:15). Mention is made of the lies told by good men, as by Abraham (Gen. 12:12, 13; 20:2), Isaac (26:7), and Jacob (27:24); also by the Hebrew midwives (Ex. 1:15-19), by Michal (1 Sam. 19:14), and by David (1 Sam. 20:6). (See ANANIAS.)