King James Version

What Does 1 Samuel 18:22 Mean?

1 Samuel 18:22 in the King James Version says “And Saul commanded his servants, saying, Commune with David secretly, and say, Behold, the king hath delight in thee, an...” — study this verse from 1 Samuel chapter 18 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And Saul commanded his servants, saying, Commune with David secretly, and say, Behold, the king hath delight in thee, and all his servants love thee: now therefore be the king's son in law.”

1 Samuel 18:22 · KJV

Love

Context

20

And Michal Saul's daughter loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. pleased him: Heb. was right in his eyes

21

And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Wherefore Saul said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son in law in the one of the twain.

22

And Saul commanded his servants, saying, Commune with David secretly, and say, Behold, the king hath delight in thee, and all his servants love thee: now therefore be the king's son in law.

23

And Saul's servants spake those words in the ears of David. And David said, Seemeth it to you a light thing to be a king's son in law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?

24

And the servants of Saul told him, saying, On this manner spake David. On: Heb. According to these words

Read 1 Samuel 18 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
And Saul commanded his servants, saying, Commune with David secretly, and say, Behold, the king hath delight in thee, and all his servants love thee: now therefore be the king's son in law.

The instruction to 'commune secretly' (balat) reveals Saul's calculated deception. The servants become unwitting accomplices in conveying false assurance: 'the king hath delight in thee.' Every word was lies - Saul felt no delight, only murderous jealousy. The phrase 'all his servants love thee' may have been true, which made Saul's hatred more isolated and more dangerous. Using servants as instruments of deception corrupted the entire royal household. False words delivered through trusted intermediaries represent a particularly insidious form of manipulation.

KJV Study — Public Domain

Historical & Cultural Context

Royal courts functioned through intermediaries who conveyed messages between social levels. Servants bore responsibility for accurate transmission but served the king's interests. Being commanded to lie placed them in moral jeopardy.

Reflection Questions

  1. How do you evaluate words that come through intermediaries rather than directly?
  2. What does it mean when institutional structures are used to convey deception?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 19 words
וַיְצַ֨ו1 of 19

“commanded”

H6680

(intensively) to constitute, enjoin

שָׁא֜וּל2 of 19

“And Saul”

H7586

shaul, the name of an edomite and two israelites

אֶת3 of 19
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

עֲבָדָ֖יו4 of 19

“his servants”

H5650

a servant

דַּבְּר֨וּ5 of 19

“saying Commune”

H1696

perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue

אֶל6 of 19
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

דָּוִ֤ד7 of 19

“with David”

H1732

david, the youngest son of jesse

בַּלָּט֙8 of 19

“secretly”

H3909

properly, covered, i.e., secret; by implication, incantation; also secrecy or (adverb) covertly

לֵאמֹ֔ר9 of 19

“and say”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

הִנֵּ֨ה10 of 19
H2009

lo!

חָפֵ֤ץ11 of 19

“hath delight”

H2654

properly, to incline to; by implication (literally but rarely) to bend; figuratively, to be pleased with, desire

בְּךָ֙12 of 19
H0
בַּמֶּֽלֶךְ׃13 of 19

“Behold the king”

H4428

a king

וְכָל14 of 19
H3605

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

עֲבָדָ֖יו15 of 19

“his servants”

H5650

a servant

אֲהֵב֑וּךָ16 of 19

“love”

H157

to have affection for (sexually or otherwise)

וְעַתָּ֖ה17 of 19
H6258

at this time, whether adverb, conjunction or expletive

הִתְחַתֵּ֥ן18 of 19

“son in law”

H2859

to give (a daughter) away in marriage; hence (generally) to contract affinity by marriage

בַּמֶּֽלֶךְ׃19 of 19

“Behold the king”

H4428

a king

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of 1 Samuel. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

1 Samuel 18:22 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to 1 Samuel 18:22 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Psalms 36:1-3Psalms 55:212 Samuel 13:28-29Proverbs 29:12

Test Your Knowledge

1 Samuel 18 QuizTest your knowledge of this chapter1 Samuel Book QuizComprehensive quiz for the entire book

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