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Passage Research

1 Samuel 23 — Sermon Preparation

Below is a research summary for 1 Samuel 23, drawn from openly licensed scholarly databases — original-language morphology, classic sermons from the church fathers through the Puritans, and ancient geography data.

28
verses
436 / 147
Hebrew words / lemmas
6
classic sermon excerpts
2
preachers & commentators

1 Samuel 23 in the Hebrew

Distinctive vocabulary of this chapter, based on original-language morphology.

Hebrew Transliteration Strong's Count Glosses
דָּוִד Dâvid H1732 28 David
שָׁאוּל Shâʼûwl H7586 23 Shaul
קְעִילָה Qᵉʻîylâh H7084 14 Keilah
יָלַךְ yâlak H3212 12 walk, carry
פְּלִשְׁתִּי Pᵉlishtîy H6430 8 Pelishtite
יָרַד yârad H3381 8 descend, go downwards
יָד yâd H3027 9 hand, open

How preachers through history handled this text

6 public-domain excerpts on 1 Samuel 23, from the church fathers to the Puritans.

Matthew Henry 5 John Wesley 1

“In the midst of his wickedness, Saul affected to speak the language of piety. Such expressions, without suitable effects, can only amuse or deceive those who hear, and those who use them. This mountain was an emblem of the Divine Providence coming between David and the destroyer. Let us not be dismayed at the prospect of future difficulties, but stay ourselves upon Him who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working. …”

— Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (Concise), on 1 Samuel 23:19–30 (Public Domain)

Places in the text

Based on ancient-geography data

  • Keilah — 1 Sam 23:1
  • Wilderness of Ziph — 1 Sam 23:14

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