1 Samuel 23:20Now therefore, O king, come down, according to all the desire of your soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him up into the king's hand."
The setting
Gibeah, Israel, ~1020 BC. The Ziphite delegation speaks directly to King Saul in his court. They're not just reporting David's location—they're volunteering to actively hand him over. This is a coordinated plan.
The emotion here: recording conspiracy with growing alarm at human treachery
The original word
nathan (נָתַן) — to give, deliver up, hand over completely
Why it matters
This promise to 'deliver him up' uses legal language—they're offering to make a formal arrest
Read with care
What most readers miss in 1 Samuel 23:20
They're not just informants—they're volunteering to be Saul's agents
Common misconceptionPeople think this is just about reporting David's location, but the Ziphites are actually volunteering to become Saul's bounty hunters—they want to actively capture David themselves.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 1 Samuel 23:20
Bible Genome reading
1 Samuel 23:20 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
1 Samuel 23:20 comes from the book of 1 Samuel, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Ziphites. The dominant emotion in this verse is deciding, with a comfort power of 10% and a tone that is conversational. It belongs to the dialogue genre of biblical literature. Key themes include collaboration, betrayal. Notable phrases: our part shall be to deliver him. This verse contains a promise of God.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same deciding
“"You shall have no other gods before me.”
— Deuteronomy 5:7
“"You shall not murder.”
— Exodus 20:13
“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
— Matthew 23:12
“For God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.”
— 2 Timothy 1:7
“But Peter said, "Silver and gold have I none, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!"”
— Acts 3:6
Your reflection
What does 1 Samuel 23:20 mean to you, today?
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