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1 Chronicles 12:17

David
FriendshipTruth and honesty

15 These are the ones who crossed the Jordan in the first month when it was overflowing all its banks, and they put to flight all those in the valleys, both to the east and to the west.

16 Other Benjamites and some men from Judah also came to David in his stronghold.

And David went out to meet them, saying, “If you have come to me in peace to help me, my heart will be united with you; but if you have come to betray me to my enemies when my hands are free of violence, may the God of our fathers see it and judge you.”

18 Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, the chief of the Thirty, and he said: “We are yours, O David! We are with you, O son of Jesse! Peace, peace to you, and peace to your helpers, for your God helps you.” So David received them and made them leaders of his troops.

19 Some from Manasseh defected to David when he went with the Philistines to fight against Saul. (They did not help the Philistines because the Philistine rulers consulted and sent David away, saying, “It will cost us our heads if he defects to his master Saul.”)

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Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
And David went out to meet them, saying, “If you have come to me in peace to help me, my heart will be united with you; but if you have come to betray me to my enemies when my hands are free of violence, may the God of our fathers see it and judge you.”
KJV
And David went out to meet them, and answered and said unto them, If ye be come peaceably unto me to help me, mine heart shall be knit unto you: but if ye be come to betray me to mine enemies, seeing there is no wrong in mine hands, the God of our fathers look thereon, and rebuke it.
WEB
David went out to meet them, and answered them, “If you have come peaceably to me to help me, my heart will be united with you; but if you have come to betray me to my adversaries, since there is no wrong in my hands, may the God of our fathers see this and rebuke it.”
ASV
And David went out to meet them, and answered and said unto them, If ye be come peaceably unto me to help me, my heart shall be knit unto you; but if [ye be come] to betray me to mine adversaries, seeing there is no wrong in my hands, the God of our fathers look thereon, and rebuke it.
DARBY
And David went out to meet them, and answered and said to them, If ye come peaceably to me to help me, my heart shall be knit unto you; but if to betray me to mine enemies, seeing there is no wrong in my hands, the God of our fathers see [it] and rebuke [it].
BLB
And David went out to meet them, and he answered and said to them, “If you⁺ have come to me in peace to help me, the heart of me will be united with you⁺; but if to betray me to my enemies—without violence in my hands—the God of our fathers shall see and judge you.”
ÅB
David gikk ut til dem og tok til orde og sa til dem: Kommer dere til meg med fred og vil hjelpe meg, da skal mitt hjerte høre dere til, og vi skal holde sammen; men kommer dere for å forråde meg til mine fiender, skjønt det ingen urett er i mine hender, da se vare fedres Gud dertil og straffe det!
OTB
David gikk ut for å møte dem og sa til dem,
"Hvis dere kommer fredelig til meg for å hjelpe meg, skal mitt hjerte være forent med dere;
men hvis for å forråde meg til mine fiender, selv om det ikke er vold i mine hender,
må våre fedres Gud se og dømme."
B1930
David gikk ut til dem og tok til orde og sa til dem: Kommer I til mig med fred og vil hjelpe mig, da skal mitt hjerte høre eder til, og vi skal holde sammen; men kommer I for å forråde mig til mine fiender, skjønt det ingen urett er i mine hender, da se vare fedres Gud dertil og straffe det!

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • 1 Peter 2:23

    When they heaped abuse on Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats, but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.

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  • Jude 1:9

    But even the archangel Michael, when he disputed with the devil over the body of Moses, did not presume to bring a slanderous charge against him, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”

    Read in context

  • 1 Corinthians 1:10

    I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree together, so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be united in mind and conviction.

    Read in context

  • Psalms 86:11

    Teach me Your way, O LORD, that I may walk in Your truth. Give me an undivided heart, that I may fear Your name.

    Read in context

  • Psalms 12:1–2

    Help, O LORD, for the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men.

    Read in context

  • 1 Kings 2:13

    Now Adonijah son of Haggith went to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, and she asked, “Do you come in peace?” “Yes, in peace,” he replied.

    Read in context

  • Acts 4:32

    The multitude of believers was one in heart and soul. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they owned.

    Read in context

  • 2 Samuel 3:20–25

    When Abner and twenty of his men came to David at Hebron, David held a feast for them.

    Read in context