1 Samuel 18:22
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.
Original Language Analysis
אֶת
H853
אֶת
Strong's:
H853
Word #:
3 of 19
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
דַּבְּר֨וּ
saying Commune
H1696
דַּבְּר֨וּ
saying Commune
Strong's:
H1696
Word #:
5 of 19
perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
בַּלָּט֙
secretly
H3909
בַּלָּט֙
secretly
Strong's:
H3909
Word #:
8 of 19
properly, covered, i.e., secret; by implication, incantation; also secrecy or (adverb) covertly
חָפֵ֤ץ
hath delight
H2654
חָפֵ֤ץ
hath delight
Strong's:
H2654
Word #:
11 of 19
properly, to incline to; by implication (literally but rarely) to bend; figuratively, to be pleased with, desire
וְכָל
H3605
וְכָל
Strong's:
H3605
Word #:
14 of 19
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
וְעַתָּ֖ה
H6258
Historical 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.
Questions for Reflection
- How do you evaluate words that come through intermediaries rather than directly?
- What does it mean when institutional structures are used to convey deception?
Related Resources
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Analysis & 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.