1 Samuel 24:22
And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men gat them up unto the hold.
Original Language Analysis
וַיִּשָּׁבַ֥ע
sware
H7650
וַיִּשָּׁבַ֥ע
sware
Strong's:
H7650
Word #:
1 of 12
to seven oneself, i.e., swear (as if by repeating a declaration seven times)
וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ
H1980
וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ
Strong's:
H1980
Word #:
4 of 12
to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
בֵּית֔וֹ
home
H1004
בֵּית֔וֹ
home
Strong's:
H1004
Word #:
7 of 12
a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
וַֽאֲנָשָׁ֔יו
H376
וַֽאֲנָשָׁ֔יו
Strong's:
H376
Word #:
9 of 12
a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
עָל֖וּ
gat them up
H5927
עָל֖וּ
gat them up
Strong's:
H5927
Word #:
10 of 12
to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative
Historical Context
The separation after reconciliation shows both parties understood the encounter changed nothing permanently. David's oath, however, would be honored—he spared Saul's descendants and showed kindness to Jonathan's son. The 'hold' probably refers to En-gedi's strongholds.
Questions for Reflection
- Why did reconciliation not produce lasting peace between David and Saul?
- How does David's faithfulness to this oath model keeping commitments even to unreliable people?
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Analysis & Commentary
And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men gat them up unto the hold.
David's oath demonstrates magnanimity that would later shape his treatment of Saul's house. The Hebrew 'vayishava David le-Sha'ul' (David swore to Saul) created binding obligation. Significantly, after this reconciliation scene, they separate—Saul to his 'house' (home/palace), David to the 'hold' (metsudah—stronghold). No actual peace was established; circumstances resumed their prior patterns. The Hebrew distinction between 'house' and 'hold' emphasizes the inequality: Saul returned to royal comfort while David remained in wilderness hiding. David's later kindness to Mephibosheth (2 Samuel 9) fulfilled this oath, demonstrating that David kept vows even when the one who extracted them did not keep his implicit commitment to peace.