1 Samuel 22:6
New International Version
Now Saul heard that David and his men had been discovered. And Saul was seated, spear in hand, under the tamarisk tree on the hill at Gibeah, with all his officials standing at his side.

New Living Translation
The news of his arrival in Judah soon reached Saul. At the time, the king was sitting beneath the tamarisk tree on the hill at Gibeah, holding his spear and surrounded by his officers.

English Standard Version
Now Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men who were with him. Saul was sitting at Gibeah under the tamarisk tree on the height with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him.

Berean Standard Bible
Soon Saul learned that David and his men had been discovered. At that time Saul was in Gibeah, sitting under the tamarisk tree on the hill at Gibeah, with his spear in hand and all his servants standing around him.

King James Bible
When Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men that were with him, (now Saul abode in Gibeah under a tree in Ramah, having his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him;)

New King James Version
When Saul heard that David and the men who were with him had been discovered—now Saul was staying in Gibeah under a tamarisk tree in Ramah, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants standing about him—

New American Standard Bible
Then Saul heard that David and the men who were with him had been discovered. Now Saul was in Gibeah, sitting under the tamarisk tree on the height with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing in front of him.

NASB 1995
Then Saul heard that David and the men who were with him had been discovered. Now Saul was sitting in Gibeah, under the tamarisk tree on the height with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing around him.

NASB 1977
Then Saul heard that David and the men who were with him had been discovered. Now Saul was sitting in Gibeah, under the tamarisk tree on the height with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing around him.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Saul heard that David and the men who were with him had been discovered. Now Saul was sitting in Gibeah, under the tamarisk tree on the height with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing around him.

Amplified Bible
But Saul heard that David and the men who were with him had been discovered. Now Saul was in Gibeah, sitting under the tamarisk tree on the high place with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing around him.

Christian Standard Bible
Saul heard that David and his men had been discovered. At that time Saul was in Gibeah, sitting under the tamarisk tree at the high place. His spear was in his hand, and all his servants were standing around him.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Saul heard that David and his men had been discovered. At that time Saul was in Gibeah, sitting under the tamarisk tree at the high place. His spear was in his hand, and all his servants were standing around him.

American Standard Version
And Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men that were with him: now Saul was sitting in Gibeah, under the tamarisk-tree in Ramah, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And Shaul heard that David was discovered and the men who were with him, and Shaul was staying in Gaba under an almond tree that was in Ramtha, and his scepter spear was in his hand, and all his Servants stood over by him

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Saul heard that David was discovered, and his men with him: now Saul dwelt in the hill below the field that is in Rama, and his spear was in his hand, and all his servants stood near him.

Contemporary English Version
Saul was sitting under a small tree on top of the hill at Gibeah when he heard that David and his men had been located. Saul was holding his spear, and his officers were standing in front of him.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Saul heard that David was seen, and the men that were with him. Now whilst Saul abode in Gabaa, and was in the wood, which is by Rama, having his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him,

English Revised Version
And Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men that were with him: now Saul was sitting in Gibeah, under the tamarisk tree in Ramah, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Saul heard that David and his men had been found. Saul was staying in Gibeah under the tamarisk tree at the worship site with his spear in his hand and all his officials standing around him.

Good News Translation
One day Saul was in Gibeah, sitting under a tamarisk tree on a hill, with his spear in his hand, and all his officers were standing around him. He was told that David and his men had been located,

International Standard Version
When Saul heard that David and the men who were with him had been found, he was sitting in Gibeah, under the tamarisk tree on the hill, with his spear in his hand. All his officials were standing around him.

JPS Tanakh 1917
And Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men that were with him; now Saul was sitting in Gibeah, under the tamarisk-tree in Ramah, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him.

Literal Standard Version
And Saul hears that David has become known, and the men who [are] with him, and Saul is abiding in Gibeah, under the grove in Ramah, and his spear [is] in his hand, and all his servants [are] standing by him.

Majority Standard Bible
Soon Saul learned that David and his men had been discovered. At that time Saul was in Gibeah, sitting under the tamarisk tree on the hill at Gibeah, with his spear in hand and all his servants standing around him.

New American Bible
Now Saul heard that David and his men had been located. At the time he was sitting in Gibeah under a tamarisk tree on the high place, holding his spear, while all his servants stood by him.

NET Bible
But Saul found out the whereabouts of David and the men who were with him. Now Saul was sitting at Gibeah under the tamarisk tree at an elevated location with his spear in hand and all his servants stationed around him.

New Revised Standard Version
Saul heard that David and those who were with him had been located. Saul was sitting at Gibeah, under the tamarisk tree on the height, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing around him.

New Heart English Bible
Saul heard that David had been discovered, and the men who were with him. Now Saul was in Gibeah, sitting under the tamarisk tree at the high place, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him.

Webster's Bible Translation
When Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men that were with him, (now Saul abode in Gibeah under a tree in Ramah, having his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him;)

World English Bible
Saul heard that David was discovered, with the men who were with him. Now Saul was sitting in Gibeah, under the tamarisk tree in Ramah, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing around him.

Young's Literal Translation
And Saul heareth that David hath become known, and the men who are with him, and Saul is abiding in Gibeah, under the grove in Ramah, and his spear is in his hand, and all his servants standing by him.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Saul Slays the Priests of Nob
6Soon Saul learned that David and his men had been discovered. At that time Saul was in Gibeah, sitting under the tamarisk tree on the hill at Gibeah, with his spear in hand and all his servants standing around him. 7Then Saul said to his servants, “Listen, men of Benjamin! Is the son of Jesse giving all of you fields and vineyards and making you commanders of thousands or hundreds?…

Cross References
Genesis 21:33
And Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called upon the name of the LORD, the Eternal God.

Judges 4:5
And she would sit under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, where the Israelites would go up to her for judgment.

1 Samuel 14:2
Meanwhile, Saul was staying under the pomegranate tree in Migron on the outskirts of Gibeah. And the troops who were with him numbered about six hundred men,

1 Samuel 31:13
Then they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh, and they fasted seven days.


Treasury of Scripture

When Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men that were with him, (now Saul stayed in Gibeah under a tree in Ramah, having his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him;)

tree.

1 Samuel 18:10
And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul's hand.

1 Samuel 19:9
And the evil spirit from the LORD was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his javelin in his hand: and David played with his hand.

1 Samuel 20:33
And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David.

Jump to Previous
Abiding Abode David Discovered Hand Heard Heareth Height High Hill News Officials Places Ramah Saul Seated Servants Sitting Spear Standing Tamarisk Tamarisk-Tree Tree
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Abiding Abode David Discovered Hand Heard Heareth Height High Hill News Officials Places Ramah Saul Seated Servants Sitting Spear Standing Tamarisk Tamarisk-Tree Tree
1 Samuel 22
1. Companies resort unto David at Adullam
3. At Mizpeh he commends his parents unto the king of Moab
5. Admonished by Gad, he comes to Hareth,
6. Saul going to pursue him, complains of his servants' unfaithfulness
9. Doeg accuses Ahimelech
11. Saul commands to kill the priests
17. The footmen refusing, Doeg executes it
20. Abiathar escaping, brings David the news














(6) When Saul heard.--No note of time is here given. Probably the return of David with a disciplined force to the land, and the pitching of an armed camp in the "forest of Hareth," excited anew Saul's jealous fears.

Now Saul abode in Gibeah.--In Gibeah of Saul, his own royal city. The LXX. wrongly render, instead of Gibeah, "on the hills." The margin of the English Version, "under a grove in a high place," is correct as regards the later words, baramah signifying here upon the height. "Under a tree" is, however, nearer the original than "under a grove." The literal rendering would be "under a tamarisk tree." The sentence then should run, "Now Saul abode in Gibeah, under the tamarisk tree on the height." The tamarisk, which grows so abundantly on the sea-shore of England and in warmer climates, develops into a very graceful tree, with long feathery branches and tufts. Saul's love for trees has been noticed before. This solemn council of his, when the darkest deed of his reign was decided upon, was held in the spot Saul loved so well, under the spreading tamarisk branches. There we see him, leaning, as was his wont in peace as in war, upon his tall spear, surrounded by his valiant captains, chosen apparently, with one exception, from his own tribe of Benjamin--the exception being his wicked counsellor, the Edomite Doeg, who was over the royal herds. This is one of the earliest councils we have any definite account of in the world's history. The king, surrounded by his chosen "fideles," complaining of the treason of one of them lately exiled from their midst, bewailing the want of fidelity of his son, the heir to the throne--then the stepping forward of one of these "fideles," one invested with high office, and publicly denouncing the chief religious official of the kingdom--forms a striking and vivid picture.

Verse 6. - When Saul heard that David was discovered. Hebrew, "was known." The meaning is easy enough, though rendered obscure by the involved translation of the A.V., and is as follows: When Saul heard that there was information concerning David and his men, he held a solemn council, in which we see how simple was the dignity of his court, but how great the ferocity to which he was now a prey. There is no parenthesis, but the account of Saul taking his seat, surrounded by his officers, follows directly upon the narration of the fact that news of David had reached him, and should be translated thus: "And Saul takes his seat in Gibeah under the tamarisk tree on the height, holding his javelin (as a sceptre) in his hand, and all his officers stand in order by him." For Saul's fondness for trees see ch. 14:2; but at a time when there were no large buildings a branching tree formed a fit place for a numerous meeting. A tree. Really a tamarisk tree, which "sometimes reaches such a size as to afford dense shade .... It is a very graceful tree, with long feathery branches and tufts, closely clad with the minutest of leaves, and surmounted in spring with spikes of beautiful pink blossom" (Tristram, 'Nat. Hist. of Bible,' p. 357). It grows abundantly on the seashore of England, but requires a warmer climate to develope into a tree. In Spain beautiful specimens may be seen, as for instance at Pampeluna. In Ramah. Conder (Handbook) thinks that Gibeah was the name of a district, which included Ramah; others take the word in its original signification, and render "on the height." Standing. The word means that they took each their proper posts around him (See on 1 Samuel 10:23; 12:7, 16; 17:16). Saul was holding a formal court, to decide what steps should be taken now that David had openly revolted from him.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Soon Saul
שָׁא֔וּל (šā·’ūl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 7586: Saul -- first king of Israel, also an Edomite and two Israelites

learned
וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע (way·yiš·ma‘)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

that
כִּ֚י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

David
דָּוִ֔ד (dā·wiḏ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse

and his men
אֲשֶׁ֣ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

had been discovered.
נוֹדַ֣ע (nō·w·ḏa‘)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3045: To know

At that time, Saul
וְשָׁאוּל֩ (wə·šā·’ūl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 7586: Saul -- first king of Israel, also an Edomite and two Israelites

was in Gibeah,
בַּגִּבְעָ֜ה (bag·giḇ·‘āh)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 1390: Gibeah -- 'hill', three cities in Palestine

sitting
יוֹשֵׁ֨ב (yō·wō·šêḇ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry

under
תַּֽחַת־ (ta·ḥaṯ-)
Preposition
Strong's 8478: The bottom, below, in lieu of

the tamarisk tree
הָאֶ֤שֶׁל (hā·’e·šel)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 815: A tamarisk tree, a grove of any kind

on the hill at Gibeah,
בָּֽרָמָה֙ (bā·rā·māh)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 7413: Height, high place

with his spear
וַחֲנִית֣וֹ (wa·ḥă·nî·ṯōw)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 2595: A lance

in his hand
בְיָד֔וֹ (ḇə·yā·ḏōw)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 3027: A hand

and all
וְכָל־ (wə·ḵāl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

his servants
עֲבָדָ֖יו (‘ă·ḇā·ḏāw)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5650: Slave, servant

standing
נִצָּבִ֥ים (niṣ·ṣā·ḇîm)
Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 5324: To take one's stand, stand

around him.
עָלָֽיו׃ (‘ā·lāw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against


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OT History: 1 Samuel 22:6 Saul heard that David was discovered (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa)
1 Samuel 22:5
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