1 Samuel 20 · Verse 24

1 Samuel 20:24

So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the king sat him down to eat meat.
1 Samuel 20:24, King James Version

1 Samuel 20:24 in other translations

BSBSo David hid in the field, and when the New Moon had come, the king sat down to eat.
WEBSo David hid himself in the field. When the new moon had come, the king sat himself down to eat food.
ASVSo David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the king sat him down to eat food.
YLTAnd David is hidden in the field, and it is the new moon, and the king sitteth down by the food to eat,
DARBYAnd David hid himself in the field; and it was the new moon, and the king sat at table to eat.
BBESo David went to a secret place in the country: and when the new moon came, the king took his place at the feast.
WebsterSo David hid himself in the field: and when the new-moon had come, the king sat down to eat food.

What does 1 Samuel 20:24 mean?

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 20:24-34
None were more constant than David in attending holy duties; nor had he been absent, but self-preservation obliged him to withdraw. In great peril present opportunities for Divine ordinances may be waved. But it is bad for us, except in case of necessity, to omit any opportunity of statedly attending on them. Jonathan did wisely and well for himself and family, to secure an interest in David, yet for this he is blamed. It is good to take God's people for our people. It will prove to our advantage at last, however it may now be thought against our interest. Saul was outrageous. What savage beasts, and worse, does anger make men!

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

1 Samuel 20:24 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיִּסָּתֵ֥רvai.yi.sa.Terand he hid himselfH5641
דָּוִ֖דda.VidDavidH1732
בַּשָּׂדֶ֑הba.sa.Dehin the fieldH7704
וַיְהִ֣יvay.Hiand it wasH1961
הַחֹ֔דֶשׁha.Cho.deshthe new moonH2320
וַיֵּ֧שֶׁבvai.Ye.shevand he sat downH3427
הַמֶּ֛לֶךְha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428
אֶל'al-toH413
הַלֶּ֖חֶםha.Le.chemthe foodH3899
לֶאֱכֽוֹל\׃le.'e.Kholto eatH398

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Samuel 20:24

  • Isaiah 1:11-15

    To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. …

  • Proverbs 17:1

    Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife.

  • Psalms 50:16-21

    But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth? Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee. When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers. Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit. …

  • Proverbs 21:3

    To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

  • Proverbs 15:17

    Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.

  • Proverbs 4:17

    For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.

  • Zechariah 7:6

    And when ye did eat, and when ye did drink, did not ye eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves?

  • Proverbs 21:27

    The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?

  • John 18:28

    Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the king.
Ps 50:16-21; Pr 4:17; 15:17; 17:1; 21:3,27; Isa 1:11-15; Zec 7:6
Joh 18:28

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Samuel 20:23

    And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, the Lord be between thee and me for ever.

  • 1 Samuel 20:24

    So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the king sat him down to eat meat.

  • 1 Samuel 20:25

    And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, even upon a seat by the wall: and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul’s side, and David’s place was empty.

Read all of 1 Samuel 20

1 Samuel 20:24 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		David pues se escondió en el campo, y venida que fué la nueva luna, sentóse el rey á comer pan.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et David se cacha dans les champs; et c’était la nouvelle lune, et le roi s’assit au repas pour manger.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und David verbarg sich auf dem Felde. Und es wurde Neumond, und der König setzte sich zum Mahle, um zu essen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Absconditus est ergo David in agro, et venerunt calendæ, et sedit rex ad comedendum panem.