What Does 1 Samuel 30:7 Mean?

And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son, Bring the ephod near to me, I pray. And Abiathar brought the ephod near to David.

1 Samuel 30:7 · SDV

Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.

Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.

This verse in the King James

King James wording

King James Version

And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech’s son, I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David.

THE KEY

The verse’s hidden action is drawing the means of inquiry near, and the same Hebrew verb echoes in the request and the response.

THE MEANING

Here, discernment begins by bringing what is needed for inquiry close, before a course is chosen. The repeated verb makes the request and its fulfillment one motion: nearness is asked for, then enacted.

THE ROOT

הַגִּישָׁה

hagishah

GROWS FROM

נגשׁ

n-g-sh

to draw near, approach

“bring near to me” in this verse is hagishah. The Hebrew verb is repeated when Abiathar brings the ephod to David: David asks for it to be drawn near, and Abiathar draws it near. The wording lets the request and response share the same motion, making nearness the verse’s central action.

ALSO GROWS

hagishah: Bring near; draw close.

הַגִּישָׁה

This is David’s imperative: he asks Abiathar to bring the ephod near to him.

wayyaggesh: And he brought near.

וַיַּגֵּשׁ

The same root answers the request in the next clause: Abiathar draws the ephod near to David.

THE PATTERN

Discernment begins by drawing near the means of inquiry before choosing a course.

And David knew that Saul was silently plowing evil against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring the ephod near.

1 Samuel 23:9 · SDVDavid again brings the ephod near before seeking direction about what to do.

And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask counsel for him by the judgment of Urim before the LORD. By his mouth they shall go out, and by his mouth they shall come in, both he and all the children of Israel with him, even all the assembly.

Numbers 27:21 · SDVA course of action is sought through inquiry before the people go out or come in.

But if any of you is left behind in wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all without doubling and without taunting, and it will be given him.

James 1:5 · SDVWhen wisdom is lacking, asking comes before receiving direction.

THE THREAD

And David asked of the LORD, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? Shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them, and without fail snatch back all.

1 Samuel 30:8 · SDV

Verse 7 brings the ephod near; verse 8 reveals what that nearness makes possible: David inquires before pursuing. The sequence moves from request, to inquiry, to action.

Read the SDV Bible.

Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.

Get Selah Verse

The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.

Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us