1 Chronicles 12:17 Meaning and Explanation
“And David went out to meet them, and answered and said unto them, If ye be come peaceably unto me to help me, mine heart shall be knit unto you: but if ye be come to betray me to mine enemies, seeing there is no wrong in mine hands, the God of our fathers look thereon, and rebuke it.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →David went out to test their intentions, welcoming them if they came in peace but appealing to God if they came to betray him.
What Does 1 Chronicles 12:17 Mean?
David himself goes out to meet the newcomers and speaks plainly. If they have come to help him in good faith, his heart will be bound to theirs in friendship; but if they have come to betray an innocent man, he appeals to the God of their fathers to see it and act. He weighs their hearts and entrusts the matter to God rather than to his own strength.
Here David shows both warmth and wisdom: open to true friends, yet committing the danger of betrayal into God's hands. The clear conscience he claims, no wrong in his hands, lets him rest his cause with the Lord. So the faithful may welcome others with an open heart while leaving the judging of hidden motives to God.
1 Chronicles 12:17 in the Original Language
yachad (יָחַד), 'knit' -- to be joined or united together as one.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Chronicles 12:17
What does 1 Chronicles 12:17 mean?
David went out to test their intentions, welcoming them if they came in peace but appealing to God if they came to betray him.