1The Philistines fight against Keilah; David, enquiring of the Lord by Abiathar, smiteth them, and saveth Keilah. 7Saul purposeth to besiege him at Keilah. 9God sheweth him of Saul's coming, and the treachery of the Keilites. 13He escapeth to Ziph, whither Jonathan cometh and comforteth him. 19The Ziphites discover him to Saul, who pursueth him closely in Maon, 27but is called off by an invasion of the Philistines. 29David dwelleth at En-gedi.
1THEN they 1told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against 2Keilah, and they rob 3the threshingfloors.
1 Namely, when he was in the land of Judah, in the forest of Hareth, 1 Sam. 22:5. What is here described, came to pass before Abiathar came and fled to David, and brought him the sad news of the murder of the priests, verse 6. Therefore some translate the first words of this verse thus: Now David was told.
2 This city was located in the tribe of Judah, as appears Joshua 15:44.
3 Or, barns, that is, the provision of corn that was gathered and laid up in storage.
2Therefore David 4enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the LORD said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah.
4 Probably either by the prophet Gad, (who was with him, 1 Sam. 22:5) or, by Abiathar, who came to David, when he went to Keilah, verse 6.
3And David's men said unto him, Behold, 5we be afraid 6here in Judah: 7how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?
5 Namely, of Saul, who pursues us as enemies.
6 Namely, here in the forest of Hareth, where they were at that time, situated in Judah, 1 Sam. 22:5. Keilah was also in Judah.
7 Understand in addition: shall we be afraid, namely, when we shall have the Philistines before us and Saul behind us, and so shall have two enemies to encounter with, instead of one.
4Then David 8enquired of the LORD yet again. And the LORD answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines 9into thine hand.
8 Hebr. And David went on to enquire of the LORD. Understand this thus, that David enquired of the Lord the second time, not so much in regard of himself, but in regard of his soldiers, who were timorous and fearful to go to Keilah.
9 Namely, before Saul shall be able to assault thee.
5So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.
6And 10it came to pass, whena Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, 11that he came down with an ephod in his hand.
10 Other, It was come to pass.
a 1 Sam. 22:20.
11 That is, when he hastily fled, he took the ephod along with him in his hand, wherein were the Urim and the Thummim, whereby they enquired of the Lord, Exod. 28:30. Other, that the ephod came to him in his hand.
7¶And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said, God hath 12delivered him into mine hand; for he is shut in, by entering into 13a town that hath gates and bars.
12 Hebr. properly estranged; what is delivered up or yielded, is estranged.
13 Hebr. a city of gates and bars. As if he would say, David, thinking to be safe and secure in a fenced city, has, as it were, imprisoned himself, for when I do encompass and besiege the city with an army, he can in no ways escape.
8And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.
9¶And David knew 14that Saul 15secretly practised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, 16Bring hither the ephod.
14 Intimating, that Saul continually plotted, and labored with all his senses night and day to do mischief and kill David.
15 Other, forged.
16 Namely, with the breastplate, and put it on, and ask counsel of the Lord for me by the Urim and Thummim. See Num. 27:21.
10Then said David, O LORD God of Israel, 17thy servant 18hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake.
17 That is, I have certainly heard.
18 Hebr. hearing hath heard.
11Will 19the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? 20will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O LORD God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And the LORD said, He will come down.
19 Other, the lords. See Judges 9:2.
20 Understand in addition, if I tarry here, as appears verse 14.
12Then said David, 21Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the LORD said, 22They will deliver thee up.
21 See Judges 9 on verse 2, the 3rd annotation.
22 Namely, if thou abidest in this city within the walls thereof.
13¶Then David and his men, which were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; 23and he forbare to go forth.
23 Intimating, that Saul dismissed his soldiers, not pursuing David further with military power.
14And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him 24every day, but God delivered him not into his hand.
24 That is, continually, from time to time, at least as long as David remained in the strong hold; for when David went to the Philistines, then Saul gave up seeking him, 1 Sam. 27:4.
15And David 25saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.
25 That is, came to hear, namely, by his spies whom he sent forth; or by his friends whom he had in Judah.
16¶And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into the wood, and 26strengthened his hand in God.
26 That is, he strengthened and comforted him, putting him in mind of the promises of God, as appears verse 17.
17And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and 27I shall be next unto thee; and 28that also Saul my father knoweth.
27 It seemed that David had promised this to his friend Jonathan, when they entered into covenant one with another. Hebr. I shall be a second to thee, or, let me be the second next to thee.
28 Samuel had sufficiently acquainted Saul herewith, 1 Sam. 15:28.
18And they two 29made a covenant 30before the LORD: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.
29 That is, they renewed the covenant which they had formerly made one with another, 1 Sam. 18:3; 20:16.
30 That is, a firm covenant, in the presence of the Lord’s priest. Or, they made a covenant, which they ratified with an oath, and whereunto they called upon God to be Witness.
19¶Then came up 31the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, 32Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, 33which is on the south of Jeshimon?
31 That is, the inhabitants of Ziph. There were two cities so called: the one was on the uttermost border of Judah southward, whereof mention is made, Joshua 15:24; the other was situated more inward in the land about the wilderness of Maon; whereof see Joshua 15:55. This is the Ziph, of which mention is made in this place, situated on a mountain. In 1 Sam. 26:1 it is said, that the Ziphites attempted a second time to deliver David unto Saul. Now how David in this distress went to God for refuge, see Psalm 54 which he made at that time.
32 As if they would say, David has certainly hid himself among us. See of such questions Gen. 13:9.
33 Other, which is on the right hand of the wilderness?
20Now therefore, O king, 34come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and 35our part shall be to deliver him into the king's hand.
34 Hebr. coming down come down.
35 See this phrase Micah 3:1 with the annotation.
21And Saul said, 36Blessed be ye of the LORD; 37for ye have compassion on me.
36 Thus Saul takes the holy Name of God in vain, to put them on to an abominable treachery.
37 As if he would say: Ye are the men, who deliver me out of the hand of David who seeks my destruction.
22Go, I pray you, 38prepare yet, and know and see his place where his 39haunt is, and who hath seen him there: for 40it is told me 41that he dealeth very subtilly.
38 That is, see that all things be searched out and well ordered, that he may not slip away from us.
39 Hebr. foot, that is, where he makes his abode; where he commonly has his haunt, and trace him there closely.
40 David himself, when he was yet with me, and I asked him how he came to be so successful in war.
41 Hebr. that he dealing cunningly, dealt cunningly, or, used craft and subtlety.
23See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah.
24And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the south of Jeshimon.
25Saul also and his men went to seek him. And they told David: wherefore he came down 42into a rock, and abode in the wilderness of 43Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.
42 Namely, from the hill of Hachilah in the wilderness, where he had hid himself; from thence he went where he had more scope or room, namely into the wilderness of Maon, verse 19, where he could get away better, when Saul chased and pursued after him.
43 See the annotation on Joshua 15:55.
26And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them.
27¶But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded 44the land.
44 Or, have spread themselves in the land.
28Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place 45Sela-hammahlekoth.
45 Or, Sela-machlekoth, That is, rock of divisions, which was so called, because Saul was constrained to divide his men, and to leave David to pursue after the Philistines, or to resist them.
29¶And David went up from 46thence, and dwelt in strong holds at 47En-gedi.
46 Namely, from the wilderness of Maon, where Saul thought to catch him, as was said in verse 25.
47 Otherwise called Hazezon-tamär, Gen. 14:7; 2 Chron. 20:2. It is a city situated in the tribe of Judah, at the Salt or Dead Sea southward, between high mountains and rocks, in the midst whereof are many fair and pleasant valleys and fields, planted with manifold goodly trees, as palm trees, and the like; also much balsam grows there, etc.