1 Samuel 23

THen they told David Or, Now they had told David, to wit, before he heard of the slaughter of the Priests., saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah A City in the Tribe of Iudah, Ios. 15. 44. not far from the Forest of Hareth, where David now was, chap. 22. 5., and they rob the threshing-floors Which usually werewithout the Cities in places open to the wind. See Iudg. 6. 11. Ruth 3. 2. &c..

Therefore David enquired of the LORD Either by Abiathar; or rather, by Gad, who was a Prophet, 2 Sam. 24. 11. and David's Seer, 1 Chron: 21. 9. and was now with David, chap. 22. 5. for Abiathar was not yet come to him, v. 6., saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines For the case was both doubtful and new, he having not yet made any attempt upon the Philistines, but by Saul's Commission; and dangerous, because of the small number of his Forces.? And the LORD said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah.

And Davids men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah i. e. In this part of Iudah, whereas yet we have no Army to oppose us: for else Keilah also was in Iudah.: how much more then if we com... to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines When we shall have a Potent Enemy before us, the Philistines, and, it may be, another behind us, even Saul, who probably will come forth, either to resist the Philistines, or to intercept us.?

Then David enquired of the LORD yet again Not for his own, but for his Soldiers satisfaction and encouragement; as Gideon did, Iudg. 7.: And the LORD answered him, and said, Arise, go down to Keilah: for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand.

So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattel Which the Philistines had either brought out of their Land, or had taken from the Israelites in their March, for the sustenance of their Army., and smote them with a great slaughter: so David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

And it came to pass when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod Or, with the Ephod, to wit, the High-Priests Ephod, in which were the Urim and the Thummim, Exod. 28. 30. which when Ahimelech and the rest of the Priests went to Saul, were probably left in his hand, and to his care; which gave him the opportunity both of escaping, whilst Doeg the Butcher was killing his Brethren, and of bringing away the Ephod, which Saul had oft grosly neglected, and now was justly deprived of it. in his hand.

¶ And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah: and Saul said, God has delivered him into mine hand He easily believed what he greedily desired, though his own experience had oft showed him how strangely God had delivered him out of his hands, and what a singular care God had over him.: for he is shut in, by entring into a town that has gares and bars So that which he chose for his safety, will be his certain ruin..

And Saul called all the people together, to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.

¶ And David knew that Saul secretly practised Whereby it may seem he pretended that he raised this Army to defend Keilah and his Country from the Philistines, and kept his intention against David in his own Breast. Or, designed or devised: for so the word signifies; and it is here Translated by many, and it seems both from v. 8. and from his publickly avowed jealousie o..., and rage against David, that he declared his design to be against him, as a Traitor to his Crown and Dignity. mischief against him, and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod And put it upon thee, that thou maist ask Counsel of God for me..

Then said David To wit, by the Priest, for he was to make the enquiry of God, Numb. 27. 21. and David puts the words into his mouth., O LORD God of Israel, thy servant has certainly heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake.

Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand To wit, if I continue in their City, and if Saul come down.? Will Saul come down as thy servant has heard? O LORD God of Israel, I beseech thee tell thy servant. And the LORD said From this place it may appear that Gods answer by Urim and Thummim, was not by any change in the colour or situation of the precious Stones in the Brest-Plate of the Ephod, but by a Voice or Suggestion from God to the High-Priest., He will come down i. e. He purposeth to come, if thou continuest here. For still as David's question, so Gods answer, is upon a supposition, as is here sufficiently implied..

Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the LORD said, They will deliver thee up To wit, if thou abidest there. For God saw their hearts, their purposes, and passions, their aversion from David, and their affections to Saul, and knew better than themselves what they would do in that case..

¶ Then David and his men, which were about six hundred Two hundred being added to his former number, chap: 22. 2. upon his last and great Success against the Philistines., arose, and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go Hither or thither, where they could find refuge, or an hiding place.: and it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah, and he forbare to go forth.

And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph: and Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand As Saul fondly persuaded himself, he intended, v. 7..

And David saw Either by information from his spies: or, by prospect from the top of the Mountain where he was. that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.

¶ And Jonathan, Sauls son arose, and went to David in the wood Where David had appointed to meet him at that time., and strengthened his hand in God He comforted and supported him against all his fears, by minding him of Gods infallible Promises made to him, and his singular Providence which hitherto had and still would be with him..

And 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 I shall be next unto thee Which he gathered either from David's Generosity, Ingenuity, and true Friendship to him; or from some promise made to him by David concerning it. Or, the meaning of the words next unto thee, may be as much as to say, I shall be under thee, after thee, or inferior to thee, as the Phrase tibi secundus oft signifies. So that the whole imports thus much; I do not look to be King my self (as by my Birth I might expect), but that thou shalt be King (God having so appointed) and I but in a Secondary place inferior to thee.: and that also Saul my father knoweth By strong and well-grounded conjectures, as has been noted..

And they two made a covenant i. e. Renewed their former Covenant. before the LORD i. e. Setting themselves as in Gods presence, and calling upon him to be Witness between them.: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.

¶ Then came up the Ziphites Who were of David's own Tribe, though for this their unnatural and strange carriage to him, he calls them strangers, Psal. 54. 3. to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Does not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the woods, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon?

Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down, and our part shall be It shall be our care and business to the utmost of our power. Or, we will undertake to deliver him, or betray him to thee. to deliver him into the kings hand.

And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the LORD, for ye have compassion on me Whilst others harden their hearts against me, and joyn with David in his treasonable conspiracy, you show your pity to me by your readiness to help me..

Go, I pray you, prepare yet To wit, the matter, inform your selves certainly of things, and dispose them so that we may not be frustrated in our attempt., and know, and see his place where his haunt is In what Cave, or Wood, or Mountain he is most frequently., and who has seen him there: for it is told me that he dealeth very subtilly.

See 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 i. e. Through all the parts of that Tribe. Every Tribe was divided into Thousands, as Countries are now with us into Hundreds. See Iudg. 6. 15. Or, with all the Thousands of Judah, i. e. I will raise against him all the Forces of that Tribe in which he trusteth and hideth himself. This he says to animate them to the more vigorous Prosecution of him..

And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul To prepare things for Saul, who Marched after them.: but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon Whither he went from the Wilderness of Ziph, upon suspicion or information that Saul was coming thither., in the plain on the south of Jeshimon.

Saul also and his men went to seek him, and they told David: wherefore he came down into a rock i. e. Into a Cave which was in the Rock; or, which might be called a Rock, not for the height, but the strength of its situation: where at first he might think to hide himself, but upon further intelligence or consideration he removed from thence upon Saul's approach. Or, he came down from the Rock, i. e. Either, First, From the Mountain mentioned in the next Verse, whence he came down, that so he might get out of Saul's sight and reach. Or, Secondly, From the Hill of Hachilah, where David hid himself, which is said to be on the South of Jeshimon, v. 19. as this place where he now was, is also described, v. 24. only that speaks of the Plain, and this of the Rock or Hill adjoyning to it, or in the midst of it. Or, he came down to Selah, as the Syriack and Arabick translate it; a place so called from the many Rocks or Stones which were in it, or near it., and abode in the wilderness of Maon: and when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.

And 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 Dividing themselves into several Parties, each Marching a several way after him. to take them.

¶ But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come: for the Philistines have invaded the land God stirring them up by his all-disposing Providence to do it at this time for David's rescue. Compare 2 King. 19. 9..

Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Sela-hammahlekoth i. e. The Rock of divisions, because there Saul was separated, and in a manner pulled asunder from David, who was now almost within his reach..

¶ And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at En-gedi.