(KJV) 1 Samuel 231

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⥃David Delivers Keilah

[1] Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah2, and they rob the3 threshingfloors. [2] Therefore David enquired4 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. [3] And David’s men said unto him, Behold5, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines? [4] Then David enquired of the Lord yet again6. And the Lord answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will7 deliver the Philistines into thine hand. [5] So 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. [6] And it came to pass, when Abiathar8 the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, [that] he came down [with] an ephod9 in his hand.

⥃Saul Pursues David [ Psalms 54:1–7 ]

[7] And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said, God hath10 delivered him into mine hand; for he is shut11 in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars.12 [8] And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.

[9] [¶]And David13 knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring14 hither the ephod. [10] Then said David, O Lord God of Israel, thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city15 for my sake. [11] Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O Lord God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And the Lord16 said, He will come down. [12] Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver17 me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the Lord said, They will18 deliver [thee] up.

[13] [¶]Then David and his men, [which were] about six hundred19, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbare to go forth. [14] And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a mountain20 in the wilderness21 of Ziph. And Saul22 sought him every day, but God23 delivered him not into his hand. [15] And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life24: and David [was] in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.

[16] [¶]And Jonathan Saul’s son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened25 his hand in God. [17] And he said unto him, Fear not26: for the hand of Saul my father shall not27 find thee; and thou shalt be28 king over Israel, and I shall be29 next unto thee; and that also Saul30 my father knoweth. [18] And they two made a covenant before the Lord: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.31

[19] Then came up the Ziphites32 to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah33, which [is] on the south34 of Jeshimon35? [20] Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire36 of thy soul to come down; and our part37 [shall be] to deliver him into the king’s hand. [21] And Saul said, Blessed [be] ye of the Lord; for ye have compassion on me.38 [22] Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt is39, [and] who hath seen him there: for it is told me [that] he dealeth very subtilly. [23] See therefore, and take knowledge40 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 search41 him out throughout all the thousands42 of Judah. [24] And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men [were] in the wilderness43 of Maon44, in the plain on the south45 of Jeshimon. [25] Saul also and his men went to seek [him]. And they told David: wherefore he came down into a rock46, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard [that], he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon. [26] And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste47 to get away48 for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them.

[27] [¶]But there came49 a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines50 have invaded51 the land. [28] Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Sela–hammahlekoth52.

[29] [¶]And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at En–gedi. 5354

<< 1 Samuel 22 1 Samuel 24 >>

  1. 1Sam 23:1, David, enquiring of the Lord by Abiathar, rescues Keilah; 1Sam 23:7, God shewing him the coming of Saul, and the treachery of the Keilites, he escapes from Keilah; 1Sam 23:14, In Ziph Jonathan comes and comforts him; 1Sam 23:19, The Ziphites discover him to Saul; 1Sam 23:25, At Maon he is rescued from Saul by the invasion of the Philistines; 1Sam 23:29, He dwells at En–gedi. ↩

  2. Keilah was a city of Judah, situated, according to Eusebius, eight miles from Eleutheropolis, towards Hebron. Sozomen says that the prophet Habakkuk's tomb was shewn there. Josh 15:44; Neh 3:17-18 ↩

  3. Lev 26:16; Deut 28:33, Deut 28:51; Judg 6:4, Judg 6:11; Mic 6:15 ↩

  4. In what way David made this enquiry we are not told; but it was probably by means of Abiathar; and therefore it would seem, that with Houbigant, we should read the 1Sam 23:6 immediately after the 1Sam 23:1. - This adventure was truly noble and patriotic. Had not David loved his country, and been above all motives of private and personal revenge, he would have rejoiced in this invasion of Judea, as producing a strong diversion in his favour, and embroiling his inveterate enemy. In most cases, a man with David's wrongs would have joined with the enemies of his country, and avenged himself on the author of his calamities; but he thinks of nothing but succouring Keilah, and using his power and influence in behalf of his brethren. 1Sam 23:4, 1Sam 23:6, 1Sam 23:9-12, 1Sam 30:8; Num 27:21; Josh 9:14; Judg 1:1; 2Sam 5:19, 2Sam 5:23; 1Chr 14:10; Ps 32:8; Prov 3:5-6; Jer 10:23 ↩

  5. 1Sam 23:15, 1Sam 23:23, 1Sam 23:26; Ps 11:1; Jer 12:5 ↩

  6. 1Sam 28:6; Judg 6:39 ↩

  7. Josh 8:7; Judg 7:7; 2Sam 5:19; 2Kgs 3:18 ↩

  8. 1Sam 22:20 ↩

  9. 1Sam 14:3, 1Sam 14:18, 1Sam 14:36-37; Exod 28:30-31 ↩

  10. 1Sam 23:14, 1Sam 24:4-6, 1Sam 26:8-9; Ps 71:10-11 ↩

  11. Exod 14:3, Exod 15:9; Judg 16:2-3; Job 20:5; Luke 19:43-44 ↩

  12. am 2943, bc 1061, An, Ex, Is 430 ↩

  13. Jer 11:18-19; Acts 9:24, Acts 14:6, Acts 23:16-18 ↩

  14. 1Sam 23:6, 1Sam 14:18, 1Sam 30:7; Num 27:21; Jer 33:3 ↩

  15. 1Sam 23:8, 1Sam 22:19; Gen 18:24; Esth 3:6; Prov 28:15; Rom 3:15-16 ↩

  16. Ps 50:15; Jer 33:3; Matt 7:7-8 ↩

  17. Heb. shut up, Ps 31:8 ↩

  18. 1Sam 23:7; Ps 62:1, Ps 118:8; Eccl 9:14-15; Isa 29:15; Heb 4:13 ↩

  19. 1Sam 22:2, 1Sam 25:13, 1Sam 30:9-10 ↩

  20. Ps 11:1-3 ↩

  21. Ziph is mentioned in Joshua with Carmel and Maon, near which it seems to have been situated; and as we have mention of Carmel and Maon in the history of David, as adjoining to Ziph, it cannot be doubted that by the Ziph, in the wilderness of which David now lay, and where was the hill of Hachilah, is to be understood Ziph near Carmel and Maon. Josh 15:24, Josh 15:55 ↩

  22. 1Sam 27:1; Ps 54:3-4; Prov 1:16, Prov 4:16 ↩

  23. 1Sam 23:7; Ps 32:7, Ps 37:32-33, Ps 54:3-4; Prov 21:30; Jer 36:26; Rom 8:31; 2Tim 3:11, 2Tim 4:17-18 ↩

  24. Heb. nephesh, soul, Gen 44:30 ↩

  25. Deut 3:28; Neh 2:18; Job 4:3-4, Job 16:5; Prov 27:9, Prov 27:17; Eccl 4:9-12; Isa 35:3-4; Ezek 13:22; Luke 22:32, Luke 22:43; Eph 6:10; 2Tim 2:1; Heb 12:12-13 ↩

  26. Isa 41:10, Isa 41:14; Heb 13:6 ↩

  27. Job 5:11-15; Ps 27:1-3, Ps 46:1-2, Ps 91:1-2; Prov 14:26; Isa 54:17 ↩

  28. Luke 12:32 ↩

  29. Prov 19:21; Acts 28:16; Rom 15:24 ↩

  30. 1Sam 20:31, 1Sam 24:20; Acts 5:39 ↩

  31. 1Sam 18:3, 1Sam 20:12-17, 1Sam 20:42; 2Sam 9:1, 2Sam 21:7 ↩

  32. 1Sam 22:7-8, 1Sam 26:1; Ps 54:1 *title Ps 54:3-4; Prov 29:12 ↩

  33. Calmet states, that Hachilah was a mountain about ten miles south of Jericho, where Jonathan Maccabeus built the castle of Massada, west of the Dead Sea, and not far from En–gedi. 1Sam 26:1, 1Sam 26:3 ↩

  34. Heb. on the right hand ↩

  35. or, the wilderness, Eusebius places Jeshimon ten miles south of Jericho, near the Dead Sea; which agrees extremely well with the position of Hachilah, as stated by Calmet. ↩

  36. Deut 18:6; 2Sam 3:21; Ps 112:10; Prov 11:23 ↩

  37. 1Kgs 21:11-14; 2Kgs 10:5-7; Ps 54:3; Prov 29:26 ↩

  38. 1Sam 22:8; Judg 17:2; Ps 10:3; Isa 66:5; Mic 3:11 ↩

  39. Heb. foot shall be, Job 5:13 ↩

  40. Mark 14:1, Mark 14:10-11; John 18:2-3 ↩

  41. 2Sam 17:11-13; 1Kgs 18:10; Prov 1:16; Rom 3:15-16 ↩

  42. Num 10:36; Mic 5:2 ↩

  43. Maon, from which the adjoining mountainous district derived its name, was city in the most southern parts of the tribe of Judah, and a neighbouring town to Carmel. Hence Nabal (1Sam 25:2) is described as a man of Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel; and though he might dwell generally in Maon, yet he is styled Nabal the Carmelite, from the place where his estate lay. Calmet supposes it to be the city Minois, which Eusebius places in the vicinity of Gaza; and the Moenoemi Castrum, which the Theodosian code places near Beer–sheba. ↩

  44. 1Sam 25:2; Josh 15:55 ↩

  45. 1Sam 23:19 ↩

  46. or, from the rock, 1Sam 23:28; Judg 15:8 ↩

  47. 1Sam 19:12, 1Sam 20:38; 2Sam 15:14, 2Sam 17:21-22; Ps 31:22 ↩

  48. 2Chr 20:12; Ps 17:9, Ps 17:11, Ps 22:12, Ps 22:16, Ps 118:11-13, Ps 140:1-9; 2Cor 1:8; Rev 20:9 ↩

  49. Gen 22:14; Deut 32:36; 2Kgs 19:9; Ps 116:3 ↩

  50. 2Kgs 19:9; Rev 12:16 ↩

  51. Heb. spread themselves upon, 1Chr 14:13 ↩

  52. that is, the rock of divisions, Because, says the Targum, "the heart of the king was divided to go hither and thither." Here Saul was obliged to separate himself from David, in order to go and oppose the invading Philistines; which deliverance of David was of such a nature as made the Divine interposition fully visible. 1Sam 23:28 ↩

  53. The district around En–gedi, near the western coast of the Dead Sea, is reported by travellers to be a mountainous territory, filled with caverns; and consequently, proper for David in his present circumstances. Dr. Lightfoot thinks this was the wilderness of Judah, in which David was when he penned the Ps 63:1, which breathes as much pious and devout affection as almost any of his Psalms; for in all places and in all conditions he still kept up his communion with God. - If Christians knew their privileges better, and acted up thereto, there would be less murmuring at the dark dispensations of Divine Providence. ↩

  54. 1Sam 24:1; Gen 14:7; Josh 15:62; 2Chr 20:2; Song 1:14; Ezek 47:10 ↩