1 Samuel 26:2

2 Saul went at once with three thousand of the best soldiers in Israel to the wilderness of Ziph to look for David,

1 Samuel 26:2 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 26:2

Then Saul arose
Immediately, glad of an opportunity to seize on David, having the same disposition towards him as ever; and perhaps had repented he had not laid hold on him when he followed him out of the cave:

and went down to the wilderness of Ziph:
or towards it:

having three thousand chosen men of Israel;
young men, so called, because usually chosen for business, and for war particularly, rather than old men; the same number he took with him when he sought him at Engedi, ( 1 Samuel 24:2 ) ;

to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph;
where or whereabouts he was informed by the Ziphites he was.

1 Samuel 26:2 In-Context

1 Some men from Ziph came to Saul at Gibeah and told him that David was hiding on Mount Hachilah at the edge of the Judean wilderness.

2 Saul went at once with three thousand of the best soldiers in Israel to the wilderness of Ziph to look for David,

3 and camped by the road on Mount Hachilah. David was still in the wilderness, and when he learned that Saul had come to look for him,

4 he sent spies and found out that Saul was indeed there.

5 He went at once and located the exact place where Saul and Abner son of Ner, commander of Saul's army, slept. Saul slept inside the camp, and his men camped around him.