1 Samuel 23:14

14 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 did not deliver him into his hand.

1 Samuel 23:14 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 23:14

And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds
In the wilderness of Ziph, in high and strong rocks there, as it seems to be explained by what follows:

and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph;
which had its name from a city in the tribe of Judah, of which (See Gill on Joshua 15:55);

and Saul sought him every day;
for though he did not go forth from the place where he was to Keilah, yet hearing which way he went, and whereabout he lurked, he sought after him continually, if haply he might find him:

but God delivered him not into his hand:
which suggests, that it was only the providence of God that secured him, or, in all probability, such was the diligence of Saul, that he would have found him out, and he must have fallen into his hands, as he expected.

1 Samuel 23:14 In-Context

12 Then David said, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the LORD said, They will deliver thee up.

13 So David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah and went from one place to another. 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 mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God did not deliver him into his hand.

15 And David, seeing that Saul had come out to seek his soul, stayed in the woods in the wilderness of Ziph.

16 Then Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David in the woods and strengthened his hand in God.