1 Samuel 23:27

27 Then a messenger came to Saul, saying, "Hurry and come; for the Philistines have made a raid on the land."

1 Samuel 23:27 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 23:27

But there came a messenger unto Saul
From his court, by order of his council there; though the Jews ^F20 say it was an angel from heaven; but be it which it will, it was certainly the providence of God that directed this affair, that a messenger should come to Saul just at that very time that David was like to fall into his hands:

saying, haste thee, and come, for the Philistines have invaded the
land;
were come into it, and spread themselves in it, as the word signifies, which expresses their numbers they had poured in, the force they came with, and the possessions they had already got; perhaps they had taken the advantage of Saul's departure in quest of David, to penetrate into the tribe of Benjamin, where his patrimony, residence, and court were, and which were liable to fall into their hands; and therefore his presence was immediately required, and haste was necessary.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F20 Midrash apud Yalkut in loc.

1 Samuel 23:27 In-Context

25 Saul and his men went to search for him. When David was told, he went down to the rock and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. When Saul heard that, he pursued David into the wilderness of Maon.

26 Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side of the mountain. David was hurrying to get away from Saul, while Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them.

27 Then a messenger came to Saul, saying, "Hurry and come; for the Philistines have made a raid on the land."

28 So Saul stopped pursuing David, and went against the Philistines; therefore that place was called the Rock of Escape.

29 David then went up from there, and lived in the strongholds of En-gedi.