1 Samuel 23:23

23 See therefore, and take note of all the lurking places where he hides, and come back to me with sure information. Then I will go with you; and if he is in the land, I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah."

1 Samuel 23:23 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 23:23

See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places
where he hideth himself
Which he most frequents, that ye may be able to describe them, and the way to them, and easily find them when necessary:

and come ye again to me with the certainty;
of time and place, when and where he may be certainly found:

and I will go with you;
upon such certain intelligence: it is very much he did not seize this opportunity, and go directly with them; for by this delay, David being informed of the Ziphites coming to Saul to betray him, had time to depart elsewhere:

and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land;
in the land of Israel, or rather in the land that is in the tribe of Judah:

that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah;
through all the divisions of that tribe, which, as others, were divided into thousands, see ( Micah 5:2 ) .

1 Samuel 23:23 In-Context

21 And Saul said, "May you be blessed by the LORD; for you have had compassion on me
22 Go, make yet more sure; know and see the place where his haunt is, and who has seen him there; for it is told me that he is very cunning.
23 See therefore, and take note of all the lurking places where he hides, and come back to me with sure information. Then I will go with you; and if he is in the land, I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah."
24 And they arose, and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the wilderness of Ma'on, in the Arabah to the south of Jeshi'mon.
25 And Saul and his men went to seek him. And David was told; therefore he went down to the rock which is in the wilderness of Ma'on. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Ma'on.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.