1 Samuel 23:13

13 Then David and his men, about six hundred strong, set out and departed from Keilah, moving from place to place. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he declined to go forth.

1 Samuel 23:13 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 23:13

Then David and his men, [which were] about six hundred
Having had an increase of two hundred since he was at the cave of Adullam, ( 1 Samuel 22:1 1 Samuel 22:2 ) , and upon his relief of Keilah, ( 1 Samuel 23:5 ) ; so that he sustained no loss of men by fighting with the Philistines, but had an addition to his small forces:

arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go;
not knowing whither they should go, having no particular place in view; but went where they thought they could be safest, or that appeared the most proper place for them; so the Targum,

``they went to a place which was fit to go unto;''

which was fittest for their purpose, and most for their safety and security, be it where it would:

and it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah;
very likely some of the inhabitants informed him of it, since they were disposed to deliver David to him, had he stayed among them, and Saul had come down:

and he forbore to go forth:
from the place where he was, in order to come to Keilah,

1 Samuel 23:13 In-Context

11 Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as Your servant has heard? O LORD, God of Israel, please tell Your servant.” “He will,” said the LORD.

12 So David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?” “They will,” said the LORD.

13 Then David and his men, about six hundred strong, set out and departed from Keilah, moving from place to place. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he declined to go forth.

14 And David stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God would not deliver David into his hand.

15 While David was in Horesh in the Wilderness of Ziph, he saw that Saul had come out to take his life.