1 Samuel 23:25

25 and Saul and his men went to seek him. When David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard of this, he pursued David there.

1 Samuel 23:25 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 23:25

And Saul also and his men went to seek [him]
Whether the Ziphites returned to him with better intelligence, or sent him word where David was, is not said, however Saul with his army came out in search of him:

and they told David;
or it was told him, that Saul was come in quest of him:

wherefore he came down into a rock;
either into a cave in it, or he came down from the hill Hachilah to a plain or valley, in order to go up to a rock, the same with the mountain in ( 1 Samuel 23:26 ) :

and abode in the wilderness of Maon;
in which was the rock or mountain he came to:

and when Saul heard [that], he pursued after David in the wilderness
of Maon;
for upon the intelligence of the Ziphites, he came out to seek for him in the wilderness of Ziph, but hearing that he was removed to the wilderness of Maon, he pursued him there.

1 Samuel 23:25 In-Context

23 Observe and find out all the places where he hides. Then come back to me with certainty, and I will go with you. If he is in the land, I will search him out among all the clans of Judah.”

24 So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the Wilderness of Maon in the Arabah south of Jeshimon,

25 and Saul and his men went to seek him. When David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard of this, he pursued David there.

26 Saul was proceeding along one side of the mountain, and David and his men along the other side. Even though David was hurrying to get away, Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them.

27 Then a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Come quickly, for the Philistines have raided the land!”