1 Samuel 23:8

8 So Sha'ul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Ke'ilah and besiege David and his men.

1 Samuel 23:8 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 23:8

And Saul called all the people together to war
Or "caused [them] to hear" ^F13 summoned them by an herald, whom he sent into all parts of the kingdom to proclaim war, and require them in his name to attend him; which was the prerogative of a king to do:

to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men;
that was what he privately intended, but the pretence was to make war against the Philistines.

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FOOTNOTES:

F13 (emvy) "fecit audire", Montanus, Piscator.

1 Samuel 23:8 In-Context

6 When Avyatar the son of Achimelekh fled to David in Ke'ilah, he had brought a ritual vest with him.

7 Now Sha'ul, on being informed that David had gone to Ke'ilah, had said, "God has put him into my hands. He's trapped himself by entering a town with gates and bars."

8 So Sha'ul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Ke'ilah and besiege David and his men.

9 David knew that Sha'ul was plotting something against him, so he told Avyatar the cohen, "Bring the ritual vest here."

10 Then David said, "ADONAI God of Isra'el, your servant has certainly heard that Sha'ul intends to come to Ke'ilah and destroy the city just to get me.