1 Samuel 23:14-24

14 David abode in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill-country in the wilderness of Zif. Sha'ul sought him every day, but God didn't deliver him into his hand

15 David saw that Sha'ul had come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Zif in the wood.

16 Yonatan, Sha'ul's son, arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.

17 He said to him, Don't be afraid; for the hand of Sha'ul my father shall not find you; and you shall be king over Yisra'el, and I shall be next to you; and that also Sha'ul my father knows.

18 They two made a covenant before the LORD: and David abode in the wood, and Yonatan went to his house.

19 Then came up the Zifim to Sha'ul to Gevah, saying, Doesn't David hide himself with us in the strongholds in the wood, in the hill of Hakhilah, which is on the south of the desert

20 Now therefore, O king, come down, according to all the desire of your soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him up into the king's hand.

21 Sha'ul said, Blessed be you of the LORD; for you have had compassion on me

22 Plesease go make yet more sure, and know and see his place where his haunt is, [and] who has seen him there; for it is told me that he deals very subtly.

23 See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking-places where he hides himself, and come you again to me of a certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall happen, if he be in the land, that I will search him out among all the thousands of Yehudah.

24 They arose, and went to Zif before Sha'ul: but David and his men were in the wilderness of Ma`on, in the `Aravah on the south of the desert.

1 Samuel 23:14-24 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 23

This chapter gives an account of David's relieving Keilah, when it had like to have fallen into the hands of the Philistines, 1Sa 23:1-6; and of Saul's design to surprise him there, which David having notice of, and inquiring of the Lord, departed from thence; which when Saul heard of, he forbore to come forth, 1Sa 23:7-13; and of David's being in the wilderness of Ziph, where, in a wood there, he had an interview with Jonathan, 1Sa 23:14-18; and of the Ziphites offering to deliver him up to Saul, for which he commends them, and gives them instructions how they should behave to him in that affair, 1Sa 23:19-23; and of his seeking him in the wilderness of Maon, where David and his men were in great danger of being taken; which was prevented by the news of the Philistines invading the land coming to Saul just at the nick of time, 1Sa 23:24-29.