1 Samuel 23:27

27 a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Come quickly! The Philistines are raiding the land.”

1 Samuel 23:27 in Other Translations

27 But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land.

27 a messenger came to Saul, saying, "Hurry and come, for the Philistines have made a raid against the land."

27 an urgent message reached Saul that the Philistines were raiding Israel again.

27 Just then a messenger came to Saul and said, "Hurry! Come back! The Philistines have just attacked the country!"

27 Then a messenger came to Saul saying, "Come quickly, because the Philistines have raided the land!"

1 Samuel 23:27 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 23:27

But there came a messenger unto Saul
From his court, by order of his council there; though the Jews ^F20 say it was an angel from heaven; but be it which it will, it was certainly the providence of God that directed this affair, that a messenger should come to Saul just at that very time that David was like to fall into his hands:

saying, haste thee, and come, for the Philistines have invaded the
land;
were come into it, and spread themselves in it, as the word signifies, which expresses their numbers they had poured in, the force they came with, and the possessions they had already got; perhaps they had taken the advantage of Saul's departure in quest of David, to penetrate into the tribe of Benjamin, where his patrimony, residence, and court were, and which were liable to fall into their hands; and therefore his presence was immediately required, and haste was necessary.

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FOOTNOTES:

F20 Midrash apud Yalkut in loc.

1 Samuel 23:27 In-Context

25 Saul and his men began the search, and when David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Desert of Maon. When Saul heard this, he went into the Desert of Maon in pursuit of David.

26 Saul was going along one side of the mountain, and David and his men were on the other side, hurrying to get away from Saul. As Saul and his forces were closing in on David and his men to capture them,

27 a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Come quickly! The Philistines are raiding the land.”

28 Then Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to meet the Philistines. That is why they call this place Sela Hammahlekoth.

29 And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of En Gedi.