1 Samuel 23:23

23 Look around and learn all the hiding places where he lurks, and come back to me with sure information. Then I will go with you; and if he is in the land, I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah."

1 Samuel 23:23 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 23:23

See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places
where he hideth himself
Which he most frequents, that ye may be able to describe them, and the way to them, and easily find them when necessary:

and come ye again to me with the certainty;
of time and place, when and where he may be certainly found:

and I will go with you;
upon such certain intelligence: it is very much he did not seize this opportunity, and go directly with them; for by this delay, David being informed of the Ziphites coming to Saul to betray him, had time to depart elsewhere:

and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land;
in the land of Israel, or rather in the land that is in the tribe of Judah:

that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah;
through all the divisions of that tribe, which, as others, were divided into thousands, see ( Micah 5:2 ) .

1 Samuel 23:23 In-Context

21 Saul said, "May you be blessed by the Lord for showing me compassion
22 Go and make sure once more; find out exactly where he is, and who has seen him there; for I am told that he is very cunning.
23 Look around and learn all the hiding places where he lurks, and come back to me with sure information. Then I will go with you; and if he is in the land, I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah."
24 So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah to the south of Jeshimon.
25 Saul and his men went to search for him. When David was told, he went down to the rock and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. When Saul heard that, he pursued David into the wilderness of Maon.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.