1 Samuel 23:6-16

6 And it cometh to pass, in the fleeing of Abiathar son of Ahimelech unto David, to Keilah, an ephod came down in his hand.

7 And it is declared to Saul that David hath come in to Keilah, and Saul saith, `God hath made him known for my hand, for he hath been shut in, to enter into a city of doors and bar.'

8 And Saul summoneth the whole of the people to battle, to go down to Keilah, to lay siege unto David and unto his men.

9 And David knoweth that against him Saul is devising the evil, and saith unto Abiathar the priest, `Bring nigh the ephod.'

10 And David saith, `Jehovah, God of Israel, Thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul is seeking to come in unto Keilah, to destroy the city on mine account.

11 Do the possessors of Keilah shut me up into his hand? doth Saul come down as Thy servant hath heard? Jehovah, God of Israel, declare, I pray Thee, to Thy servant.' And Jehovah saith, `He doth come down.'

12 And David saith, `Do the possessors of Keilah shut me up, and my men, into the hand of Saul?' And Jehovah saith, `They shut [thee] up.'

13 And David riseth -- and his men -- about six hundred men, and they go out from Keilah, and go up and down where they go up and down; and to Saul it hath been declared that David hath escaped from Keilah, and he ceaseth to go out.

14 And David abideth in the wilderness, in fortresses, and abideth in the hill-country, in the wilderness of Ziph; and Saul seeketh him all the days, and God hath not given him into his hand

15 And David seeth that Saul hath come out to seek his life, and David [is] in the wilderness of Ziph, in a forest.

16 And Jonathan son of Saul riseth, and goeth unto David to the forest, and strengtheneth his hand in God,

1 Samuel 23:6-16 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.