1 Samuel 23:19

_THEN CAME UP THE ZIPHITES TO SAUL TO GIBEAH, SAYING, DOTH NOT DAVID HIDE HIMSELF WITH US IN STRONG HOLDS IN THE WOOD, IN THE HILL OF HACHILAH, WHICH IS ON THE SOUTH OF JESHIMON?_ Then came up the Ziphites to Saul ... saying, Doth not David hide himself with us? From the Tell of Ziph a panorama of the whole surrounding district is to be seen. No wonder, then, that the Ziphites saw David and his men passing to and fro in the mountains of the wilderness, and spying him at a distance, when he ventured to show himself on the hill of Hachilah, 'on the right hand of the wilderness,' - i:e., the south side of Ziph-sent in haste to Saul, to tell him of the lurking place of his enemy' (Van de Velde)....

19-29 In the midst of his wickedness, Saul affected to speak the language of piety. Such expressions, without suitable effects, can only amuse or deceive those who hear, and those who use them. This mountain was an emblem of the Divine Providence coming between David and the destroyer. Let us not be dismayed at the prospect of future difficulties, but stay ourselves upon Him who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working. Sooner than his promise shall fail, he will commission Philistines to effect our escape, at the very moment when our case appears most desperate. God requires entire dependence on him, If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established, Isaiah 7:9....

(Hachilah is thought by Conder to be the long ridge called El Kolah). For Jeshimon, see the margin and Numbers 21:20....

EXPOSITION SAUL'S PURSUIT OF DAVID IN THE WILDERNESS OF ZIPH (1 Samuel 23:14-9). 1 SAMUEL 23:14, 1 SAMUEL 23:15 STRONG HOLDS. Natural fortresses in the woods and mountains are meant, and places difficult of access. THE WILDERNESS OF ZIPH. This lay to the south of Hebron, upon the edge of the great desert of Judah (Joshua 15:55). Saul sought him every day.

THEN CAME UP THE ZIPHITES TO SAUL TO GIBEAH,.... Who though he had been out in quest of David, yet was now returned to Gibeah, the place of his residence, and where he kept his court; and hither came the Ziphites, the inhabitants of Ziph, in the wilderness of which David hid himself, with a proposal to deliver him to Saul; for though they were of the same tribe with David, yet being terrified with what Saul had done to Nob, they thought it best for their own security to inform Saul where he was, and make an offer to deliver him to him. Some interpreters, as Kimchi, think that this was done before Jonathan was with Saul, and should be rendered, "the Ziphites had come up to Saul"; and hence it is before said, and David saw, c. for he had heard that the Ziphites should say to Saul, that David had hid himself there and at this time it was that David wrote the fifty ninth psalm, Psalms 54:1:...

CHAPTER 23 _ 1. The victory over the Philistines at Keilah (1 Samuel 23:1)_ 2. In the wilderness of Ziph (1 Samuel 23:14) 3. Saul's return (1 Samuel 23:27) Keilah was about six miles southeast of Adullam. David heard of the invasion of the Philistines that they were fighting against this walled city. And he inquired of the Lord, through Abiathar, who had an ephod (verse 6). David's inquiry of the Lord shows the man of faith in his submission to the Lord. He had his lapses, but at heart he owned the Lord and wanted to glorify Him. Twice he asked the Lord; the second time evidently to quiet the fears of the six hundred men who were now with him. The Lord gave him the victory. The

1 SAMUEL 23. DAVID ESCAPES FROM SAUL (J). 1 Samuel 23:1. David hears that the Philistines are raiding the territory of Keilah (p. 31), a little S. of Adullam. He ascertains by oracles, probably using the ephod and the Urim and Thummim (pp. 100f.), that Yahweh approves of his going to the rescue; he thus overcomes the reluctance of his men. The expedition is entirely successful, but the ungrateful citizens of Keilah offered to surrender David and his men to Saul. It is quite possible that this troop of bandits, now grown to 600, had quartered themselves on Keilah, and were treating it as a conquered city. It would be interesting to hear the story from the point of view of Keilah; they may have felt that this act of treachery was the only way of getting rid of an intolerable burden. David, however, heard rumours, which were confirmed by the oracle, and left the place; so the scheme w

THE ZIPHITES. See Psalms 51:1....

The treachery of the Ziphites 19. _Then came up the Ziphites_ The title of Psalms 54. refers it to this occasion, or that recorded in 1 Samuel 26:1, and the contents agree with the situation. See especially 1 Samuel 23:3. On the relation between this narrative and that in ch. 26. see Note VII. p. 243. _in the hill of Hachilah_, &c] This hill was situated on the south of, or according to 1 Samuel 26:3, "in front of" or "facing" THE WASTE. _Jeshimon_is not a proper name, but means _the Waste_, and denotes the district on which the plateau of Ziph looks down, "with white peaks and cones of chalk and d

_Saul's Pursuit of David._ 1 Samuel 23:19-29 19 Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in strongholds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which _is_ on the south of Jeshimon? 20 Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and our part _shall be_ to deliver him into the king's hand. 21 And Saul said, Blessed _be_ ye of the Lord; for ye have compassion on me. 22 Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt is, _and_ who hath seen him there: for it is told me _that_ he dealeth very subtilely. 23 See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will searc