1 Samuel 23:27

_BUT THERE CAME A MESSENGER UNTO SAUL, SAYING, HASTE THEE, AND COME; FOR THE PHILISTINES HAVE INVADED THE LAND._ No JFB commentary on this verse....

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....

Verse 1 Samuel 23:27. _THERE CAME A MESSENGER_] See the providence of God exerted for the salvation of David's life! David and his men are almost surrounded by Saul and his army, and on the point of being taken, when a messenger arrives and informs Saul that the Philistines had invaded the land! But behold the workings of Providence! God had already prepared the invasion of the land by the Philistines, and kept Saul ignorant how much David was in his power; but as his advanced guards and scouts must have discovered him in a very short time, the messenger arrives just at the point of time to prevent it. Here David was delivered by God, and in such a manner too as rendered the Divine interposition visible....

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.

BUT THERE CAME A MESSENGER UNTO SAUL,.... From his court, by order of his council there; though the Jews t 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. t Midrash...

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 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

THERE CAME A MESSENGER UNTO SAUL— Thus, by the timely interposition of Providence, David was delivered from one of the most immediate dangers of his life: and from this time _they called the place_ המחלקות סלע _Selang hammachlekoth; i.e_. the _rock of divisions:_ the rock where Saul was obliged to divide himself from David, and go after the Philistines. Osiander thinks that David gave it this name in gratitude for his deliverance, as a memorial that there God had, by little less than a miracle, divided his enemy from him. Possibly this was a rock of one of those mountains which Solomon calls the _mountains of Bether,_ (Song of Solomon 2:17.) in the Margin of our Bible interpreted _division._ _Note;_ (1.) God has various ways of delivering his people; even the Philistines shall sometimes be made instruments of his mercy to them. (2.) They wh

_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