1 Samuel 23:1

CHAPTER XXIII

David succours Keilah, besieged by the Philistines; defeats

them, and delivers the city, 1-6.

Saul, hearing that David was at Keilah, determines to come and

seize him, 7, 8.

David inquires of the Lord concerning the fidelity of the men of

Keilah towards him; is informed that if he stays in the city,

the men of Keilah will betray him to Saul, 9-12.

David and his men escape from the city, and come to the

wilderness of Ziph, 13-15.

Jonathan meets David in the wood of Ziph, strengthens his hand

in God, and they renew their covenant, 16-18.

The Ziphites endeavour to betray David to Saul, but he and his

men escape to Maon, 19-22.

Saul comes to Maon; and having surrounded the mountain on which

David and his men were, they must inevitably have fallen into

his hands, had not a messenger come to call Saul to the succour

of Judah, then invaded by the Philistines, 25-27.

Saul leaves the pursuit of David, and goes to succour the land;

and David escapes to En-gedi, 28, 29.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXIII

Verse 1 Samuel 23:1. The Philistines fight against Keilah] Keilah was a fortified town in the tribe of Judah near to Eleutheropolis, on the road to Hebron.

Rob the threshing-floors.] This was an ancient custom of the Philistines, Midianites, and others. See Judges 6:4. When the corn was ripe and fit to be threshed, and they had collected it at the threshing-floors, which were always in the open field, then their enemies came upon them and spoiled them of the fruits of their harvest.