1Sa 23:1 | Clarke | e4.org | 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. 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 . 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.

‏ 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. 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 Jud 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.