1 Samuel 23:14 - Forerunner Commentary

1 Samuel 23:14

12 Then David said, “Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul?” And the Lord said, “They will deliver you.”

13 So David and his men, ^aabout six hundred, arose and departed from Keilah and went wherever they could go. Then it was told Saul that David had escaped from Keilah; so he halted the expedition.

David in Wilderness Strongholds

14 And David stayed in strongholds in the wilderness, and remained in ^athe mountains in the Wilderness of ^bZiph. Saul ^csought him every day, but God did not deliver him into his hand.

15 So David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. And David was in the Wilderness of Ziph¹ in a forest.

16 Then Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David in the woods and¹ strengthened his hand in God.

17 And he said to him, ^a“Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. ^bEven my father Saul knows that.”

18 So the two of them ^amade a covenant before the Lord. And David stayed in the woods, and Jonathan went to his own house.

19 Then the Ziphites ^acame up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is David not hiding with us in strongholds in the woods, 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 your soul to come down; and ^aour part shall be to deliver him into the king’s hand.”

21 And Saul said, “Blessed are you of the Lord, for you have compassion on me.

22 Please go and find out for sure, and see the place where his hideout is, and who has seen him there. For I am told he is very crafty.

23 See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hides; and come back to me with certainty, and I will go with you. And it shall be, if he is in the land, that I will search for him throughout all the¹ clans of Judah.”

24 So they arose and went to Ziph before Saul. But David and his men were in the Wilderness ^aof Maon, in the plain on the south of Jeshimon.

25 When Saul and his men went to seek him, they told David. Therefore he went down¹ to the rock, and stayed in the Wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued David in the Wilderness of Maon.

26 Then Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side of the mountain. ^aSo David made haste to get away from Saul, for Saul and his men ^bwere encircling David and his men to take them.

27 ^aBut a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, for the Philistines have invaded the land!”

28 Therefore Saul returned from pursuing David, and went against the Philistines; so they called that place¹ the Rock of Escape.

29 Then David went up from there and dwelt in strongholds at ^aEn Gedi.

Verse Comparison: 1 Samuel 23:14

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American Standard Version
And David abode in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill-country in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand.

Amplified® Bible
David remained in the wilderness strongholds in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but God did not give him into his hands.

Contemporary English Version
David stayed in hideouts in the hill country of Ziph Desert. Saul kept searching, but God never let Saul catch him.

Darby English Version
And David abode in the wilderness in strongholds, and abode in the mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God did not give him into his hand.

Good News Bible
David stayed in hiding in the hill country, in the wilderness near Ziph. Saul was always trying to find him, but God did not turn David over to him.

King James Version
And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand.

New American Standard Bible
David stayed in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God did not deliver him into his hand.

New International Version
David stayed in the desert strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God did not give David into his hands.

New King James Version
And David stayed in strongholds in the wilderness, and remained in the mountains in the Wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but God did not deliver him into his hand.

N.A.S.B. in E-Prime
David stayed in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God did not deliver him into his hand.

Revised Standard Version
And David remained in the strongholds in the wilderness, in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God did not give him into his hand.

Young's Literal Translation
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.

New English Translation
David stayed in the strongholds that were in the desert and in the hill country of the desert of Ziph. Saul looked for him all the time,¹ but God did not deliver David² into his hand.

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