1 Samuel 23:16

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.”

Commentaries:

Adam Clarke

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1 Samuel 23:16

And Jonathan - strengthened his hand in God - It is probable that there was always a secret intercourse between David and Jonathan, and that by this most trusty friend he was apprised of the various designs of Saul to take away his life. As Jonathan well knew that God had appointed David to the kingdom, he came now to encourage him to trust in the Most High, and to assure him that the hand of Saul should not prevail against him; and at this interview they renewed their covenant of friendship. Now all this Jonathan could do, consistently with his duty to his father and his king. He knew that David had delivered the kingdom; he saw that his father was ruling unconstitutionally; and he knew that God had appointed David to succeed Saul. This he knew would come about in the order of Providence; and neither he nor David took one step to hasten the time. Jonathan, by his several interferences, prevented his father from imbruing his hands in innocent blood: a more filial and a more loyal part he could not have acted; and therefore, in his attachment to David, he is wholly free of blame.

**Other Adam Clarke entries containing 1 Samuel 23:16:**

Joshua 15:24

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1 Samuel 23:17 >>

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