20140409 Wednesday, April 9 2014
1 Samuel 23: David's Escape From Keilah

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah ... Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the LORD said, They will deliver thee up"

Israel's civil war (see Israel In History and Prophecy: The Civil War) was unique in that while the Israelite people were at war against each other, they were also at war with the nations around them - primarily the militarily-powerful Philistines of Gaza ("Palestinian" is merely a different English pronunciation of "Philistine" i.e. Goliath would today be a "Palestinian"; see also Gaza In History And Prophecy). The paradox was made evident many times, including by the people of Keilah, a city in Judah (see also Joshua 15: Judah's Homeland and Who Were The First Jews?). After David rescued the city from a Philistine attack, the people there tried to surrender David to Saul.

"23:1 Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors. 23:2 Therefore David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines?

And the LORD said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah.

23:3 And David's men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?

23:4 Then David enquired of the LORD yet again.

And the LORD answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand. 23:5 So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah. 23:6 And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand." (1 Samuel 23:1-6 KJV)

There was still the matter of the civil war against Saul (see 1 Samuel 15: Saul's Impeachment, 1 Samuel 18: The Rise Of David, 1 Samuel 19: The Parting of David and Saul and 1 Samuel 21: Why Didn't David Kill Saul?). David wondered if Saul would then attack him at Keilah. As stated in the verses above, the LORD (Who was and is Jesus Christ - see Genesis 1: In The Beginning Was The Word and The Kingdom Of The LORD God) had commanded David to rescue Keilah from the Philistines. David then asked the LORD what Saul was going to do - and what the people of Keilah were going to do. The LORD gave David the answers that he needed to both questions. David then made his escape with his growing army (the first mention of it was 400 men; it had grown to 600 at the time of Keilah).

"23:7 And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said, God hath delivered him into mine hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars. 23:8 And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.

23:9 And David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod. 23:10 Then said David, O LORD God of Israel, thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake. 23:11 Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O LORD God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant.

And the LORD said, He will come down.

23:12 Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul?

And the LORD said, They will deliver thee up.

23:13 Then David and his men, which were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go.

And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbare to go forth." (1 Samuel 23:7-13 KJV)

David then resorted to the wide-open desert areas where only those who were allowed to find David did so. Among them was Saul's son Jonathan (see 1 Samuel 20: David and Jonathan), who would have been Israel's next king if his father Saul had not been impeached by the LORD (see 1 Samuel 15: Saul's Impeachment). Despite their at the time being in opposing armies, Jonathan said to David, "Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth." Jonathan was right about Saul not killing David, however Jonathan never lived to serve King David - Jonathan later died with Saul in battle against the Philistines.

"23:14 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.

23:15 And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.

23:16 And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.

23:17 And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth. 23:18 And they two made a covenant before the LORD: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.

23:19 Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon? 23:20 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.

23:21 And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have compassion on me. 23:22 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 subtilly. 23:23 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 search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah.

23:24 And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the south of Jeshimon.

23:25 Saul also and his men went to seek him. And they told David: wherefore he came down into a rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.

23:26 And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them.

23:27 But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land. 23:28 Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Selahammahlekoth.

23:29 And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at Engedi." (1 Samuel 23:14-29 KJV)

Fact Finder: Why was Israel's vast southern desert called the "Negev"?
See The Negev Of Israel