1Sa 23:1 | Clarke | STEP | David succours Keilah, besieged by the Philistines; defeats them, and delivers the city, . Saul, hearing that David was at Keilah, determines to come and seize him, , . 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, . David and his men escape from the city, and come to the wilderness of Ziph, . Jonathan meets David in the wood of Ziph, strengthens his hand in God, and they renew their covenant, . The Ziphites endeavor to betray David to Saul, but he and his men escape to Maon, . 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 succor of Judah, then invaded by the Philistines, . Saul leaves the pursuit of David, and goes to succor the land; and David escapes to En-gedi, , . 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

Introduction

David succours Keilah, besieged by the Philistines; defeats them, and delivers the city, 1Sam 23:1-6. Saul, hearing that David was at Keilah, determines to come and seize him, 1Sam 23:7, 1Sam 23:8. 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, 1Sam 23:9-12. David and his men escape from the city, and come to the wilderness of Ziph, 1Sam 23:13-15. Jonathan meets David in the wood of Ziph, strengthens his hand in God, and they renew their covenant, 1Sam 23:16-18. The Ziphites endeavor to betray David to Saul, but he and his men escape to Maon, 1Sam 23:19-22. 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 succor of Judah, then invaded by the Philistines, 1Sam 23:25-27. Saul leaves the pursuit of David, and goes to succor the land; and David escapes to En-gedi, 1Sam 23:28, 1Sam 23:29.

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 Jdg 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.