1Sa 23 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for 1Sam 23:1-29: 23:1-29 Thanks to informants (23:7 , 13 ), Saul was able to stay on David’s trail. David also had informants, allowing him to keep one step ahead of Saul (23:1 , 9 , 15 , 25 ). David’s chief advantage was access to divine guidance and resources (23:2 , 4 , 12 ), which Saul lacked. 23:1 Keilah was near Adullam (22:1 ) at the western edge of Judah, not far from the Philistine border (see Josh 15:44 ; Neh 3:17-18 ).

Summary for 1Sam 23:1-29: 23:1-29 ^a Thanks to informants (23:7 ^b, 13 ^c), Saul was able to stay on David’s trail. David also had informants, allowing him to keep one step ahead of Saul (23:1 ^d, 9 ^e, 15 ^f, 25 ^g). David’s chief advantage was access to divine guidance and resources (23:2 ^h, 4 ⁱ, 12 ^j), which Saul lacked. 23:1 ^k Keilah was near Adullam (22:1 ^l) at the western edge of Judah, not far from the Philistine border (see Josh 15:44 ^m; Neh 3:17-18 ⁿ).
23:4 ^o David asked the Lord either directly in prayer or by using the ephod (see 23:6 ^p, 9 ^q; 2 Sam 2:1 ^r; 5:23-24 ^s). God’s answers were a sign of his blessing and protection (cp. 1 Sam 28:6 ^t).
23:6 ^u the ephod: Saul had slain eighty-five priests who were wearing their ephods (22:18 ^v; see study note on 2:18), but the priest who escaped had the high priest’s ephod, which contained the Urim and Thummim.
23:7 ^w God has handed him over to me: To the contrary, see 23:14 ^x.
23:14 ^y The strongholds of the wilderness were not man-made structures but natural rock formations that provided refuge.

• Ziph was approximately ten miles southeast of Keilah (23:1 ^z).
23:16 ^aa Jonathan ... encouraged David because he knew that God had chosen David to be king.
23:17 ^ab You are going to be the king. . . I will be next to you (literally second to you): Jonathan recognized God’s selection of David and renounced any personal ambition to the throne. Jonathan never occupied an official position in David’s court but was killed in battle along with his father (31:2 ^ac).
23:18 ^ad their solemn pact: See 18:3-4 ^ae; 20:12-17 ^af.

• Jonathan returned home: This was probably the last time David and Jonathan saw each other.
23:19 ^ag Hakilah was a hill in the wilderness region of Ziph (23:14 ^ah).

• The term Jeshimon is sometimes translated as “wasteland” rather than as a place name. It refers here to a specific wasteland located north of the Dead Sea, on both banks of the Jordan River (see Num 21:20 ^ai).
23:20 ^aj Both Keilah (23:12 ^ak) and Ziph (23:14 ^al; Ps 54:title ^am) were located in Judah, but neither one provided sanctuary for David, a native of Judah. David’s ascension to power was not the result of his own tribe’s loyalty but because of the will of God.
23:24 ^an Maon was about three miles directly south of the wilderness of Ziph (23:14 ^ao), approximately ten miles south of Hebron.

• The Arabah Valley is a deep rift stretching from above the Sea of Galilee down both sides of the Jordan River to the Dead Sea.
23:28 ^ap the Rock of Escape: It was not uncommon for a place name to commemorate thankfulness to God (e.g., Gen 22:14 ^aq; 28:19 ^ar; 32:30 ^as). The exact rock formation that received this name is unknown.
23:29 ^at David traveled eastward from the area of Ziph (23:14 ^au) and took refuge in the strongholds of En-gedi. These rocky highlands were located on the western shore of the Dead Sea. There was an oasis in this region, making it an ideal place to find water and food.