[[📚 Explore the Bible Books]] [[1 Samuel Overview]] | [[1 Samuel 22]] | [[1 Samuel 24]] # 1 Samuel 23 📖 > [!info] Table of Contents > [[#📜 Scripture Text (NET)]] [[#📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary]] [[#🧠 Chapter Summary]] [[#🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application]] [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]] > [[#🤔 Interesting Facts]] [[#🔗 Related Passages/Cross Reference]] [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]] ## 📜 Scripture Text (NET) (The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005) ### David Delivers the City of Keilah [[#Verse 01.]] They told David, “The Philistines are fighting in Keilah and are looting the threshing floors.” [[#Verse 02.]] So David asked the Lord, “Should I go and strike down these Philistines?” The Lord said to David, “Go, strike down the Philistines and deliver Keilah.” [[#Verse 03.]] But David’s men said to him, “We are afraid while we are still here in Judah. What will it be like if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?”  [[#Verse 04.]] So David asked the Lord once again. But again the Lord replied, “Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand.” [[#Verse 05.]] So David and his men went to Keilah and fought the Philistines. He took away their cattle and thoroughly defeated them. David delivered the inhabitants of Keilah. ### David Eludes Saul Again [[#Verse 06.]] Now when Abiathar son of Ahimelech had fled to David at Keilah, he had brought with him an ephod. [[#Verse 07.]] When Saul was told that David had come to Keilah, Saul said, “God has delivered him into my hand, for he has boxed himself into a corner by entering a city with two barred gates.” [[#Verse 08.]] So Saul mustered all his army to go down to Keilah and besiege David and his men. [[#Verse 09.]] When David realized that Saul was planning to harm him, he told Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod.”  [[#Verse 10.]] Then David said, “O Lord God of Israel, your servant has clearly heard that Saul is planning to come to Keilah to destroy the city because of me.  [[#Verse 11.]] Will the leaders of Keilah deliver me into his hand? Will Saul come down as your servant has heard? O Lord God of Israel, please inform your servant.” Then the Lord said, “He will come down.”  [[#Verse 12.]] David asked, “Will the leaders of Keilah deliver me and my men into Saul’s hand?” The Lord said, “They will deliver you over.” [[#Verse 13.]] So David and his men, who numbered about 600, set out and left Keilah; they moved around from one place to another. When told that David had escaped from Keilah, Saul called a halt to his expedition.  [[#Verse 14.]] David stayed in the strongholds that were in the desert and in the hill country of the wilderness of Ziph. Saul looked for him all the time, but God did not deliver David into his hands.  [[#Verse 15.]] David realized that Saul had come out to seek his life; at that time David was in Horesh in the wilderness of Ziph. [[#Verse 16.]] Then Jonathan son of Saul left and went to David at Horesh. He encouraged him through God.  [[#Verse 17.]] He said to him, “Don’t be afraid! For the hand of my father Saul cannot find you. You will rule over Israel, and I will be your second in command. Even my father Saul realizes this.”  [[#Verse 18.]] When the two of them had made a covenant before the Lord, David stayed at Horesh, but Jonathan went to his house. [[#Verse 19.]] Then the Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Isn’t David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh on the hill of Hakilah, south of Jeshimon? [[#Verse 20.]] Now at your own discretion, O king, come down. Delivering him into the king’s hand will be our responsibility.” [[#Verse 21.]] Saul replied, “May you be blessed by the Lord, for you have had compassion on me. [[#Verse 22.]] Go and make further arrangements. Determine precisely where he is and who has seen him there, for I am told that he is extremely cunning. [[#Verse 23.]] Locate precisely all the places where he hides and return to me with dependable information. Then I will go with you. If he is in the land, I will find him among all the thousands of Judah.” [[#Verse 24.]] So they left and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the rift valley to the south of Jeshimon. [[#Verse 25.]] Saul and his men went to look for him. But David was informed and went down to the rock and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. When Saul heard about it, he pursued David in the wilderness of Maon.  [[#Verse 26.]] Saul went on one side of the mountain, while David and his men went on the other side of the mountain. David was hurrying to get away from Saul, but Saul and his men were surrounding David and his men to capture them. [[#Verse 27.]] But a messenger came to Saul saying, “Come quickly, for the Philistines have raided the land!” [[#Verse 28.]] So Saul stopped pursuing David and went to confront the Philistines. Therefore that place is called Sela Hammahlekoth.  [[#Verse 29.]] (24:1) Then David went up from there and stayed in the strongholds of En Gedi. ## ==📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary== ###### Overall. ###### Verse 01. ###### Verse 02. ###### Verse 03. ###### Verse 04. ###### Verse 05. ###### Verse 06. ###### Verse 07. ###### Verse 08. ###### Verse 09. ###### Verse 10. ###### Verse 11. ###### Verse 12. ###### Verse 13. ###### Verse 14. ###### Verse 15. ###### Verse 16. ###### Verse 17. ###### Verse 18. ###### Verse 19. ###### Verse 20. ###### Verse 21. ###### Verse 22. ###### Verse 23. ###### Verse 24. ###### Verse 25. ###### Verse 26. ###### Verse 27. ###### Verse 28. ###### Verse 29. ## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights - coming soon. %% PRIVATE NOTES (only I see this) Write down things that are not straight from commentary but interesting facts that ground the text in history. %% ## 🧠 Chapter Summary - coming soon. %% PRIVATE NOTES (only I see this) Write a short paragraph (3–5 sentences) summarizing what happens in this chapter. - What is the main event or teaching? - How does this chapter fit the book’s overall story? - What stands out immediately? Anything Apologetic to point out? %% ## 🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application - coming soon. %% PRIVATE NOTES (only I see this) - 📌 Observation 1 - 📌 Observation 2 - 📌 Observation 3 - (Add more as needed.) %% %% #### Today, I can apply this chapter by: - ✅ Application 1 - ✅ Application 2 Make these very practical: - "Trust God's timing in an uncertain situation." - "Speak truth even when it’s unpopular." Think: - What do we learn about God here? - What do we learn about people? - Are there promises, commands, or warnings? %% ## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember - coming soon. %% PRIVATE NOTES (only I see this) - 📖 [Verse Reference] – "Quote of important verse." - 📖 [Verse Reference] – "Quote of another important verse." (You can link to deeper notes if you want later.) %% ## 🔗 Related Passages/Cross Reference - 🔗 coming soon. - 🔗 coming soon. %% Examples: - John 1:1 and Genesis 1 - Romans 5 and Genesis 3 %% ## 🙏 Devotional Reflection - coming soon. %% PRIVATE NOTES (only I see this) Write 3–6 sentences reflecting on: - How this chapter encourages your faith, - Convicts your heart, - Reveals God's character. Optional format: "In light of this chapter, I am challenged to..." or "I am comforted by..." %% ##### 📂 Internal Links/Personal Notes