1Sa 23:1-13 | 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 23:1-13

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. Verse 2

Therefore David inquired of the Lord - In what way David made this inquiry we are not told, but it was probably by means of Abiathar; and therefore I think, with Houbigant that the sixth verse should be read immediately after the first. The adventure mentioned here was truly noble. Had not David loved his country, and been above all motives of private and personal revenge, he would have rejoiced in this invasion of Judah as producing a strong diversion in his favor, and embroiling his inveterate enemy. In most cases a man with David's wrongs would have joined with the enemies of his country, and avenged himself on the author of his adversities; but he thinks of nothing but succouring Keilah, and using his power and influence in behalf of his brethren! This is a rare instance of disinterested heroism.

The Lord said - Go and smite - He might now go with confidence, being assured of success. When God promises success, who need be afraid of the face of any enemy? Verse 4

David inquired of the Lord yet again - This was to satisfy his men, who made the strong objections mentioned in the preceding verse. Verse 5

Brought away their cattle - The forage and spoil which the Philistines had taken, driving the country before them round about Keilah. Verse 6

Came down with an ephod - I think this verse should come immediately after 1Sam 23:1 (note). Verse 8

Saul called all the people together - That is, all the people of that region or district, that they might scour the country, and hunt out David from all his haunts. Verse 9

Bring hither the ephod - It seems as if David himself, clothed with the ephod, had consulted the Lord; and 1Sam 23:10-12 contain the words of the consultation, and the Lord's answer. But see on 1Sam 23:2 (note). Verse 11

In these verses we find the following questions and answers: - David said, Will Saul come down to Keilah? And the Lord said, He will come down. Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the Lord said, They will deliver thee up. In this short history we find an ample proof that there is such a thing as contingency in human affairs; that is, God has poised many things between a possibility of being and not being, leaving it to the will of the creature to turn the scale. In the above answers of the Lord the following conditions were evidently implied: - If thou continue in Keilah, Saul will certainly come down; and If Saul come down, the men of Keilah will deliver thee into his hands. Now though the text positively asserts that Saul would come to Keilah, yet he did not come; and that the men of Keilah would deliver David into his hand, yet David was not thus delivered to him. And why? Because David left Keilah; but had he stayed, Saul would have come down, and the men of Keilah would have betrayed David. We may observe from this that, however positive a declaration of God may appear that refers to any thing in which man is to be employed, the prediction is not intended to suspend or destroy free agency, but always comprehends in it some particular condition.