1 Samuel 23: David Inquires, Saul Pursues, Jonathan Strengthens

Short answer: David saves Keilah from the Philistines, then learns from God that Saul will come and the men of Keilah will betray him, so he flees. Saul pursues David through the wilderness, but Jonathan strengthens him, and a Philistine raid forces Saul to withdraw.

What 1 Samuel 23 says

The chapter opens with a report that the Philistines are robbing the threshing floors of Keilah. David inquires of Yahweh and receives a command to go and strike the Philistines and save Keilah. His men express fear, so David inquires again, and God repeats the promise of deliverance. David and his men go, fight, and win a great victory, saving the inhabitants of Keilah. Abiathar the priest arrives with an ephod. When Saul hears David is in Keilah, he sees it as God delivering David into his hand because the town has gates and bars. Saul summons all the people to besiege David and his men. David learns of the plot and asks Abiathar to bring the ephod.

David prays to Yahweh, the God of Israel, asking whether Saul will come down and whether the men of Keilah will hand him over. God answers that Saul will come down and that the men of Keilah will deliver him up. So David and his six hundred men leave Keilah and go wherever they can. Saul learns David escaped and gives up going there. David stays in the wilderness strongholds and in the hill country of Ziph. Saul seeks him every day, but God does not give David into his hand. Jonathan, Saul's son, goes to David in the woods and strengthens his hand in God, assuring him that Saul will not find him and that David will be king, with Jonathan next to him. They make a covenant before Yahweh, and Jonathan returns home.

The Ziphites come to Saul at Gibeah and offer to hand David over, describing his hiding places in the strongholds in the woods, in the hill of Hachilah. Saul blesses them and asks them to make sure, to know and see his place and who has seen him there, for he has been told David is very cunning. He tells them to take knowledge of all the lurking places and come back with certainty, and he will go with them. If David is in the land, Saul will search him out among all the thousands of Judah. They go to Ziph before Saul, but David and his men are in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah south of the desert. Saul and his men go to seek him. When David is told, he goes down to the rock and stays in the wilderness of Maon. Saul hears and pursues him there.

Saul is on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other. David hurries to get away for fear of Saul, because Saul and his men are surrounding them to take them. But a messenger comes to Saul, saying, Hurry and come, for the Philistines have made a raid on the land. So Saul returns from pursuing David and goes against the Philistines. Therefore they call that place Sela Hammahlekoth. David goes up from there and lives in the strongholds of En Gedi. The chapter closes with David safe for the moment, but still in the wilderness, still a fugitive, and still relying on God's protection.

Verses that carry the chapter

• “Therefore David inquired of Yahweh, saying, “Shall I go and strike these Philistines?” (1 Samuel 23:2) Yahweh said to David, “Go strike the Philistines, and save Keilah.” (1 Samuel 23:2)” (1 Samuel 23:2) — David inquires of Yahweh before acting, showing his dependence on God for direction in danger.
• “Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? Yahweh, the God of Israel, I beg you, tell your servant.” Yahweh said, “He will come down.” (1 Samuel 23:11)” (1 Samuel 23:11) — God reveals that Saul will come and the men of Keilah will betray David, proving that human gratitude is uncertain but God's word is true.
• “Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose, and went to David into the woods, and strengthened his hand in God.” (1 Samuel 23:16) — Jonathan strengthens David's hand in God, a picture of faithful friendship that points to God as the true source of courage.
• “But a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come; for the Philistines have made a raid on the land!” (1 Samuel 23:27)” (1 Samuel 23:27) — A messenger interrupts Saul's pursuit with news of a Philistine raid, showing God's providential timing in delivering David.

Gospel connection

This chapter shows David as the anointed one who saves others, yet is hunted and betrayed. He relies on God's guidance and is preserved by God's timing. That pattern points forward to Jesus, the greater Anointed One, who saved his people and was betrayed, yet was delivered up for our sins and raised for our justification. Jonathan's strengthening of David in God also points to the encouragement we have in Christ, who strengthens his people by his Spirit. The temporary deliverance at Sela Hammahlekoth reminds us that God's purposes for his chosen king cannot be thwarted, and that he will ultimately establish his kingdom through Jesus.

Application

This chapter asks us to trust God's guidance when we face opposition. Like David, we should inquire of the Lord rather than rely on our own understanding. We may do good and still face betrayal or pursuit, but God is not absent. We are also called to strengthen one another in God, as Jonathan did, speaking courage and truth to those who are afraid. And we learn to wait on God's timing, even when enemies surround us, knowing that he can interrupt their plans in a moment. Our part is to seek him, obey what he says, and encourage others to do the same.

Biblical fidelity check

The chapter does not tell us David's inner thoughts beyond what he prays, nor does it explain why the men of Keilah would betray him after he saved them. It does not say Saul knew of Jonathan's visit or approved of it. It does not describe the Philistine raid in detail or say how David felt when Saul withdrew. It does not claim that David was crowned king in this chapter, nor does it give the outcome of the covenant with Jonathan. The text is silent on how long David stayed in En Gedi or what happened next. We should be careful not to read later events back into this chapter or to fill in gaps with speculation.

Questions for study

1. Why does David inquire of Yahweh twice before going to Keilah, and what does this teach us about seeking God's will?
2. How do the men of Keilah respond to David's rescue, and what does that reveal about human loyalty?
3. What does Jonathan do for David in the woods, and how can we strengthen one another in God today?
4. How does God protect David when Saul and his men surround him, and what does that show about God's timing?
5. What does Saul's pursuit of David reveal about his character, and how does it contrast with David's reliance on God?

Keep reading

Related studies: 1 Samuel 1 Bible Study, 1 Samuel 10 Bible Study, 1 Samuel 11 Bible Study, 1 Samuel 12 Bible Study.

Subscribe for new Bible studies or support this work.

FAQ

Why did David go to Keilah if he knew Saul might come?

David first inquired of Yahweh, who told him to go and save Keilah. He obeyed God's command, trusting God for the outcome.

What was the ephod, and why did David ask for it?

The ephod was a priestly garment used to seek God's will. David asked Abiathar to bring it so he could inquire of Yahweh about Saul's plans.

How did David escape Saul in the wilderness of Maon?

A messenger came to Saul with news of a Philistine raid, forcing Saul to stop pursuing David and go fight the Philistines. This gave David time to escape.