1 Samuel · chapter 23 of 31
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1 Samuel 23 tells how David inquires of the Lord and rescues the city of Keilah from the Philistines, but must flee when Saul prepares to besiege it. In the wilderness of Ziph, Jonathan visits him and strengthens his trust in God. The Ziphites betray his hiding place, and in the wilderness of Maon Saul nearly catches him, until a Philistine raid forces Saul to withdraw.
In chapter 22 David gathered his men and Saul killed the priests of Nob. Chapter 23 shows David living as a fugitive but guided by the Lord, whom he consults through the ephod Abiathar brought. It is a chapter about God's guidance, friendship that strengthens and the betrayal of those who should have been allies.
David is told that the Philistines are attacking Keilah and robbing the threshing floors. He inquires of the Lord whether to go and fight them, and the Lord says yes. His men are afraid, because they are already in danger in Judah. David inquires again, and the Lord assures him. David goes with his men, defeats the Philistines and saves the inhabitants of Keilah. Abiathar had come to David with the ephod.
Saul learns that David is at Keilah and thinks God has given him into his hand, because he has shut himself in a city with gates and bars. He summons the people to besiege it. David knows this and asks Abiathar to bring the ephod. He inquires of the Lord whether Saul will come down and whether the men of Keilah will surrender him. The Lord says yes to both. David leaves with about six hundred men and Saul gives up going to Keilah.
David stays in the strongholds of the wilderness of Ziph, and Saul seeks him every day, but God does not give him into his hand. Jonathan goes to him at Horesh and strengthens his trust in God: he tells him not to fear, that Saul will not find him, that David will be king over Israel and that he himself will be second. They make a covenant before the Lord.
The Ziphites go up to Saul and reveal where David is hiding. Saul blesses them and asks them to make sure of his whereabouts. Saul pursues David in the wilderness of Maon. He is on one side of the mountain and David on the other, and as Saul and his men are about to surround him, a messenger comes saying the Philistines have raided the land. Saul withdraws, and that place is called the Rock of Escape. David goes up to the strongholds of Engedi.
References follow ESV book names and verse numbers. Read each verse in your Bible before the explanation.
David inquires of the Lord whether to attack the Philistines at Keilah, and the Lord says yes. David's decision rests not on instinct but on the word of God, and the pattern repeats throughout the chapter.
Saul seeks David every day, but God does not give him into his hand. David's protection does not depend on his skill at hiding but on the Lord's faithfulness.
Jonathan goes to David at Horesh and strengthens his hand in God. A true friend does not only keep company but helps us trust the Lord when everything looks hard.
When Saul is about to catch David, a messenger tells him of the Philistine raid and he must withdraw. The Lord uses an unexpected event to save David at just the right moment.
6 questions with answers and references, ready for Sunday school, small group or a Bible quiz night.
Answer: He inquired of the Lord, who told him to go, and he saved the city. — 1 Samuel 23:2
Answer: That God had given him into his hand, because David had shut himself in a city with gates and bars. — 1 Samuel 23:7
Answer: That they would surrender him to Saul, so David left the city. — 1 Samuel 23:12-13
Answer: He strengthened his trust in God and told him he would be king over Israel. — 1 Samuel 23:16-17
Answer: The Ziphites, who went up to Gibeah to tell him where David was hiding. — 1 Samuel 23:19
Answer: A messenger reported that the Philistines were raiding the land and Saul had to turn back. — 1 Samuel 23:27-28
David teaches us to seek God's direction before acting, even when the situation seems clear. He asked the Lord before going to Keilah, and asked again when danger arose. In a small group you can talk about the important decisions we are making and how we seek God's will in prayer, the Word and the counsel of other believers.
Jonathan shows the value of a friend who helps us trust God when everything looks dark. Whom can we encourage this week with a word based on the Lord's faithfulness? And David's pursuit reminds us that being chosen by God does not spare us difficulties, but God watches over his own at every step.
1 Samuel 23 ends with David going up to Engedi after narrowly escaping Saul. In chapter 24 Saul will pursue him there, and David will have the chance to kill him in a cave but will choose to spare his life.
The ephod was a priestly garment that, according to the text, was used to inquire of the Lord (the passage does not detail the method). Thanks to Abiathar, the only priest of Nob who escaped, David could receive answers from God in the midst of his flight.
The text does not give the reason. They probably feared Saul, who was king and had an army, more than they felt they owed the one who had rescued them from the Philistines. The Lord reveals it to David, who prefers to leave rather than put the city at risk.