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1 Samuel 23

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1 Samuel 23 Overview

While Saul hunts him, David hears that the Philistines are attacking Keilah. After inquiring of the LORD, he rescues the city, but God then reveals that Keilah’s men would surrender David to Saul if he remained. David escapes with his followers, receives encouragement from Jonathan in the wilderness, is betrayed by the Ziphites, and narrowly avoids Saul when a Philistine invasion forces Saul to break off the pursuit.

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Before you read 1 Samuel 23

Coming from

Chapter 22 ended with Abiathar escaping the slaughter at Nob and joining David with access to the priestly ephod.

In this chapter

David acts like a protector of Israel even while Israel’s reigning king treats him as an enemy, and repeated divine guidance preserves him from Saul’s attempts to trap him.

Leads into

Chapter 24 places Saul unexpectedly within David’s reach in the cave at En-gedi, creating a moral test of whether David will seize the throne by killing the LORD’s anointed king.

Key understandingExplore deeper

Keilah creates a striking leadership contrast: Saul neglects the Philistine threat while focusing on David, but David risks himself to save the city. The inquiries involving the ephod belong to Israel’s priestly covenant administration and provide direct answers in this historical setting. God’s statement about what the men of Keilah ‘will’ do describes a real conditional future that is avoided when David leaves; it demonstrates divine knowledge without requiring the event to occur.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Truth 1

David serves Israel’s interests even while the king of Israel persecutes him.

Truth 2

God’s guidance does not remove danger from David’s life; it directs him through danger.

Truth 3

Jonathan strengthens David’s hand in God and accepts that David will be king, again placing covenant loyalty above his own succession interests.

Truth 4

Saul repeatedly appears close to capturing David, yet providential events prevent him from succeeding.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Connection 1

Numbers 27 and other Torah passages show priestly inquiry associated with sacred means in Israel; David’s use of the ephod belongs to that covenant setting.

Connection 2

Psalm 54 is traditionally linked with the Ziphites informing Saul of David’s location and reflects trust in God amid betrayal.

Connection 3

1 Samuel 20 established Jonathan’s covenant with David; chapter 23 is their final recorded meeting and confirms Jonathan’s expectation that David will reign.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Keep this clear 1

Do not copy David’s ephod inquiries as a Christian method for obtaining private revelation. The practice belongs to Israel’s priestly administration in this period.

Keep this clear 2

God’s prediction that Keilah would surrender David is not falsified because David leaves. The warning concerns what would happen under the stated circumstances and becomes the means by which that outcome is avoided.

Keep this clear 3

David’s rescue of Keilah does not entitle him to the city’s unconditional loyalty; the chapter realistically shows how fear of Saul can shape human decisions.

Read 1 Samuel 23 watching for…

Why David hesitates before going to Keilah.

What the LORD says about the Philistines and Keilah.

What changes once Saul hears David is inside a walled city.

Jonathan’s words about David’s future kingship.

How the Ziphites assist Saul.

The event that finally forces Saul to stop pursuing David.

Chapter outline5 sections

1-6David inquires of the LORD and saves Keilah from the Philistines 7-13Saul plans to trap David in Keilah, but David escapes 14-18David stays in the wilderness, and Jonathan strengthens him in God 19-24The Ziphites report David’s location to Saul 25-29Saul nearly surrounds David but leaves when the Philistines invade

Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors.

Therefore David inquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the LORD said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah.

And David's men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?

Then David inquired of the LORD yet again. And the LORD answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand.

So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand.

And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said, God hath delivered him into mine hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars.

And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.

And David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod.

Then said David, O LORD God of Israel, thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake.

Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O LORD God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And the LORD said, He will come down.

Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the LORD said, They will deliver thee up.

Then David and his men, which were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbare to go forth.

And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand.

And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.

And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.

And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.

And they two made a covenant before the LORD: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.

Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon?

Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king's hand.

And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have compassion on me.

Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who hath seen him there: for it is told me that he dealeth very subtilly.

See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah.

And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the south of Jeshimon.

Saul also and his men went to seek him. And they told David: wherefore he came down into a rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.

And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them.

But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land.

Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Selahammahlekoth.

And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at Engedi.

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1 Samuel 23:17

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