Discovery Box1 Samuel 23:14-24
Context23:14 David stayed in the strongholds that were in the desert and in the hill country of the desert of Ziph. Saul looked for him all the time, 1 but God did not deliver David 2 into his hand. 23:15 David realized 3 that Saul had come out to seek his life; at that time David was in Horesh in the desert of Ziph.
23:16 Then Jonathan son of Saul left and went to David at Horesh. He encouraged him 4 through God. 23:17 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.” 23:18 When the two of them had made a covenant before the Lord, David stayed on at Horesh, but Jonathan went to his house.
23:19 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? 23:20 Now at your own discretion, 5 O king, come down. Delivering him into the king’s hand will be our responsibility.”
23:21 Saul replied, “May you be blessed by the Lord, for you have had compassion on me. 23:22 Go and make further arrangements. Determine precisely 6 where he is 7 and who has seen him there, for I am told that he is extremely cunning. 23:23 Locate precisely all the places where he hides and return to me with dependable information. 8 Then I will go with you. If he is in the land, I will find him 9 among all the thousands of Judah.”
23:24 So they left and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the desert of Maon, in the Arabah to the south of Jeshimon.
[23:14] 1 tn Heb “all the days.”
[23:14] 2 tn Heb “him”; the referent (David) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[23:16] 5 tn Heb “strengthened his hand.”
[23:20] 7 tn Heb “to all the desire of your soul.”
[23:22] 9 tn Heb “know and see.” The expression is a hendiadys. See also v. 23.
[23:22] 10 tn Heb “his place where his foot is.”
