1 Samuel 23 explained: David on the Run, Saul Close Behind

David rescues Keilah (vv. 1-6)

Philistine raiders were stealing a town's harvest from the open grounds where grain was threshed. David, though an outlaw himself, asks God twice whether to help, the second time to reassure his frightened men, and then wins.

The priest and the ephod (v. 6)

The ephod was a priest's special garment, likely holding sacred lots used to get yes or no answers from God. The priest Abiathar brought it when he fled to David after Saul had the priests of his town killed.

Saul sees a trap (vv. 7-8)

Instead of thanking David, Saul sees a chance to corner him inside a walled town. He even claims God is on his side and gathers troops for a siege.

The town would hand him over (vv. 9-13)

Through the priest, David asks whether Saul will come and whether Keilah's people will surrender him, and the answer to both is yes. So the town he just saved would give him up to protect itself, and David leaves with about 600 men.

Jonathan's visit (vv. 14-18)

Saul searches every day without success, and his son Jonathan goes to David at Horesh to strengthen his trust in God. Jonathan, the natural heir to the throne, says David will be king and he will be second, and the two make a sworn pact before God.

Betrayal and escape at Maon (vv. 19-29)

People from Ziph offer to hand David over, and Saul's men nearly surround him on the far side of a mountain until news of a Philistine raid forces Saul to turn back. The place name probably means something like "rock of parting" or "rock of escape," though scholars are unsure, and David moves on to the cave-filled cliffs of En Gedi by the Dead Sea.

Key verse: 1 Samuel 23:14

Something to think about

What do you think makes one person stay loyal to a friend when it costs them, while others side with whoever seems stronger?