Bible Commentaries
1 Samuel 23

Verse 1

Behold . Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6 .

Verse 2

the LORD . Hebrew. Jehovah . App-4 .

Verse 3

men . Hebrew. 'enosh. App-14 .

Verse 4

hand . Some codices, with one early printed edition, Septuagint, and Syriac, read "hands".

Verse 6

fled. Compare 1 Samuel 22:20 . This verse is the Figure of speech Hysteresis. App-6 .

Verse 7

God . Hebrew. Elohim . App-4 .

delivered . Hebrew. nakar. A homonym. Compare Deuteronomy 32:27 , "behave strangely"; Job 34:19 , regard or acknowledge. Here = to deliver.

Verse 9

secretly practised = contrived.

Verse 11

men = masters, or lords. Hebrew. ba ' alim.

as = according as.

Verse 14

mountain = hill country.

Verse 15

life = soul. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13 .

Verse 18

covenant . Some codices, with two early printed editions, add "in a wood".

Verse 19

the Ziphites . See Psalms 51:1 .

Verse 20

soul. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13 .

Verse 22

prepare . Some codices, with two early printed editions, read "and prepare".

haunt = track, or trail.

Verse 23

take knowledge of = get to know.

Verse 24

the wilderness = a wild forest or park-like country. Carmel of Judah. Not Carmel of Manasseh.

Verse 25

seek him . Some codices, with one early printed edition (margin), read "seek David".

into a rock = from the rock.

Verse 26

Saul . Some codices, with one early printed edition (margin), add "and his men".

for fear of Saul = from the face of Saul.

Verse 28

Sela-hammahlekoth = the cliff of divisions or separations. Now Wady Malaky, where two forces could be inaccessible the one to the other, and yet within sight and hearing.