Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Samuel 23:13
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 forbore to go forth.
Which were about six hundred; two hundred being added to his former number, 1Sa 22:2, upon his last and great success against the Philistines.
Whithersoever they could go; hither or thither, where they could find refuge, or a hiding-place.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Then David and his men, [which were] about six hundred,…. Having had an increase of two hundred since he was at the cave of Adullam, 1Sa 22:1, and upon his relief of Keilah, 1Sa 23:5; so that he sustained no loss of men by fighting with the Philistines, but had an addition to his small forces:
arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go; not knowing whither they should go, having no particular place in view; but went where they thought they could be safest, or that appeared the most proper place for them; so the Targum,
“they went to a place which was fit to go unto;”
which was fittest for their purpose, and most for their safety and security, be it where it would:
and it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; very likely some of the inhabitants informed him of it, since they were disposed to deliver David to him, had he stayed among them, and Saul had come down:
and he forbore to go forth: from the place where he was, in order to come to Keilah,
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Last Meeting with Jonathan, vs. 13-18
So David and his men, now grown in number to six hundred, escaped out of Keilah and wandered rather aimlessly around the tribe of Judah, wherever he could find refuge. When Saul learned that David had gotten away from Keilah he made no further effort to go there. David and his men mostly remained in the wilderness area of Judah, coming eventually to the wilderness of Ziph.
Ziph is to be located a small distance slightly southeast of Hebron, towards the dead Sea and the rocky caves of En-gedi. Ziph was a small town in the allotment of territory to Caleb (see 1Ch 2:42). It was surrounded by wilderness country, covered with trees.
Here in this place Jonathan came seeking David, and the two men met for the last time in their mortal bodies. While Saul was diligently attempting to take David and not succeeding, it seems that Jonathan knew where to find him. The older prince and the younger anointed of the Lord understood one another. Jonathan sought to encourage David, telling him to have no fear of Saul, for in time he would certainly be king of Israel and Jonathan would be his prime minister. This, Jonathan said, his father, Saul, was well aware of. The two emphasized the covenant between them for the third time (see 1Sa 18:3 ff; 1Sa 20:14-17).
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
CRITICAL AND EXPOSITORY NOTES
1Sa. 23:13. They went whithersoever, etc. Lit. They wandered about where they wandered about, i.e., wherever they could go without danger. (Keil.)
1Sa. 23:14. Wilderness of Ziph. A mountainous and sequestered region was generally called a wilderness, and took its name from some large town in the district. Two miles southeast of Hebron, and in the midst of a level plain, is Tell Ziph, an isolated and conical hillock, about one hundred feet high, probably the acropolis (Van de Velde), or the ruins (Robinson) of the ancient city of Ziph, from which the surrounding wilderness was called. It seems, anciently, to have been covered by an extensive wood. (Jamieson.) Every day. Either as long as he lived (Keil), or continually. (Erdmann.)
1Sa. 23:16. Strengthened his hand, etc. By the recollection of the Divine promises, and of their mutual covenant. (Jamieson.)
1Sa. 23:17. Saul, my father, knoweth. The assurance of this must have forced itself involuntarily upon the mind of Saul, both from his own rejection, as foretold by Samuel, and also from the marvellous success of David in all his undertakings. (Keil.)
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.1Sa. 23:13-18
JONATHANS VISIT TO DAVID IN THE WILDERNESS OF ZIPH
We have here
I. A man in the sorest need of human friendship. It is scarcely possible to exaggerate the need in which David stood at this time of human sympathy. It has been often said that nothing gives a human spirit so much pain as ingratitude, and David was now proving how ungrateful men can be when prompted by motives of self-interest. He had just saved the inhabitants of Keilah from a great calamity, and if he looked for some active proof of their good will on his behalf, it was certainly not expecting very much. He might have reasonably counted on their help when his hour of need came; and when he became aware that this would not be given he would have hardly thought it possible for them to go beyond a cowardly neutrality. But the Divine oracle had assured him that these base specimens of humanity were prepared to deliver him up into the hands of the king at his command. Such an experience as this tests to the utmost a mans faith in humanity, and more than anything else tends to harden the heart and embitter the spirit. And when it has this effect, it does not bring the soul nearer to God. A true and tender human friend at such a time will often make it easier for a man to believe in Divine faithfulness and compassion, and form the link between a broken spirit and the Great Healer. David evidently needed such a friend at this moment.
II. A friend fully equal to the needs of friendship. If the treachery of the men of Keilah was sufficient almost to destroy Davids faith in his fellow-men, the stedfastness of Jonathan was a more weighty influence on the other side. A feebler friendship might have satisfied itself with the remembrance of having given proofs of love in the past, or at least with sending to David an assurance of present sympathy; but Jonathans self-sacrificing love embraced every occasion of serving his friend to the utmost of his power, and hence he is found in person in the wilderness with the outlaw whom his father seeks, and cheers David by putting him in mind of the declared purpose of God concerning him, although it included his own loss of worldly power and influence. When David received this new assurance of his friends unselfish and undying regard, it must surely have driven away all the mistrust in God which was making him fear; for if a man of like passions with himself would be thus true to his plighted word, he would not dare to harbour the thought that Jonathans God and his own God would fail him.
OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS
1Sa. 23:16. The distinguishing power of a true man. What is the distinguishing power which a true man has? To destroy life? Brutes can do this. To weaken faith, and shake confidence? A child can do this. What then? To strengthen a brothers heart in God! But how can a true man strengthen a depressed brother thus? First: By a truthful exposition of Gods method of governing the fallen in this world. The gospel unfolds that method; shows that it is to the true corrective, not penal; remedial, not destructive; introductory, not final Secondly: By a practical expression of genuine sympathy. Nothing in the world is more strengthening to a tried soul than the practical manifestation of true sympathy. One breath of it infuses new life to the soulenergizes the heart. Thirdly: By a devout intercession with heaven. Paul prayed that the Ephesians might be strengthened with all might in the inner man. The highest function of a true friend. It is one thing to have the power to strengthen, and another thing to use it when and where required. He who uses it is the truest friend. Jonathan proved his friendship to David by tracking him out in the lonely wood, and there, in the depths of solitude, in the sanctuary of wild, majestic nature, in-breathing invigorating thoughts about God. Let us, in imagination, go into this wood and see Jonathan acting the friend. He meets David, with a heavy gloom upon his brow, only able to speak in sighs and tears. First, perhaps, Jonathan makes a few consolatory remarks about the great providence of God. Then, secondly, perhaps he refers him to the trials of good men who have passed awayAbraham and Jacob, Moses and Samuel. Then, thirdly, perhaps he reminds him of the past kindness of God to him as an individual. And then perhaps he kneels down under the shadow of some old tree and prays with him and for him. This is the way to strengthen souls, and he is the true man who acts thus.Dr. David Thomas.
1Sa. 23:17. It was doubtless well ordered by Gods good providence that Jonathans noble sentiments were not subjected to the unnatural strain of such a situation, but that he died a soldiers death, fighting gallantly for his country, before anything had happened to disturb the perfect beauty of his friendship for David.Biblical Commentary.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
(13) Which were about six hundred.This is the only note we have in this part of the narrative of the rapid increase of the number of men-at-arms who joined David.
Whithersoever they could.That is, the armed camp of David was pitched without any fixed plan or aim. Probably the force was marched in the direction of any Philistine raid, and it carried on thus on behalf of Israel a perpetual border warfare.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
1Sa 23:13 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.
Ver. 13. Which were about six hundred. ] Not four hundred only, as Josephus here misreckoneth. Indeed, they were but four hundred, 1Sa 22:2 but now they are become more. Persecution doth not diminish, but increase the number of good people. The lily grows and spreads by the juice that floweth from itself: a so the Church. Plures efficimur quoties metimur, saith Tertullian.
And went whithersoever they could go.
a Plin.
b Scultet., Annal., p. 28.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
six hundred: 1Sa 22:2, 1Sa 25:13, 1Sa 30:9, 1Sa 30:10
Reciprocal: 2Sa 15:20 – seeing
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Sa 23:13-14. Which were about six hundred His forces were increased two hundred since his famous victory over the Philistines at Keilah. Whithersoever they could go To the first convenient place of safety to which a way lay open. In the wilderness of Ziph A mountainous wilderness, within the precincts of the tribe of Judah, and upon the confines of Edom, Jos 15:2. It was not far from Maon and Carmel, 1Sa 23:25, 1Sa 25:5. God delivered him not into his hand Saul confidently pronounced, when he found David had entered into Keilah, that God had delivered him into his hand. And, therefore, to show the vanity of that ill-grounded confidence, the sacred writer makes use of the very same expression reversed, and declares God delivered him not into his hand, though Saul sought him every day.