1 Samuel 23:15

1 Samuel 23:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.
• New International Version (NIV)While David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he learned that Saul had come out to take his life.
• English Standard Version (ESV)David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. And David was in the Wilderness of Ziph in a forest.

Context of 1 Samuel 23:15

13So David and his 600 men left Keilah. They moved around to stay in different places. People told Saul that David had escaped from Keilah. So Saul decided that he would not go there. 14David stayed in places where he would be safe. They were in the desert, and in the hill country of Ziph. Saul always tried to find David. But God did not let Saul catch David. David was at Horesh in the Ziph Desert. He heard news that Saul was coming there to kill him. 16Saul's son, Jonathan, went to visit David at Horesh. He told David to be brave, because God would keep him safe. 17Jonathan said to David, ‘Do not be afraid. My father will never be able to hurt you. You will be the next king to rule over Israel. I will be your most important officer. My father Saul also knows that is true.’

1 Samuel 23:15 word by word

וַיַּ֣רְא דָוִ֔ד כִּֽי־יָצָ֥א שָׁא֖וּל לְבַקֵּ֣שׁ אֶת־נַפְשׁ֑וֹ וְדָוִ֥ד בְּמִדְבַּר־זִ֖יף בַּחֹֽרְשָׁה׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• that Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
• was come outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
• to seekבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
• his lifeנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315
• in the wildernessמִדְבָּרmidbâr · wildernessH4057
• of Ziphזִיףzîyph · ZiphH2128
• in a woodחֹ֫רֶשׁchôresh · HoreshH2793

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 23:15

• Deuteronomy 3:28Now you must tell Joshua what to do. Tell him to be brave and strong. He will lead my people across the river into the land that you see. He will help them to take the land for themselves.’
• Nehemiah 2:18I told the people how God had helped me to come to Jerusalem. I told them what the king had said to me. Then the people said, ‘We will start to build now!’ The people prepared to start this good work.
• Job 4:3Listen! You have taught many people. You have helped weak people to be strong.
• Job 16:5But, instead, I would help you to be strong. I would say things to comfort you.
• Proverbs 27:9Beautiful oil and perfume may give you joy. But good advice from a friend is even better.
• Ecclesiastes 4:9Two people who work together are better than one person who works alone. They can help each other to work well.
• Isaiah 35:3If your hands feel weak, now be strong! If your knees are shaking, now be brave!
• Ezekiel 13:22You have used lies to make righteous people stop being strong. But I did not want to hurt those people. You have also helped wicked people to continue to do evil things. You did not want them to change and save their lives.
• Luke 22:32But I have prayed for you, Simon, that you will continue to believe in me. And this is what you must do: When you have turned back to me, you must help your brothers to be strong again.’
• Ephesians 6:10At the end of my letter, I want to say this to you: Be united with the Lord, so that you are strong. Then his great power will help you.
• 2 Timothy 2:1Timothy, you are like my own child. Let God make you strong. He is kind, so trust him to help you, because you belong to Christ Jesus.
• Hebrews 12:12So be strong as servants of God! If your hands feel weak, lift them up! If your knees are not strong, stand up straight!

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 23:15

• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-18Verses 14-18 David made no attempt against Saul; he kept God's way, waited God's time, and was content to secure himself in woods and wildernesses. Let it make us think the worse of this world, which often gives such bad treatment to its best men: let it make us long for that kingdom where goodness shall for ever be in glory, and holiness in honour. We find Jonathan comforting David. As a pious friend, he directed him to God, the Foundation of his…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-29Because Saul received reports from informants, he was able to continue pursuing David (1 Samuel 23:7,13). David also had informants, which helped him stay ahead of Saul (1 Samuel 23:1, 9, 15, 25). David’s greatest advantage was that he could seek guidance and help from God, which Saul did not have (1 Samuel 23:2, 4, 12).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 14-1514-15. David abode in the 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 a 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…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 23:15

• David
• Malice
• Ziph

In the dictionaries

• David
• Saul
• Paul, Saul
• Forest
• Keilah
• Town
• Horesh
• Samuel, Books of
• Ziph (1)
• Hachilah, the Hill

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings