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 men, about six hundred in all, left Keilah. They went wherever they could go. Then Saul was told, “David has escaped from Keilah!” So he gave up the campaign. 14David lived in fortified camps in the desert, and he lived in fortified camps in the mountains of the desert of Ziph. Saul was always searching for him, but God didn’t let him capture David. David was afraid because Saul had come to kill him at Horesh in the desert of Ziph. 16Saul’s son Jonathan came to David at Horesh. He strengthened David’s ⌞faith⌟ in the Lord. 17“Don’t be afraid,” he told David, “my father Saul won’t find you. You will rule Israel, and I will be your second-in-command. Even my father Saul knows this.”

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 3:28Give instructions to Joshua. Encourage and strengthen him, because he will lead these people across ⌞the Jordan River⌟, and he will help them take possession of the land you see.”
• Nehemiah 2:18Then I told them that my God had been guiding me and what the king had told me. They replied, “Let’s begin to rebuild.” So they encouraged one another to begin this God-pleasing work.
• Job 4:3Certainly, you have instructed many people: When hands were weak, you made them strong.
• Job 16:5I could encourage you with my mouth, and my quivering lips could ease ⌞your pain⌟.
• Proverbs 27:9Perfume and incense make the heart glad, but the sweetness of a friend is a fragrant forest.
• Ecclesiastes 4:9Two people are better than one because ⌞together⌟ they have a good reward for their hard work.
• Isaiah 35:3Strengthen limp hands. Steady weak knees.
• Ezekiel 13:22You have discouraged righteous people with your lies, even though I hadn’t brought them any grief. You encouraged wicked people not to turn from their wicked ways to save their lives.
• Luke 22:32But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith will not fail. So when you recover, strengthen the other disciples.”
• Ephesians 6:10Finally, receive your power from the Lord and from his mighty strength.
• 2 Timothy 2:1My child, find your source of strength in the kindness of Christ Jesus.
• Hebrews 12:12Strengthen your tired arms and weak knees.

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