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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)One day near Horesh, David received the news that Saul was on the way to Ziph to search for him and kill him.

Context of 1 Samuel 23:15

13So David and his men, about six hundred in number, left Keilah and kept moving from place to place. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he did not go there. 14David stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God did not give David into his hands. While David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he learned that Saul had come out to take his life. 16And Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God. 17“Don’t be afraid,” he said. “My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. 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 3:28But commission Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he will lead this people across and will cause them to inherit the land that you will see.”
• Nehemiah 2:18I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me. They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work.
• Job 4:3Think how you have instructed many, how you have strengthened feeble hands.
• Job 16:5But my mouth would encourage you; comfort from my lips would bring you relief.
• Proverbs 27:9Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice.
• Ecclesiastes 4:9Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor:
• Isaiah 35:3Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way;
• Ezekiel 13:22Because you disheartened the righteous with your lies, when I had brought them no grief, and because you encouraged the wicked not to turn from their evil ways and so save their lives,
• Luke 22:32But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
• Ephesians 6:10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
• 2 Timothy 2:1You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
• Hebrews 12:12Therefore, strengthen your feeble 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
• Forest
• Keilah
• Town
• Horesh
• Samuel, Books of
• Ziph (1)
• Hachilah, the Hill
• Ziph

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