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 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, arose and departed from Keilah and went wherever they could go. Then it was told Saul that David had escaped from Keilah; so he halted the expedition. 14And David stayed in strongholds in the wilderness, and remained in the mountains in the Wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but God did not deliver him into his hand. So David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. And David was in the Wilderness of Ziph in a forest. 16Then Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David in the woods and strengthened his hand in God. 17And he said to him, “Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Even my father Saul knows that.”

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 command Joshua, and encourage him and strengthen him; for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which you will see.’
• Nehemiah 2:18And I told them of the hand of my God which had been good upon me, and also of the king’s words that he had spoken to me. So they said, “Let us rise up and build.” Then they set their hands to this good work.
• Job 4:3Surely you have instructed many, And you have strengthened weak hands.
• Job 16:5But I would strengthen you with my mouth, And the comfort of my lips would relieve your grief.
• Proverbs 27:9Ointment and perfume delight the heart, And the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by hearty counsel.
• Ecclesiastes 4:9Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor.
• Isaiah 35:3Strengthen the weak hands, And make firm the feeble knees.
• Ezekiel 13:22“Because with lies you have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and you have strengthened the hands of the wicked, so that he does not turn from his wicked way to save his life.
• Luke 22:32But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”
• Ephesians 6:10Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
• 2 Timothy 2:1You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
• Hebrews 12:12Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble 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