1 Samuel 23 25

1 Samuel 23:25 kjv

Saul also and his men went to seek him. And they told David; wherefore he came down into a rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.

1 Samuel 23:25 nkjv

When Saul and his men went to seek him, they told David. Therefore he went down to the rock, and stayed in the Wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued David in the Wilderness of Maon.

1 Samuel 23:25 niv

Saul and his men began the search, and when David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Desert of Maon. When Saul heard this, he went into the Desert of Maon in pursuit of David.

1 Samuel 23:25 esv

And Saul and his men went to seek him. And David was told, so he went down to the rock and lived in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.

1 Samuel 23:25 nlt

When David heard that Saul and his men were searching for him, he went even farther into the wilderness to the great rock, and he remained there in the wilderness of Maon. But Saul kept after him in the wilderness.

1 Samuel 23 verses

1 Samuel 23 25 Meaning

This verse starkly portrays King Saul's unwavering, almost obsessive, pursuit of David into the rugged wilderness of Maon, indicating the profound peril David faced. It reveals David's constant vigilance and strategic movements, aided by his loyal informers, to evade capture by Saul and his heavily armed men. The setting on "the rock" foreshadows an imminent, dramatic climax.

1 Samuel 23 25 Context

Chapter 23 details a relentless period in David's life, marked by constant flight and divine guidance. It opens with David heroically rescuing Keilah from the Philistines. When God reveals that Saul plans to attack Keilah to seize David, David strategically flees with his men into strongholds in the wilderness. He continues to inquire of the Lord at every critical juncture for direction. Despite Jonathan's encouraging visit, Saul's determination to capture David intensifies. The Ziphites, local inhabitants, betray David's hiding place to Saul, setting the stage for Saul's vigorous pursuit described in this verse. This immediate context underscores David's perilous existence, highlighting Saul's escalating obsession and God's consistent intervention to protect His anointed, often through providential events or human intelligence, just moments before capture. This verse directly precedes the "Rock of Escapes" incident (1 Sam 23:26-28), where David narrowly evades Saul due to an urgent Philistine incursion.

1 Samuel 23 25 Word analysis

• And Saul and his men went to seek him:

  • Saul (שָׁאוּל - Sha'ul): Though his name means "asked" or "inquired," his actions here show a man consumed by self-will, seeking not God's will but David's life, a direct opposition to his royal duty.
  • seek (בָּקַשׁ - baqash): This Hebrew verb denotes a diligent, intensive, and determined search, highlighting Saul's active and relentless efforts, a consuming obsession.
  • his men: Emphasizes that Saul brought a trained, organized military force against David, highlighting the overwhelming odds against David, who only had a band of about 600 followers.

• And they told David:

  • told (הִגִּיד - higgid): Means "to declare, make known, report." This simple phrase highlights the crucial role of David's loyal network of informants, who risked their lives to provide him with vital intelligence about Saul's movements, a clear act of divine providence working through human agency.

• and he came down to the rock:

  • came down (יָרַד - yarad): Often implies a strategic descent, suggesting David moved from higher ground or a specific hideout to a naturally defensible position.
  • the rock (הַסֶּלַע - hassela'): Refers to a prominent, specific large rock or cliff, a geological feature that served as a known, perhaps temporarily secure, refuge. This 'rock' becomes famous in the very next verse as "Sela Hamahlekoth," "The Rock of Escapes," due to the miraculous intervention there.

• and stayed in the wilderness of Maon:

  • stayed (וַיֵּשֶׁב - vayyeshev): Means "he sat down" or "dwelt temporarily," indicating David's precarious, constantly mobile state where any "dwelling" was transient and opportunistic.
  • wilderness of Maon (מִדְבַּר מָעוֹן - midbar Ma'on): Midbar does not always imply a desolate desert, but often rugged, uncultivated, mountainous terrain suitable for pasturing. Maon means "dwelling place" or "habitation." The irony of seeking "habitation" in a "wilderness" underscores David's desperate plight, yet it was precisely this type of terrain that offered him crucial concealment as a shepherd-warrior familiar with such environments.

• And when Saul heard that:

  • heard (וַיִּגְמַר - vayyigmor, actually more accurately, and most translations would say 'he was told'): Indicates that Saul received specific intelligence, likely from the treacherous Ziphites mentioned earlier in the chapter, confirming David's latest location and enabling his renewed pursuit.

• he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon:

  • pursued (רָדַף - radaf): Signifies a vigorous, hot chase, reinforcing Saul's unyielding commitment to capture and kill David. The repetition of the action (from "seek") emphasizes the narrative's central tension: the hunter closing in on his prey, setting the stage for imminent danger.

1 Samuel 23 25 Bonus section

• This verse provides the immediate setting for "Sela Hamahlekoth" (1 Sam 23:28), "The Rock of Escapes" or "The Rock of Divisions," named after the remarkable event where David was "divided" from Saul's grasp. This illustrates God's perfect timing and unexpected means of deliverance.
• The continuous flight and pursuit endured by David were a period of intense training and reliance on God, forging his character as a king and deeply informing many of his psalms that express trust in God amidst great tribulation.
• The contrast between Saul's frantic, human-driven pursuit and David's steady reliance on inquiring of the Lord (seen throughout Chapter 23) underscores a central biblical theme: true security and victory come from God, not from human strength or strategy apart from Him.

1 Samuel 23 25 Commentary

1 Samuel 23:25 succinctly encapsulates the intense cat-and-mouse game between David and Saul. Saul's pathological jealousy, fueled by defiance of God's anointing, drove him to invest significant resources and personal effort in hunting David. This verse reveals David's survival relied not only on his cunning and mobility but profoundly on the loyalty of his network of supporters and, most critically, on divine protection. Despite being pursued by a king with an army, David consistently receives crucial information that allows him to move just ahead of his pursuer. The specific mention of "the rock" is prophetic, as it is precisely at this point of dire proximity that God miraculously intervenes, demonstrating that even when human efforts fail and capture seems inevitable, God's providential hand can deliver. It serves as a powerful biblical illustration of the futility of human malevolence against the divine will and God's unwavering commitment to His chosen ones.