A Providential Invasion

David has been hiding in the Wilderness of Ziph, near the town of Ziph in southeastern Judah (vv. 14–15). Now the Ziphites go to Saul, report David’s location, and invite him to come down in force, promising to deliver David to him. This is a stunning betrayal, as Matthew Henry explains: “They had reason to think themselves happy that they had an opportunity of serving one who was the ornament of their tribe and was likely to be much more so, who was so far from plundering the country, or giving it any disturbance with his troops, that he was ready to protect it and do them all the good offices that there was occasion for. But, to ingratiate themselves with Saul, they went to him….”

Saul, of course, is ecstatic about this offer, and does indeed praise the Ziphites effusively. To his faulty way of thinking, the Ziphites are “blessed … of the Lord” for having “compassion” on him and betraying David to him. But Saul declines to come at once, knowing that David is ” ‘very crafty’ ” and will simply flee if he notes the approach of a large force. Instead, Saul asks that the Ziphites ascertain David’s exact location so that he can make a lightning strike, taking David unawares. These plans fall through, however, when David learns of Saul’s scheme and withdraws to the Wilderness of Maon. Nevertheless, Saul comes after him and soon has David in a difficult spot. A single mountain separates the hunter from his quarry, and Saul does his best to encircle the fleeing David.

Then divine providence intervenes in an unexpected way. Saul is informed that the Philistines have invaded Israel. Apparently the threat is great, for Saul immediately breaks off his pursuit of David in order to serve the national interest. “When the Philistines invaded the land they were far from intending any kindness to David by it, yet the overruling providence of God, which orders all events and the times of them, made it very serviceable to him,” Henry writes. “The wisdom of God is never at a loss for ways and means to preserve His people.”

After this narrow escape, the place where Saul abandons his pursuit is memorialized with the name “the Rock of Escape.” David then moves on to En Gedi, an oasis at the Dead Sea. It may be there that he writes Psalms 54 and 62, praising God for this latest deliverance.