Bible Strands
1 Samuel 23:26
Saul was proceeding along one side of the mountain, and David and his men along the other side. Even though David was hurrying to get away, Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator describes Saul’s pursuit of David in the Wilderness of Maon, positioning both armies on opposite sides of a mountain ridge as the chase reaches its climax.
The words — מִ/צַּ֤ד (mi./Tzad) literally means “from [the] side of,” marking the parallel routes that frame the encounter. מִ/זֶּ֔ה (mi./Zeh) translates “from this,” distinguishing Saul’s advance from David’s retreat.
The thread — The pattern of hostile forces closing in to capture appears in Psalms 17:9, while the broader flight narrative parallels the escape accounts in 1 Samuel 19:12 and 1 Samuel 20:38.
Why it lands — The text records the factual near-capture of David before an external military threat interrupts the pursuit, requiring the reader to track the sequential movement of both camps without adding narrative resolution.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them.
Cross-references
- Psalms 17:9 from the wicked who assail me, from my mortal enemies who surround me.
- 1 Samuel 19:12 So Michal lowered David from the window, and he ran away and escaped.
- 1 Samuel 20:38 Then Jonathan cried out, “Hurry! Make haste! Do not delay!” So the boy picked up the arrow and returned to his master.
- 2 Samuel 15:14 And David said to all the servants with him in Jerusalem, “Arise and let us flee, or we will not escape from Absalom! We must leave quickly, or he will soon overtake us, heap disaster on us, and put the city to the sword.”
- 2 Samuel 17:21 After the men had gone, Ahimaaz and Jonathan climbed up out of the well and went to inform King David, saying, “Get up and cross over the river at once, for Ahithophel has given this advice against you.”
- 2 Chronicles 20:12 Our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this vast army that comes against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”
- Psalms 17:11 They have tracked us down, and now surround us; their eyes are set to cast us to the ground,
- Psalms 22:12 Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
- Psalms 22:16 For dogs surround me; a band of evil men encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet.
- Psalms 31:22 In my alarm I said, “I am cut off from Your sight!” But You heard my plea for mercy when I called to You for help.