Bible Strands
1 Samuel 24:1
After Saul had returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Saul halts his campaign against the Philistines after receiving a report that David has taken refuge in the wilderness of En-gedi. This intelligence immediately prompts Saul to mobilize three thousand chosen men to hunt him in the rocky terrain.
The words — The narrative hinges on שָׁב (shav), meaning “he returned,” which marks Saul’s abrupt cessation of the Philistine campaign, and וַ/יַּגִּ֤דוּ (va/i.ya.Gi.du), meaning “and people told,” which introduces the intelligence report that redirects his military focus.
The thread — This interruption of Saul’s campaign echoes 1 Samuel 23:28, where he similarly breaks off his pursuit of David to confront the Philistines at Sela-hammahlek. The pattern of informants directing royal attention to David’s hiding places also appears in 1 Samuel 23:19, where the Ziphites report his location to Saul at Gibeah.
Why it lands — The verse requires the reader to note that human intelligence and royal pursuit operate independently of divine boundaries, as Saul’s redirected military force immediately targets a hidden man. It demands tracking how temporary distractions in leadership create tactical openings for the hunted to survive.
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 it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of En–gedi.
Cross-references
- 1 Samuel 23:28 So Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to meet the Philistines. That is why that place is called Sela-hammahlekoth.
- 1 Samuel 23:19 Then the Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah south of Jeshimon?
- Proverbs 25:5 Remove the wicked from the king’s presence, and his throne will be established in righteousness.
- Proverbs 29:12 If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials will be wicked.
- Ezekiel 22:9 Among you are slanderous men bent on bloodshed; within you are those who eat on the mountain shrines and commit acts of indecency.
- Hosea 7:3 They delight the king with their evil, and the princes with their lies.