And they told David, saying: ‘Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and they rob the threshing-floors.’
verse value 3190
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 50 letters. The shortest word is "they" (הִנֵּ֤ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·threshing-floors" (אֶת־הַגֳּרָנֽוֹת, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "against·Keilah" (בִּקְעִילָ֔ה), "spoiling" (שֹׁסִ֥ים), "the·threshing-floors" (אֶת־הַגֳּרָנֽוֹת). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "saying" (root אמר, 418x in I Samuel); "of·David" (root דוד, 262x in I Samuel); "Philistines" (root פלשתי, 124x in I Samuel). First appearance of the root קעילה ("against·Keilah") in I Samuel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'saying', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 7 words. Full calculation: וַיַּגִּ֥דוּ [and·they·told] (29) + לְדָוִ֖ד [of·David] (44) + לֵאמֹ֑ר [saying] (271) + הִנֵּ֤ה [they] (60) + פְלִשְׁתִּים֙ [Philistines] (860) + נִלְחָמִ֣ים [fighting] (178) + בִּקְעִילָ֔ה [against·Keilah] (217) + וְהֵ֖מָּה [and·they] (56) + שֹׁסִ֥ים [spoiling] (410) + אֶת־הַגֳּרָנֽוֹת [the·threshing-floors] (1065) = 3190.
Radak
"They are spoiling." [That is,] plundering — like "this is the portion of them that spoil us."
Metzudat Zion
Plunderers. Robbers, similarly (Psalms 44:11): 'and those who hate us plunder for themselves'.
Malbim
"They are fighting in Keilah, and they are destroying." Our Sages of blessed memory stated in Eruvin that they came only for matters of straw and chaff. And since it was on the Sabbath day, only in a city adjacent to the border, even if they came for nothing but straw and chaff, one may desecrate the Sabbath. It appears that this was derived from what is written: "They are fighting in Keilah." There is a difference between one who fights in a city and one who fights against a city. One who fights against a city seeks to conquer the wall, whereas one who fights in a city enters its boundary and fights with its inhabitants. I have already explained this (in Joshua, section 10). According to this, from the statement "They are fighting in Keilah," and not "They are fighting against Keilah," it is clear that they did not come to conquer the wall. There is also a difference between one who plunders and one who destroys. The one who plunders takes for his own benefit, whereas the one who destroys intends only to ruin. (I have explained this in the commentary on Isaiah, sections 17 and 42, and elsewhere.) According to this, from the statement "and they are destroying," and not "and they are plundering," it is clear that there was no grain or fruit there for them to take for their needs, but only straw and chaff, which they came to trample and destroy.
Therefore David inquired of Hashem, saying: ‘Shall I go and smite these Philistines?’ And Hashem said to David: ‘Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah.’
verse value 5154
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 79 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֜ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "go" (לֵ֚ךְ, 2 letters) and the longest is "against·the·Philistines" (בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 862: against·the·Philistines, against·the·Philistines. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "shall·I·go" (הַאֵלֵ֣ךְ), "and·I·will·strike" (וְהִכֵּ֔יתִי), "and·you·shall·strike" (וְהִכִּ֣יתָ). The root יהוה appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "saying" (root אמר, 418x in I Samuel); "in·Hashem" (root יהוה, 316x in I Samuel); "David" (root דוד, 262x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'these', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 8 words.
Radak
"And David inquired of the Lord." At the conclusion of the matter, it explains in what he inquired, namely, that it says, "And it came to pass, as Ahimelech's son Abiathar fled, that he came down with the ephod in his hand."
And David’s men said to him: ‘Behold, we are afraid here in Judah; how much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?’
verse value 3287
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 64 letters. The shortest word is "here" (פֹ֛ה, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·ranks" (אֶל־מַעַרְכ֖וֹת, 8 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "in·Judah" (בִּיהוּדָ֖ה), "afraid" (יְרֵאִ֑ים), "if·we·go" (כִּֽי־נֵלֵ֣ךְ). 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·they·said" (root אמר, 418x in I Samuel); "David" (root דוד, 262x in I Samuel); "to·ranks" (root איל, 238x in I Samuel). First appearance of the root ילך ("if·we·go") in I Samuel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'afraid', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 5 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּ [and·they·said] (263) + אַנְשֵׁ֤י [man] (361) + דָוִד֙ [David] (14) + אֵלָ֔יו [to·him] (47) + הִנֵּ֨ה [they] (60) + אֲנַ֥חְנוּ [we] (115) + פֹ֛ה [here] (85) + בִּיהוּדָ֖ה [in·Judah] (32) + יְרֵאִ֑ים [afraid] (261) + וְאַף֙ [and·how·much·more] (87) + כִּֽי־נֵלֵ֣ךְ [if·we·go] (130) + קְעִלָ֔ה [Keilah] (205) + אֶל־מַעַרְכ֖וֹת [to·ranks] (767) + פְּלִשְׁתִּֽים [Philistines] (860) = 3287.
Radak
"Here in Judah we are afraid." Behold, we are among the children of Israel and we are in danger because of Saul; and shall we put ourselves in yet greater danger among the Philistines? And because of their words David asked again — not for his own sake, for the first time he was confident, but for his men's sake he asked again; and when his men saw that God had given assurance twice, they went with him.
Ralbag
Behold, we are here in Judah, fearful. This means that even though we are among the people of Judah, we are afraid because of Saul; and how can we add to our fear the fear of the armies of the Philistines? And behold, David inquired of God again on behalf of his men. As for the repetition of the oracle, the men of David believed in him only after this, whereas David had believed in him from the beginning. And it is possible to say—and this is the correct interpretation according to what I consider—that the first wording was ambiguous, and it could already be understood that if he went and struck the Philistines, behold, he would save Keilah, not by any other means, but this statement did not contain a promise that he would strike the Philistines. Therefore, the men of David feared to go down to Keilah. Do you not see what happened to Israel in the matter of the concubine in Gibeah? The evil that befell Israel was due to the ambiguity in the wording when they inquired of God, because they did not scrutinize it carefully. And therefore David agreed to inquire of God a second time regarding this matter, and the wording came to him without any ambiguity: that he should go down to Keilah, and the Lord will give the Philistines into his hand.
Metzudat David
"In Judah." When we are among the men of your tribe, we are afraid, and all the more so when we go to Keilah.
Metzudat Zion
And moreover. It is a matter of 'all the more so' and 'a fortiori,' similarly (Ezekiel 15:5) 'how much more when fire'.
The companies. Men of war are called so, when they are arranged and ordered to fight.
Malbim
The questions: Why did David’s men not rely on the answer of the Lord, who said to him, “Go and strike the Philistines”? And furthermore, why did they believe the words of the second Urim and Thummim?
And the men of David said: “Behold, there is a lack of trust in the matter of the Lord, who had told him that he would strike the Philistines.” This contains two reasons:
1. The Lord said to him, “You shall strike the Philistines and deliver Keilah.” There is a distinction in the action of “striking” when it comes to conquering in war, depending on whether it is connected with the letter bet or with et. If it had said, “And you shall strike et the Philistines,” it would imply striking all of them, for “strike et” always indicates this, as in “He who strikes et Midian” and similar expressions. But “striking in them” indicates that he does not kill all of them, only some of them. (And usually the number is specified as to how many he struck among them, or it is said, “and he struck them with a great blow,” and similar expressions.) Now, David asked, “Shall I strike in the Philistines?” meaning only some of them, namely those who came against Keilah, who were only a portion of the Philistines. And so the Lord answered that he should strike this portion and deliver Keilah. Nevertheless, there is a concern that afterward they will gather together again and strike the men of David.
2. He did not tell him that He would give them into his hand through a miracle, as was stated the second time, but only told him to strike them through the way of war. And He did not clarify to him that he should dwell securely in Keilah. Therefore, they were afraid and said, “Behold, we are here.” This means: Are we not here in a place of two advantages? 1. We are here alone, with no enemy or ambush. 2. In Judah, which is of our tribe. And yet we are afraid. How then can we go to Keilah? 1. It is not of Judah. 2. To the battle formations of the Philistines, where the battle will be from within and from without.
Then David inquired of Hashem yet again. And Hashem answered him and said: ‘Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into your hand.’
verse value 3534
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 66 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "go·down" (רֵ֣ד, 2 letters) and the longest is "Philistines" (אֶת־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים, 8 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "for·I" (כִּי־אֲנִ֥י). The root יהוה appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 418x in I Samuel); "in·Hashem" (root יהוה, 316x in I Samuel); "David" (root דוד, 262x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 8 words.
Metzudat David
"And he continued..." In order to strengthen the hearts of his men, he asked again:
Malbim
And he added. Therefore he added to ask in particular, and the Lord answered him: 1. Arise, go down to Keilah, the city, and do not fear; 2. I will give the Philistines into thy hand by Divine providence and through a miracle; 3. "The Philistines" means the entire nation.
And David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and slew them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.
verse value 3868
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 74 letters. Notable word values: "and·he·struck" (וַיַּ֥ךְ) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "David" (דָּוִד֩, 3 letters) and the longest is "their·cattle" (אֶת־מִקְנֵיהֶ֔ם, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 215: Keilah, Keilah. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "and·his·men" (וַאֲנָשָׁ֨ו), "and·he·led" (וַיִּנְהַג֙), "their·cattle" (אֶת־מִקְנֵיהֶ֔ם). The root דוד appears 2 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "David" (root דוד, 262x in I Samuel); "and·his·men" (root איש, 201x in I Samuel); "and·went" (root הלך, 133x in I Samuel). First appearance of the root נהג ("and·he·led") in I Samuel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'great', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 5 words.
Radak
“And he drove away their livestock.” How were their livestock [involved] in the battle? Rather, when David struck them with a great blow, he pursued the remnants of them as far as the land of the Philistines, and he drove away their livestock.
Metzudat David
"And he drove away." He drove them away for himself, to have them as spoil:
And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand.
verse value 1604
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 42 letters. The shortest word is "he·went·down" (יָרַ֥ד, 3 letters) and the longest is "son·of·Ahimelech" (בֶּן־אֲחִימֶ֛לֶךְ, 8 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "when·he·fled" (בִּ֠בְרֹ֠חַ). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·David" (root איל, 238x in I Samuel); "and·it·was" (root היה, 167x in I Samuel); "in·his·hand" (root יד, 99x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Keilah', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיְהִ֗י [and·it·was] (31) + בִּ֠בְרֹ֠חַ [when·he·fled] (212) + אֶבְיָתָ֧ר [Abiathar] (613) + בֶּן־אֲחִימֶ֛לֶךְ [son·of·Ahimelech] (161) + אֶל־דָּוִ֖ד [to·David] (45) + קְעִילָ֑ה [Keilah] (215) + אֵפ֖וֹד [ephod] (91) + יָרַ֥ד [he·went·down] (214) + בְּיָדֽוֹ [in·his·hand] (22) = 1604.
Radak
"The ephod came down in his hand." They interpreted it as if it were "he brought down," and so did Jonathan [ben Uzziel] translate it. And I interpret it as "isolated" according to its proper usage, and "came down" means that the ephod came down by chance in his hand. Even though he brought it down, he did not bring it down with his own intent. But when he took his belongings with him in his flight, he did not pay attention to what he took and what he left behind, like a fleeing person. It was a cause from the Lord, and the ephod was by chance among his belongings. Therefore, it says "came down" and does not say "he brought down."
Metzudat David
Keilah. When he came to David, he was in the territory of Keilah.
The ephod came down. This is because it is stated above (verse 2): "And David inquired of the Lord," and regarding this it is said that Abiathar brought the ephod with him, and through it he inquired.
Metzudat Zion
The ephod. This is said of the ephod and the breastplate with the Urim and Thummim, similarly (Hosea 3:4): 'no ephod and no teraphim'.
Malbim
And it came to pass. That is to say, how did the Urim and Thummim come into the possession of David. The answer is that when Abiathar fled, etc., and it says, "the ephod came into his hand," this means that he did not intend to take the ephod, for at that time he was fleeing for his life; rather, the ephod came into his hand by the providence of God, and this was for the sake of the salvation of Keilah (and this is what is written, "in his fleeing, etc., Keilah, and he fled to the forest of Hereth").
And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said: ‘God has delivered him into my hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that has gates and bars.’
verse value 3409
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 69 letters. Notable word values: "God" (אֱלֹהִים֙) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֚י, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·Saul" (לְשָׁא֔וּל, 5 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "has·delivered" (נִכַּ֨ר), "was·shut" (נִסְגַּ֣ר), "gates" (דְּלָתַ֥יִם). The root שאול appears 2 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 418x in I Samuel); "David" (root דוד, 262x in I Samuel); "to·Saul" (root שאול, 226x in I Samuel). First appearance of the root כיבא ("that·he·came") in I Samuel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Keilah', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 12 words.
Rashi
God has delivered him into My hand. He handed over — and so (Obadiah 1:12): Do not look on the day of your brother on the day of his delivery. And it is from the measure of the strong — like (Lamentations 2:9): Avad ve'shever berchiai. And if he sought to speak in the measure of the weak, it would be vocalized 'nachar.'
He is shut in by entering a city with doors and bars. And he will trust in that, and will not hasten to flee from him.
Radak
"He hath delivered him up." Its meaning: he has shut in and delivered up. He said: since he is in a city of gates and bars, he shall not escape from my hand; for once I am about the city and besiege it, he will not be able to flee from the city, since it is a city of gates and bars. But he did not consider that there would be anyone to tell David.
Ralbag
"God hath estranged him into my hand." This pertains to the matter of "lest his enemies recognize him," and the intent here is that God, blessed be He, removed from him recognition and discernment so that he would fall into my hands. This is because if he had acted according to good counsel, he would have guarded against entering a city surrounded by a wall, whose gates are closed with bars and bolts, for when I come upon him there, he would not be able to escape by fleeing here and there. Now, Saul thought that no person would reveal this secret to David, and yet God, blessed be He, orchestrated that this secret was revealed to him.
Metzudat David
"He has delivered." God has delivered him into my hand, since he has shut himself in by dwelling in a city with doors and bars, and he trusts in the strength of the city and will hide no longer; and I will besiege the city until it falls.
Metzudat Zion
Delivered. Handed over, similarly (Deuteronomy 32:30): 'for their Rock sold them'.
And the bar. It is like a staff, made to close the doors from within.
Malbim
"Nokher oto" according to its context means "He delivered him over"; the LORD hath delivered him into my hand. And there is no parallel for this usage in Scripture. It appears that it shares a root with "nokher" from the concept of "nokhri" (foreigner), meaning that now one may treat him as if he were a foreigner, an enemy of Israel who comes to a fortified city as a rebel and comes to prepare for war, so that they may fortify themselves in the fortified cities, and I have a pretext to fight against him as against a nation of foreigners.
And Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.
verse value 3106
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 48 letters. The shortest word is "Saul" (שָׁא֛וּל, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·to·his·men" (וְאֶל־אֲנָשָֽׁיו, 8 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "to·bind" (לָצ֥וּר). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·David" (root איל, 238x in I Samuel); "Saul" (root שאול, 226x in I Samuel); "and·to·his·men" (root איש, 201x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·the·battle', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 5 words. Full calculation: וַיְשַׁמַּ֥ע [and·he·summoned] (426) + שָׁא֛וּל [Saul] (337) + אֶת־כׇּל־הָעָ֖ם [all·the·people] (566) + לַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה [to·the·battle] (153) + לָרֶ֣דֶת [to·go·down] (634) + קְעִילָ֔ה [Keilah] (215) + לָצ֥וּר [to·bind] (326) + אֶל־דָּוִ֖ד [to·David] (45) + וְאֶל־אֲנָשָֽׁיו [and·to·his·men] (404) = 3106.
Radak
And he heard. Like “and he gathered,” for the people are gathered by means of a herald who proclaims; so too in the Mishnah: “They proclaim concerning the half-shekel offerings,” meaning: they make a public announcement.
Metzudat Zion
And he heard. A matter of gathering that comes from the hearing of the voice of the gatherer, similarly (Jeremiah 51:27): 'proclaim against her from the kingdoms'.
To besiege. Its meaning is to encircle the city to distress it and capture it.
Malbim
The Questions: After Saul had proclaimed a muster to besiege David, it is obvious that David knew that evil was being plotted against him?
And he proclaimed that the people should assemble for war, but it was not announced against whom, and his intention was against Keilah, and the stratagem was that he gathered all the people so that they would think he was going against the Philistines, because Keilah was in the hands of the Philistines.
And David knew that Saul devised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest: ‘Bring hither the ephod.’
verse value 2825
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 52 letters. The shortest word is "that" (כִּ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·Abiathar" (אֶל־אֶבְיָתָ֣ר, 7 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "keeping·silent" (מַחֲרִ֣ישׁ). 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 418x in I Samuel); "David" (root דוד, 262x in I Samuel); "to·Abiathar" (root איל, 238x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·evil', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 5 words. Full calculation: וַיֵּ֣דַע [and·knew] (90) + דָּוִ֔ד [David] (14) + כִּ֣י [that] (30) + עָלָ֔יו [against·him] (116) + שָׁא֖וּל [Saul] (337) + מַחֲרִ֣ישׁ [keeping·silent] (558) + הָרָעָ֑ה [the·evil] (280) + וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ [and·said] (257) + אֶל־אֶבְיָתָ֣ר [to·Abiathar] (644) + הַכֹּהֵ֔ן [priest] (80) + הַגִּ֖ישָׁה [bring] (323) + הָאֵפֽוֹד [ephod] (96) = 2825.
Rashi
Devising the evil. (Targum:) is lying in wait with the evil.
Radak
"Devising the evil." Its meaning is planning, like "devise not evil against thy neighbour."
Ralbag
“Devising the evil.” This is derived from the concept of “Do not plot evil against your neighbor” (Proverbs 3:29). The intention here is that Saul was causing trouble, striving with all of Israel to bring evil upon David.
Metzudat David
And David knew. He understood from his own knowledge that only he was to remain silent regarding the evil, and therefore he feared lest they deliver him into his hand.
Metzudat Zion
Plotting. A matter of thought, similarly (Proverbs 3:29): 'do not plot evil against your neighbor'.
Malbim
And David knew, and David understood, that Saul was keeping silent and concealing the matter, and his intention was directed against him.
Then said David: ‘O Hashem, the God of Israel, Your servant has surely heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake.
verse value 4232
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 66 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָה֙) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "David" (דָּוִד֒, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·Keilah" (אֶל־קְעִילָ֑ה, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 410: surely, heard. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "that·seeks" (כִּֽי־מְבַקֵּ֥שׁ), "to·Keilah" (אֶל־קְעִילָ֑ה), "to·destroy" (לְשַׁחֵ֥ת). The root שמע appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 418x in I Samuel); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 316x in I Samuel); "David" (root דוד, 262x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·Keilah', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 3 words.
Metzudat David
"Because of Me": In order to seize Me.
Malbim
The Questions: Behold, he asked two questions, and why did they not answer him regarding the second question, that they would deliver him up, such that he was compelled to ask a second time?
"To destroy the city on my account" – there is a difference between "because of" and "on account of": the term "because of" indicates a preceding cause, whereas the term "on account of" indicates a subsequent cause. If it had said, "to destroy the city because of me," it would mean that because they accepted David, He desires to destroy them as a punishment. And if that were the case, he would not have needed to ask whether they would hand him over, for then he would not be seeking anything from them; after all, whether they hand him over or do not hand him over, they would receive punishment for their past action. But rather, he heard that He desires to destroy them on his account, meaning so that they would expel him; and if they were to hand him over, He would not destroy them. And therefore he needed to ask whether they would hand him over, so that Saul might be removed from upon them.
Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as Your servant has heard?’ O Hashem, the God of Israel, I beseech You, tell Your servant.’ And Hashem said: ‘He will come down.’
verse value 3569
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 74 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָה֙) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "heard" (שָׁמַ֣ע, 3 letters) and the longest is "will·they·deliver·me·up" (הֲיַסְגִּרֻ֣נִי, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 26: Hashem, Hashem. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "will·they·deliver·me·up" (הֲיַסְגִּרֻ֣נִי), "tell·please" (הַגֶּד־נָ֖א). The root ירד appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 418x in I Samuel); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 316x in I Samuel); "as" (root אשר, 229x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·your·servant·and·he·said', dividing the verse into phrases of 14 and 3 words.
Rashi
Will the men of Keilah deliver me into his hand, etc. We learn from here that the one who asks two things, they answer him only one, and they answer him only the first. And here David asked out of order — he ought to have asked first: Will Sha'ul go down? Will they deliver me into his hand? And they answered him in order.
Ralbag
"Will the men of Keilah deliver me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O Lord, God of Israel, tell thy servant. And the Lord said: He will come down." From this place we may learn that those who inquire by the Urim and Thummim are asked only one question at a time, and are not asked two questions together or more; and therefore thou findest that when David asked two questions the answer came to him concerning only one of them.
Metzudat David
"Will they deliver me up?" Is it their intention to hand me over into his hand?
Will he come down? Is his intention to come down here:
He descended. His intention was to descend, and since the Urim and Tumim do not answer regarding two matters simultaneously, they answered him concerning the matter that should have been asked first, for the descent is first in time.
Metzudat Zion
He will hand me over. A matter of handing over, similarly (Amos 1:6): 'to deliver to Edom'.
My masters. My lords, similarly (Exodus 22:14): 'if his owner is with him'.
Malbim
“Will they deliver me up,” etc. “Shall Saul come down?” — Behold, he asked in a manner not following the proper order, with intent. For there remains yet a doubt: it could be that before Saul himself goes to them, he will send a messenger and request that they bring him out and hand him over. And this question precedes the question “Shall Saul come down?” And this was his true intention: first he asked, “Will they deliver me up,” meaning, if he requests this through a messenger; and afterward he asked, “Shall Saul come down?” — envisioning that if they do not wish to heed Saul’s command through his messenger, then he will come down himself to destroy the city. Therefore, the first time he did not ask, “Will they deliver up me and my men,” but rather, if he sends through a messenger that they bring him out, he will request only David, who is the head of the rebels. In that case, the men of Keilah and the men of David would wish to hand over David and be spared, as happened with Sheba son of Bichri. But he could not request that they hand over David and his men, for then David and his men would fight with the men of Keilah. And the Lord said, “He shall come down,” meaning that he will not send a messenger at all, but will immediately come down himself. And thus there was no need to answer the first question, for it was included in the second.
Then said David: ‘Will the men of Keilah deliver up me and my men into the hand of Saul?’ And Hashem said: ‘They will deliver you up.’
verse value 2986
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 55 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֖ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "David" (דָּוִ֔ד, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·my·men" (וְאֶת־אֲנָשַׁ֖י, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 257: and·said, and·said. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "will·they·deliver·up" (הֲיַסְגִּ֜רוּ), "and·my·men" (וְאֶת־אֲנָשַׁ֖י), "they·will·deliver·up" (יַסְגִּֽירוּ). The root אמר appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 418x in I Samuel); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 316x in I Samuel); "David" (root דוד, 262x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'into·hand·of·Saul', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּ֣אמֶר [and·said] (257) + דָּוִ֔ד [David] (14) + הֲיַסְגִּ֜רוּ [will·they·deliver·up] (284) + בַּעֲלֵ֧י [owner] (112) + קְעִילָ֛ה [Keilah] (215) + אֹתִ֥י [me] (411) + וְאֶת־אֲנָשַׁ֖י [and·my·men] (768) + בְּיַד־שָׁא֑וּל [into·hand·of·Saul] (353) + וַיֹּ֥אמֶר [and·said] (257) + יְהֹוָ֖ה [Hashem] (26) + יַסְגִּֽירוּ [they·will·deliver·up] (289) = 2986.
Radak
“Will they deliver me up?” The explanation is: From here, our Sages of blessed memory derived that one does not inquire of the Urim and Thummim about two matters simultaneously. And if one does inquire, they do not answer him except with one matter, and they answer only the first one. For David said, “Will they deliver me up?” and then, “Will he come down?” And the Lord said, “He will come down.” Here he asked two matters, yet he was answered only with one, and the Lord answered regarding the matter that ought to have been asked first, which was “he will come down,” because David had asked out of order. And since he recognized from the answer that he had asked out of order, he returned and asked in order: “Will the men of Keilah deliver me up?” But if the exigency of the hour required asking two matters at once, for example, when there is no time to stand and inquire separately, one may inquire about two matters and they answer regarding both of them at once, as David asked, “Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?” And He said to him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and deliver them.”
"The men of Keilah." The lords of the city and its notables. And the Targum renders: the inhabitants of Keilah.
Metzudat David
They will hand you over. Their intention is to hand you over into his hands:
Malbim
And David said, “Will they now deliver me up?” This is a new question that he had not asked at all previously. It was after he had learned that Saul himself had gone down there that he asked whether the men of Keilah would deliver him up. In this regard, he understood that Saul would certainly seek him and his men, for he desired that the men of Keilah open the city gate for him, and then he would fight within the city against David and his men. And the answer he received was, “They will deliver him up.” (And whoever was astonished, saying, “Was not the word of the Lord fulfilled, which said that Saul would go down and that the men of Keilah would deliver him up, yet this did not happen?”—he was astonished in vain. For the word of the Lord was conditional: if David were not to leave from there, then Saul would go down and they would deliver him up. It revealed to him the mind of Saul and the mind of the men of Keilah, so that he might take heed to depart.)
Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbore to go forth.
verse value 5122
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 83 letters. Verse gematria: 5122 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "David" (דָּוִ֨ד, 3 letters) and the longest is "as·six·hundred" (כְּשֵׁשׁ־מֵא֣וֹת, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 373: and·his·men, and·to·Saul. 9 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "as·six·hundred" (כְּשֵׁשׁ־מֵא֣וֹת), "from·Keilah" (מִקְּעִלָ֔ה), "and·they·went·about" (וַיִּֽתְהַלְּכ֖וּ). The root דוד appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "David" (root דוד, 262x in I Samuel); "wherever" (root אשר, 229x in I Samuel); "and·to·Saul" (root שאול, 226x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'went·about', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 7 words.
Rashi
In whatever place they could go. (Targum:) in a place fit for going — in the place of their deliverance.
Radak
“Where they shall walk.” They walked along the road by chance, to whatever place it happened that they would stop there to dwell; and the Targum [renders it]: “to a place that is fit for walking.”
Metzudat David
"In the paths that they shall walk." The meaning is: they did not go to the place that they had originally intended to go to, as is the custom of all the land; for they had not originally intended to go to a specific place, but rather wherever the opportunity would arise.
Metzudat Zion
And he ceased. And he withheld.
Malbim
"And they went about" – this implies that initially, David did not settle in any one place; rather, he was constantly moving from place to place, and each time he returned to a location where he had previously gone about, so that Saul did not know where to go after them. This is what is written: "and he ceased to go out." But afterward, (14) "David settled" – he settled in a place. However, as part of his stratagems, he chose two places for his dwelling. This is what is written: "and he settled in the wilderness, in the strongholds," and "and he settled in the hill country, in the wilderness of Ziph." This means that at times he was in the strongholds, and at times in the wilderness of Ziph in the hill country. And by means of this, even though Saul sought him, nevertheless God did not deliver him into his hand, because whenever Saul came to the place, David was not found there.
And David abode in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill-country in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand.
verse value 3564
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 67 letters. Notable word values: "God" (אֱלֹהִ֖ים) = 86, equal to Elohim. Verse gematria: 3564 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "David" (דָּוִ֤ד, 3 letters) and the longest is "wilderness·of·Ziph" (בְּמִדְבַּר־זִ֑יף, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 318: and·dwelt, and·dwelt. 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "and·did·not·allow·him" (וְלֹֽא־נְתָנ֥וֹ). The root ישב appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "David" (root דוד, 262x in I Samuel); "Saul" (root שאול, 226x in I Samuel); "all·the·days" (root יום, 154x in I Samuel). First appearance of the root מצד ("in·the·strongholds") in I Samuel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'wilderness·of·Ziph', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 6 words. Full calculation: וַיֵּ֨שֶׁב [and·dwelt] (318) + דָּוִ֤ד [David] (14) + בַּמִּדְבָּר֙ [in·the·wilderness] (248) + בַּמְּצָד֔וֹת [in·the·strongholds] (542) + וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב [and·dwelt] (318) + בָּהָ֖ר [in·the·mountain] (207) + בְּמִדְבַּר־זִ֑יף [wilderness·of·Ziph] (345) + וַיְבַקְשֵׁ֤הוּ [and·sought·him] (429) + שָׁאוּל֙ [Saul] (337) + כׇּל־הַיָּמִ֔ים [all·the·days] (155) + וְלֹֽא־נְתָנ֥וֹ [and·did·not·allow·him] (543) + אֱלֹהִ֖ים [God] (86) + בְּיָדֽוֹ [in·his·hand] (22) = 3564.
Radak
Regarding the phrase "in the strongholds": [These were] the high rocks that were in the wilderness, and its meaning is: "And he sat in the hill country of the wilderness of Ziph."
Metzudat David
“And he sat, etc.”—At one time he sat in the strongholds, at another time on the mountain, etc.
And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life; and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in the wood.
verse value 2848
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 43 letters. The shortest word is "David" (דָּוִ֔ד, 3 letters) and the longest is "wilderness·of·Ziph" (בְּמִדְבַּר־זִ֖יף, 8 letters). The root דוד appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "David" (root דוד, 262x in I Samuel); "Saul" (root שאול, 226x in I Samuel); "and·saw" (root ראה, 82x in I Samuel). First appearance of the root חרשה ("in·the·wood") in I Samuel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'his·life', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיַּ֣רְא [and·saw] (217) + דָּוִ֔ד [David] (14) + כִּֽי־יָצָ֥א [that·came·out] (131) + שָׁא֖וּל [Saul] (337) + לְבַקֵּ֣שׁ [to·seek] (432) + אֶת־נַפְשׁ֑וֹ [his·life] (837) + וְדָוִ֥ד [and·David] (20) + בְּמִדְבַּר־זִ֖יף [wilderness·of·Ziph] (345) + בַּחֹֽרְשָׁה [in·the·wood] (515) = 2848.
Radak
"And David saw." For David perceived that Saul had gone out to seek his life there in the wilderness of Ziph, because he heard that the Ziphites had told him that he was hiding there. And it was in his mind to depart from there. And in the meantime, Jonathan came to him there, and the two of them made a covenant. And Jonathan went away, and David was still sitting in the thicket. And when he heard that Saul had come, he went to the wilderness of Maon, which is adjacent to the wilderness of Ziph, as both are written as being in the inheritance of the sons of Judah: Maon, Carmel, and Ziph.
“be’harsha.” The meaning is “in the forest,” as the Targum translates “ya’ar” as “chursha.” The final heh is added because the accent is on the penultimate syllable; or [it is read] “be’chursha,” [where] “chursha” is a place name.
Ralbag
"In Horesh." That is to say, in a forest; for even though it was in the wilderness of Ziph, where men do not pass, yet to save himself from the danger at Saul's hand he hid himself in the forest.
Metzudat David
"And David saw." When he saw that Saul was going out to seek him, then he sat in the wilderness of Ziph, in a place where he could escape.
Metzudat Zion
In a forest. In a forest, similarly (Ezekiel 31:3): 'a forest of shade,' and he means a branch.
Malbim
The questions: What is the meaning of “And David saw” (וירא דוד), and “David was in the wilderness of Ziph, in the wood” (ודוד במדבר זיף בחורשה), and “David sat in the wood” (וישב דוד בחורשה)? It is puzzling: why did he not leave that place after he saw that Saul had gone to seek him?
"And David saw" — until now, David had escaped by God’s providence, in that Saul did not find him, and David did not know that Saul was going after him. But now David saw that Saul had gone out to seek him. And David was at that time in the wilderness of Ziph, in the forest. And surely David’s intention was to leave the forest for another place, but because of a reason that we will mention shortly (that Jonathan came to him), he remained there.
And Jonathan Saul’s son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.
verse value 2330
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 45 letters. The shortest word is "and·arose" (וַיָּ֙קׇם֙, 4 letters) and the longest is "Jonathan" (יְהוֹנָתָ֣ן, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "wood" (חֹ֑רְשָׁה). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·David" (root איל, 238x in I Samuel); "and·went" (root הלך, 133x in I Samuel); "in·God" (root אלהים, 89x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'wood', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיָּ֙קׇם֙ [and·arose] (156) + יְהוֹנָתָ֣ן [Jonathan] (521) + בֶּן־שָׁא֔וּל [son·of·Saul] (389) + וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ [and·went] (66) + אֶל־דָּוִ֖ד [to·David] (45) + חֹ֑רְשָׁה [wood] (513) + וַיְחַזֵּ֥ק [and·strengthened] (131) + אֶת־יָד֖וֹ [his·hand] (421) + בֵּאלֹהִֽים [in·God] (88) = 2330.
Rashi
And he strengthened his hand. He renewed the covenant that was between them.
Radak
"In God." He strengthened his hand, that he should not fear, by the word of God, who had promised him through the prophet that he would reign; and this is what he said, "for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee." And so Jonathan rendered it: and he strengthened his hand by the word of the Lord.
Metzudat David
And he strengthened. "Strengthened" is like "and he strengthened his heart with the staff of God," as it is said: "God is with you; what can flesh do to you?"
Malbim
And Jonathan arose. He relates the reason why David did not depart from the forest, namely that Jonathan came to him and strengthened his hand in four matters: 1. In God, meaning that he said to him not to fear, for God is with him, and through His providence He will deliver him from the hand of his enemy.
And he said to him: ‘Fear not; for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you; and you shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you; and that also Saul my father knows.’
verse value 4601
Insights
Verse structure: 19 words, 79 letters. Notable word values: "my·father" (אָבִ֔י) = 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֠י, 2 letters) and the longest is "over·Israel" (עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 13: my·father, my·father. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "will·find·you" (תִֽמְצָאֲךָ֙), "reign" (תִּמְלֹ֣ךְ), "I·will·be·to·you" (אֶהְיֶה־לְּךָ֣). The root אב appears 2 times in this verse. 18 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 418x in I Samuel); "do·not·fear" (root איל, 238x in I Samuel); "Saul" (root שאול, 226x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·double', dividing the verse into phrases of 15 and 4 words.
Radak
"I shall be next unto thee." I ask of thee that I may be second to thee when thou reignest.
He knew thus: that you would reign, and they would know this from oral tradition that David was anointed king.
Metzudat Zion
To the second. Second to the kingship.
Malbim
2. And he said to him, “Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee, since he does not know your whereabouts.” 3. And you shall reign over Israel, etc. And through this, your horn shall be exalted by virtue of the many, for the sun of your success has risen. And my father’s house shall be under you, for I shall be to you as a second-in-command. 4. And moreover, Saul my father knoweth this; and on this account his hands are slack, and he feareth to do to you anything at all.
And they two made a covenant before Hashem; and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.
verse value 3732
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 50 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "David" (דָּוִד֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·Jonathan" (וִיהוֹנָתָ֖ן, 7 letters). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 316x in I Samuel); "David" (root דוד, 262x in I Samuel); "went" (root הלך, 133x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 6 words. Full calculation: וַיִּכְרְת֧וּ [and·cut] (642) + שְׁנֵיהֶ֛ם [two] (405) + בְּרִ֖ית [covenant] (612) + לִפְנֵ֣י [to·face·of] (170) + יְהֹוָ֑ה [Hashem] (26) + וַיֵּ֤שֶׁב [and·dwelt] (318) + דָּוִד֙ [David] (14) + בַּחֹ֔רְשָׁה [in·the·wood] (515) + וִיהוֹנָתָ֖ן [and·Jonathan] (527) + הָלַ֥ךְ [went] (55) + לְבֵיתֽוֹ [to·his·house] (448) = 3732.
Radak
"Before the Lord." The Urim and Thummim, which were there with Abiathar the priest; or its meaning is that God, blessed be He, should be witness between the two of them.
To his house. The Targum: To his guests.
Ralbag
"And David remained in the forest, and Jonathan went to his house." This teaches us that David relied on the covenant Jonathan had made with him, that he would not reveal his location to his father. And even though it became known to Jonathan that David would take the kingdom and it would be taken from him, for this reason it is recounted that David did not refrain afterward from dwelling in that forest.
Metzudat David
"Before the Lord." Before the Urim and Tummim, for the covenant made earlier was not before the Lord.
Malbim
"And they cut, etc., a covenant before the Lord": For the first covenant was between him and himself, whereas this one was made in the presence of the priest, with the Urim and Thummim, and through Jonathan’s assurances, his covenant, and his words, which thereby strengthened him. Consequently, "David remained in the forest": meaning that he stayed seated there and did not leave, as had been his intention. And indeed, this was so, for Saul did not know his location; it was only the Ziphites who informed Saul of David’s whereabouts, as will be related.
Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying: ‘Does not David hide himself with us in the strongholds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon?
verse value 5389
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 78 letters. The shortest word is "David" (דָ֠וִ֠ד, 3 letters) and the longest is "waste" (הַיְשִׁימֽוֹן, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "Ziphites" (זִפִים֙), "to·the·right·of" (מִימִ֥ין). 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "saying" (root אמר, 418x in I Samuel); "David" (root דוד, 262x in I Samuel); "to·Saul" (root איל, 238x in I Samuel). First appearance of the root חכילה ("Hachilah") in I Samuel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'saying', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 11 words.
Radak
"Then came up the Ziphites." The Ziphites had already come up and told Saul; and this is the meaning of "and David saw," as we said above.
Metzudat David
He hides himself. He conceals himself among us in the fortresses standing in the forest, which is on the hill of Hachilah, which is to the right of Jeshimon:
Malbim
"And the Ziphites went up," etc., "to Gibeah" — for Saul had returned to his house at Gibeah and had ceased to seek him. "In the strongholds": they made known his place with all its fastnesses — a) in the strongholds of the rocks; b) in the forest; c) in the hill of Hachilah; d) (inasmuch as there was in Hachilah yet another hill on the left side) "which is on the right hand of Jeshimon."
Now therefore, O king, come down, according to all the desire of your soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him up into the king’s hand.’
verse value 2838
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 41 letters. Verse gematria: 2838 is divisible by 86, the value of Elohim. The shortest word is "go·down" (רֵ֑ד, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·all·desire·of" (לְכׇל־אַוַּ֨ת, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 95: king, king. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "to·all·desire·of" (לְכׇל־אַוַּ֨ת), "and·to·us" (וְלָ֥נוּ), "to·deliver·him" (הַסְגִּיר֖וֹ). The root מלך appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "king" (root מלך, 102x in I Samuel); "in·hand·of" (root יד, 99x in I Samuel); "now" (root עתה, 46x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'go·down', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 4 words. Full calculation: וְ֠עַתָּ֠ה [now] (481) + לְכׇל־אַוַּ֨ת [to·all·desire·of] (487) + נַפְשְׁךָ֥ [soul] (450) + הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ [king] (95) + לָרֶ֖דֶת [to·go·down] (634) + רֵ֑ד [go·down] (204) + וְלָ֥נוּ [and·to·us] (92) + הַסְגִּיר֖וֹ [to·deliver·him] (284) + בְּיַ֥ד [in·hand·of] (16) + הַמֶּֽלֶךְ [king] (95) = 2838.
Rashi
And they delivered him to us. And it is upon us to deliver him.
Metzudat David
According to your every desire, etc. He means to say: In whatever manner you wish to descend to us, descend, and we are obligated to deliver it into your hand:
Metzudat Zion
Desire. A matter of desire and longing, similarly (Psalms 132:13): 'He desired it for His habitation'.
And Saul said: ‘Blessed be you of Hashem; for you have had compassion on me.
verse value 2027
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 33 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֥י, 2 letters) and the longest is "blessed" (בְּרוּכִ֥ים, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "blessed" (בְּרוּכִ֥ים), "you·spared" (חֲמַלְתֶּ֖ם). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 418x in I Samuel); "of·Hashem" (root יהוה, 316x in I Samuel); "Saul" (root שאול, 226x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'of·Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּ֣אמֶר [and·said] (257) + שָׁא֔וּל [Saul] (337) + בְּרוּכִ֥ים [blessed] (278) + אַתֶּ֖ם [you] (441) + לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה [of·Hashem] (56) + כִּ֥י [for] (30) + חֲמַלְתֶּ֖ם [you·spared] (518) + עָלָֽי [on·me] (110) = 2027.
Metzudat David
"Blessed." May the Lord bless you for the notification.
Go, I pray you, make yet more sure, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who has seen him there; for it is told me that he deals very subtly.
verse value 3892
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 66 letters. Notable word values: "and·know" (וּדְע֤וּ) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "who?" (מִ֥י, 2 letters) and the longest is "his·place" (אֶת־מְקוֹמוֹ֙, 7 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "go·please" (לְכוּ־נָ֞א), "prepare" (הָכִ֣ינוּ), "his·place" (אֶת־מְקוֹמוֹ֙). The root ראה appears 2 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "said" (root אמר, 418x in I Samuel); "where" (root אשר, 229x in I Samuel); "it·will·be" (root היה, 167x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'there', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 6 words.
Rashi
For he said to me. The one who said:
Very cunning is he. He conducts himself in cunning — today here, and tomorrow in another place — so that his place not be known.
Radak
“Prepare yet again.” Search and look carefully, so that you will know its place with precision.
"Because he said to me." While he was with me, he would say to me, when I would ask him how he would strike the Philistines so mightily and how he would guard himself from them, and he would say to me, "For he is cunning, he will cunningly devise," and through cunning and stratagems he would come upon them, so that they would not guard themselves against him. So now he is doing: he appears in this place so that we will seek him there, and tomorrow he will be in another place. Therefore, know all the places where it is his way to hide. And some say that "because he said to me" – the word "the one who says" is like "and he said to Joseph," meaning "the one who reports to me said," that now he is cunning, he will cunningly devise. And so Jonathan translated: "For they say to me that he is cunning, and he goeth forth."
Ralbag
"For it is told me that he dealeth very subtly." That is to say, it lacks [the mention of] who it is that says this; and likewise "and David longed" lacks [the mention of] who it is that longs, the meaning being "and the soul of David longed." And so the meaning in this place is: for my heart said to me that he behaves with subtlety and shows himself in one place while he is not hidden there save a little. And therefore he charged them to search out all the hiding-places where he might hide. Or "for he said to me" may refer back to David — the meaning being that David said to him, while he was with him, that he behaves with subtlety and makes war by stratagems.
Metzudat David
“Prepare yourselves further.” Be ready to see the place of His path, for who has seen Him there? Are not your words based on estimation and hearsay?
"For he said to me." While he was still subject to my authority, he said to me: "He will wage war with cunning and deceit; therefore, it is of great necessity to investigate and search for him."
Metzudat Zion
They prepared. From the word 'preparation'.
Cunning men. From the word 'cunning'.
Malbim
The Questions: The words are doubled and tripled, and incomprehensible?: “Come now, prepare yourselves further,” because he knew that David devises many stratagems and schemes to conceal his location. He commanded them to make preparations, that he should not go in vain. And this is the meaning: 1. Know with clear knowledge and see with the sight of your eyes his true location, for it may be that his location is far from you, and he is scheming so that you will think he is sitting close to you, in order that I go there and he will slip away to another place. 2. It may be that his location is with you, and nevertheless he distances himself from time to time to another place; therefore, see where his foot will be there. 3. It may be that his men are sitting with you, and he himself is hidden in another place; therefore, know who saw him there—himself—and do not rely on informants, for it may be that they are among his allies. Rather, know who saw him there, if he is a trustworthy man. And he explained the reason why one must investigate so thoroughly, for he said to me, “He will devise stratagems.” The scout whom I sent to inquire after him said to me that he devises many stratagems and schemes in this matter, to the extent that it is very difficult to ascertain the truth.
See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking-places where he hides himself, and come you back to me with the certainty, and I will go with you; and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.’
verse value 5775
Insights
Verse structure: 20 words, 87 letters. Notable word values: "and·know" (וּדְע֗וּ) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "there" (שָׁ֔ם, 2 letters) and the longest is "the·hiding·places" (הַמַּֽחֲבֹאִים֙, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 407: if·he·is, him. 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "the·hiding·places" (הַמַּֽחֲבֹאִים֙), "hides·himself" (יִתְחַבֵּ֣א), "and·you·shall·return" (וְשַׁבְתֶּ֤ם). The root כל appears 2 times in this verse. 18 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·certainty" (root איל, 238x in I Samuel); "where" (root אשר, 229x in I Samuel); "and·it·shall·be" (root היה, 167x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'with·you', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 8 words.
Rashi
To something certain. Upon a matter that is directed and true.
Radak
Not so. A correct and clear statement:
“Throughout the thousands of Judah.” This is because David would only go to the land of Judah, for they were hiding him; but if he had gone among the other tribes, they would have handed him over to Saul. And what is meant by “thousands”? It means that I will compel all the commanders of the thousands in Judah, whose hands were with me, to search thoroughly, each one within his own thousand.
Metzudat David
"If he is in the land. When he is not found in all his hiding places, then surely he will be in the land among the men of his tribe, and then I will search for him among all the thousands of Judah. That is to say: I will compel all the thousands of Judah, so that each one will search for him among his own people."
Metzudat Zion
The hidden. From the word 'hiding place' and 'concealment'.
To a certain place. Like 'in a certain place,' similarly (Exodus 25:21): 'and into the ark,' and its proper reading: 'and in the ark.' And 'certain,' he means a clear and precise thing.
There is. From the word 'there is'.
And I searched. A matter of searching.
Malbim
And see, besides this, you shall inquire concerning all the hiding places where he may hide himself; for if not, even though I know his location, he could hide there in a concealed place. And you shall return to Me in certainty, meaning that the matter should be certain and clear. Then I will walk with you. And if he is still there, he said this so that they not think that the commandment requires them to inquire about all the inquiries mentioned above, as if he were negligent in searching. Rather, if he is only in the land, he will search for him with all his strength.
And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul; but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah on the south of Jeshimon.
verse value 2497
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 60 letters. The shortest word is "to" (אֶ֖ל, 2 letters) and the longest is "waste" (הַיְשִׁימֽוֹן, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "to·Ziph" (זִ֖יפָה), "in·the·arabah" (בָּעֲרָבָ֔ה). 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·David" (root דוד, 262x in I Samuel); "Saul" (root שאול, 226x in I Samuel); "and·his·men" (root איש, 201x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Saul', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 8 words. Full calculation: וַיָּק֛וּמוּ [and·they·arose] (168) + וַיֵּלְכ֥וּ [and·they·went] (72) + זִ֖יפָה [to·Ziph] (102) + לִפְנֵ֣י [to·face·of] (170) + שָׁא֑וּל [Saul] (337) + וְדָוִ֨ד [and·David] (20) + וַאֲנָשָׁ֜יו [and·his·men] (373) + בְּמִדְבַּ֤ר [in·wilderness·of] (248) + מָעוֹן֙ [Maon] (166) + בָּעֲרָבָ֔ה [in·the·arabah] (279) + אֶ֖ל [to] (31) + יְמִ֥ין [right] (110) + הַיְשִׁימֽוֹן [waste] (421) = 2497.
Rashi
Before Sha'ul. For Sha'ul was destined to go after them, and they went before him to search for something certain.
Radak
"And they went to Ziph before Saul." The Ziphites who came to Saul went to Ziph before Saul went there; they went to search for the place where David truly was, and they returned to Saul. The verse does not recount their return, but after it says, "And Saul went, he and his men," we know that the Ziphites returned to him before he departed.
Metzudat David
"And they arose and went." To investigate and search before the arrival of Saul.
In the Arabah. In the plain that is on the right side of Jeshimon:
Metzudat Zion
In the wilderness. Targum Yonatan: 'in the open field'.
Malbim
And they arose after he had inquired a second time, as it is said regarding Saul: “The men of Ziph went before Saul, and he followed after them,” while David was then in the wilderness of Maon, for he had already departed from Horesh.
And Saul and his men went to seek him. And they told David; wherefore he came down to the rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.
verse value 4106
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 77 letters. The shortest word is "and·went" (וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ, 4 letters) and the longest is "after·David" (אַחֲרֵֽי־דָוִ֖ד, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 337: Saul, Saul. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "crag" (הַסֶּ֔לַע), "after·David" (אַחֲרֵֽי־דָוִ֖ד). The root שאול appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·David" (root דוד, 262x in I Samuel); "Saul" (root שאול, 226x in I Samuel); "and·his·men" (root איש, 201x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Maon', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 6 words.
Radak
“And he went down to the Rock.” It appears that there was a valley between the Aravah, where David was, and the Rock. Thus, “and he went down” means that he descended into the valley in order to ascend to the Rock. In this manner, it is said, “they brought them up to the valley of Achor,” as I have explained in its place. And what is further stated, “and he sat in the wilderness of Maon,” is to inform us that he had no leisure to flee from the wilderness of Maon and ascend to this Rock, which was located in the wilderness, to hide himself there from Saul.
Metzudat David
"And Saul went" – After the Ziphites returned and informed him of all his hiding places.
And he went down the rock. He went down from the rock on which he had been sitting, to dwell in the wilderness, a place conducive to slipping away hither and thither.
Malbim
And Saul and his men went to seek, since they no longer found him in Horesh. And they told David, and he descended to the rock. Initially, he had been in the wilderness of Maon, which is a plain where he could easily be found; he descended to the rock that was also in the wilderness of Maon, and it was a great mountain.
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.
verse value 5119
Insights
Verse structure: 22 words, 93 letters. The shortest word is "side" (מִצַּ֤ד, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·to·his·men" (וְאֶל־אֲנָשָׁ֖יו, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 373: and·his·men, and·his·men. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "hurried" (נֶחְפָּ֤ז), "surrounding" (עֹ֥טְרִ֛ים), "to·catch·them" (לְתׇפְשָֽׂם). The root שאול appears 3 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·David" (root דוד, 262x in I Samuel); "to·David" (root איל, 238x in I Samuel); "Saul" (root שאול, 226x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'from·that', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 12 words.
Rashi
Surrounding. Encircling and going around from side to side — like a crown that surrounds the head.
Radak
"From the side of the mountain, this side." This is the Rock.
“He hastened to go.” He was preoccupied and hurried to go and flee from Saul, but he could not, because Saul and his men surrounded him. For even though Saul said, “From this side of the mountain,” as soon as they saw that he intended to flee, they surrounded the rock, and they had no choice but to seize him. When the angel came to Saul on account of the terrible deeds he had committed, and in the exposition of “He hastened to go,” this is what David said: “I said in my haste, ‘All men are liars.’” As soon as David saw himself hemmed in by Saul and his men, he said, “For nothing was I anointed by Samuel, who told me, ‘The Lord has anointed you king.’ Where is that promise he made to me? And how do we know that he said this? As it is written, ‘I said in my haste, “All men are liars.”’ Even Samuel—where is that promise he made to me?” The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to him, “I testify that Samuel is trustworthy, as it is written, ‘And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet.’ And you called Samuel a liar!” Immediately, an angel came to Saul, saying, “Hasten and go, etc.” Rabbi Yudan said: The angel was a messenger. Rabbi Pinhas said to him: Is a messenger one who gives advice, that he would say, “Hasten and go”? Rather, it was an angel from heaven, as it is written, “He will send from heaven and save me.”
"Compassing." Like "surrounding" — as a crown (atarah) surrounds the head; and likewise, "with favour wilt Thou compass him as with a shield."
Metzudat David
He hastened to go. He was hurrying to flee, and Saul and his men surrounded them to capture them.
Metzudat Zion
He hurried. From the word 'haste' and 'swiftness'.
Encircling. Surrounding, like a crown that surrounds the head.
To seize them. A matter of grasping firmly.
Malbim
"And he went," etc. And the mountain was dividing between them. "Compassing about" — he sought to encircle the mountain from both sides and to take him.
But there came a messenger to Saul, saying: ‘Haste you, and come; for the Philistines have made a raid upon the land.’
verse value 2731
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 43 letters. The shortest word is "went·in" (בָּ֔א, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·Saul" (אֶל־שָׁא֖וּל, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "and·a·messenger" (וּמַלְאָ֣ךְ), "and·come" (וְלֵ֔כָה), "for·they·raided" (כִּֽי־פָשְׁט֥וּ). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "saying" (root אמר, 418x in I Samuel); "to·Saul" (root איל, 238x in I Samuel); "went·in" (root בוא, 161x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'saying', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 5 words. Full calculation: וּמַלְאָ֣ךְ [and·a·messenger] (97) + בָּ֔א [went·in] (3) + אֶל־שָׁא֖וּל [to·Saul] (368) + לֵאמֹ֑ר [saying] (271) + מַהֲרָ֣ה [haste] (250) + וְלֵ֔כָה [and·come] (61) + כִּֽי־פָשְׁט֥וּ [for·they·raided] (425) + פְלִשְׁתִּ֖ים [Philistines] (860) + עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ [upon·the·land] (396) = 2731.
Rashi
And a messenger came to Sha'ul. An angel in truth — to save David.
Ralbag
"And an angel came to Saul, saying, 'Hasten and go.'" This narrative elucidates the wondrous intensity of God's providence over His beloved ones, and how He rescued David despite his being in the midst of extreme danger.
Metzudat David
And a messenger came. And before he had seized them, a messenger came to him to go against the Philistines:
Metzudat Zion
They scattered. They dispersed as warriors do, similarly (below 27:10): 'whither did you spread out today'.
Malbim
And an angel came under the particular providence of the Lord.
So Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines; therefore they called that place Sela-hammahlekoth.
verse value 4328
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 61 letters. The shortest word is "David" (דָוִ֔ד, 3 letters) and the longest is "Hammahlekoth" (הַֽמַּחְלְקֽוֹת, 7 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "from·pursuing" (מִרְדֹף֙), "they·called" (קָֽרְאוּ֙), "to·the·place" (לַמָּק֣וֹם). The root קרא appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "David" (root דוד, 262x in I Samuel); "Saul" (root שאול, 226x in I Samuel); "and·went" (root הלך, 133x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Philistines', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 6 words. Full calculation: וַיָּ֣שׇׁב [and·returned] (318) + שָׁא֗וּל [Saul] (337) + מִרְדֹף֙ [from·pursuing] (324) + אַחֲרֵ֣י [after] (219) + דָוִ֔ד [David] (14) + וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ [and·went] (66) + לִקְרַ֣את [to·meet] (731) + פְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים [Philistines] (860) + עַל־כֵּ֗ן [therefore] (170) + קָֽרְאוּ֙ [they·called] (307) + לַמָּק֣וֹם [to·the·place] (216) + הַה֔וּא [that] (17) + סֶ֖לַע [Sela] (160) + הַֽמַּחְלְקֽוֹת [Hammahlekoth] (589) = 4328.
Rashi
The Rock of Division. For the heart of Sha'ul was divided into two opinions: whether to return to save his land from the hands of the Philistines, or to pursue and to seize David. So Yonatan translated.
Radak
“Pursuing David.” With a hireq under the mem, contrary to the usual custom.
The Rock of Division. This is because they divided from one another there, and the Targum translates it as “a place of division,” meaning a place where the heart of King Saul was divided whether to go this way or that way; that is, the king’s heart was divided as to whether he should remain in order to capture David, or whether he should pursue the Philistines. And so it says in the Midrash: What is meant by “the Rock of Division”? Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said: There, the mighty men of Saul divided concerning David. Some of them said, “Until we have the son of Jesse in our hands, we shall not turn away from him.” And others said, “The war of Israel takes precedence, for the son of Jesse is accessible to us at any time.” Another interpretation: What is meant by “the Rock of Division”? It is that when David and his servants passed that place, it would divide from his army—he and the six hundred men who were with him at that time—and they would dismount from their horses, prostrate themselves on their faces, and say, “Blessed be He who performed a miracle for us in this place.”
Metzudat David
The Rock of Divisions. It is called so because at that rock (which is the mountain mentioned above, where Saul went from one side of the mountain, etc.) Saul and his men were divided and separated from David and his men.
Radak
Metzudat Zion
Malbim