26 And Saul and his men went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men went on the other: and David's purpose was to get away as quickly as possible, for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men were making a circle round David and his men in order to take them.
From the evil-doers who are violent to me, and from those who are round me, desiring my death.
So Michal let David down through the window, and he went in flight and got away.
And David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, Come, let us go in flight, or not one of us will be safe from Absalom: let us go without loss of time, or he will overtake us quickly and send evil on us, and put the town to the sword.
Then after the servants had gone away, they came up out of the water-hole and went to give King David the news; and they said, Get up and go quickly over the water, for such and such are Ahithophel's designs against you. So David and all the people who were with him went up over Jordan: when dawn came, every one of them had gone over Jordan.
They have made a circle round our steps: their eyes are fixed on us, forcing us down to the earth;
A great herd of oxen is round me: I am shut in by the strong oxen of Bashan.
And as for me, I said in my fear, I am cut off from before your eyes; but you gave ear to the voice of my prayer, when my cry went up to you.
They are round me, yes, they are all about me; but in the name of the Lord I will have them cut down. They are round me like bees; but they are put out like a fire among thorns; for in the name of the Lord I will have them cut down. I have been hard pushed by you, so that I might have a fall: but the Lord was my helper.
<To the chief music-maker. A Psalm. Of David.> O Lord, take me out of the power of the evil man; keep me safe from the violent man: For their hearts are full of evil designs; and they are ever making ready causes of war. Their tongues are sharp like the tongue of a snake; the poison of snakes is under their lips. (Selah.) O Lord, take me out of the hands of sinners; keep me safe from the violent man: for they are designing my downfall. The men of pride have put secret cords for my feet; stretching nets in my way, so that they may take me with their tricks. (Selah.) I have said to the Lord, You are my God: give ear, O Lord, to the voice of my prayer. O Lord God, the strength of my salvation, you have been a cover over my head in the day of the fight. O Lord, give not the wrongdoer his desire; give him no help in his evil designs, or he may be uplifted in pride. (Selah.) As for those who come round me, let their heads be covered by the evil of their lips.
For it is our desire that you may not be without knowledge of our trouble which came on us in Asia, that the weight of it was very great, more than our power, so that it seemed that we had no hope even of life:
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Samuel 23
Commentary on 1 Samuel 23 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 23
Saul, having made himself drunk with the blood of the priests of the Lord, is here, in this chapter, seeking David's life, who appears here doing good, and suffering ill, at the same time. Here is,
1Sa 23:1-6
Now we find why the prophet Gad (by divine direction, no doubt) ordered David to go into the land of Judah, ch. 22:5. It was that, since Saul neglected the public safety, he might take care of it, notwithstanding the ill treatment that was given him; for he must render good for evil, and therein be a type of him who not only ventured his life, but laid down his life, for those that were his enemies.
1Sa 23:7-13
Here is,
1Sa 23:14-18
Here is,
1Sa 23:19-29
Here,