1 Samuel 23:25 Meaning and Explanation
“Saul also and his men went to seek him. And they told David: wherefore he came down into a rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Saul pursues; David retreats to a rocky refuge, and Saul follows him into Maon.
What Does 1 Samuel 23:25 Mean?
Saul and his men take up the chase. When David is warned, he withdraws to 'a rock' -- a defensible crag -- in the wilderness of Maon. Learning of this, Saul presses the pursuit straight into that same wilderness, closing the distance.
The hunt tightens. David repeatedly takes refuge in 'the rock,' a recurring image in his life and later in his psalms of the Lord as his rock and fortress. The physical crag mirrors the deeper refuge to which his heart clings. As danger narrows toward him, David's instinct is to go down into a place of shelter -- a picture of every soul that runs, under pursuit, to hide itself in the strength of God.
1 Samuel 23:25 in the Original Language
sela (סֶלַע), ''rock'' -- a cliff or crag, a frequent biblical image for God as a place of refuge.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Samuel 23:25
What does 1 Samuel 23:25 mean?
Saul pursues; David retreats to a rocky refuge, and Saul follows him into Maon.