Deeper Reflection
SAUL “PURSUED” David when he was in the wilderness of Maon, and both were locationally “at the closest since David’s flight”⁸ – with Saul passing along one side of the mountain and David passing along the other side (1 Sam 23:25-26). And just as Saul was “surrounding” David, news of the Philistines’ new raid on Israel reached Saul. Reluctantly, Saul “returned from pursuing David” to deal with the Philistines (1 Sam 3:27-28). It was a timely divine intervention. Thus, David “called that place the Rock of Escape” (1 Sam 23:28). But not long after, Saul “returned from pursuing the Philistines” to pursue David again (v.1). Saul “narrowed his search” for David “to an area near the Craig of the Wild Goats”⁹ (v.2), where his troops “made their way down a path cut by shepherds driving their flocks” and came to “a series of ‘sheep pens along the way’”¹⁰ (v.3). Saul went into a “cave” there to “relieve himself ” (v.3). And it so happened that David and his men were “sitting in the inner recesses” of the same “cave” (v.3). It was Saul who was now vulnerable. It would seem logical, reasonable and right for David to do so, to stop Saul’s mindless relentless pursuit of him. But the discipleship principle here is: What is the divine providence saying?

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⁸ David G. Firth, 252

⁹ Ronald F. Youngblood, 745

¹⁰ Robert D. Bergen, 238