MPV Commentary

Saul Pursues Him.

The Ziphites went to Saul at Gibeah and told him that David was hiding with them. They had a clear view of the surrounding area from their location in the tell of Ziph, so it's no surprise they spotted David and his men moving through the wilderness mountains. When they saw David on the hill of Hachilah, which is located on the south side of Ziph, they quickly sent word to Saul about David's hiding place.

David moved from the rock where he was staying in the wilderness of Maon. This area gets its name from the ancient city of Maon, which was situated on a nearby hill (Joshua 15:55). The terrain here appears to drop off significantly as you move southeast, creating a lower-level tableland that's often referred to as "the plain to the south of the wilderness."

David eventually left this area and made his home in strongholds at En-gedi. This name translates to "the spring of the wild goats" or "gazelles," likely due to the large number of ibexes or Syrian chamois that inhabit these cliffs on the western shore of the Dead Sea (Joshua 15:62). Today, this location is known as Ain Jiddy. The area around En-gedi features numerous caverns that could have served as hiding places for David and his men, much like they do for outlaws today.