Mount Hachilah
Hachilah means “Dark”. It is a mountain (hill) in southern Judah, on the edge of the wilderness and runs along the plateau of Ziph, on the south of Jeshimon. “Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which [is] on the south of Jeshimon?” (1 Samuel 23:19).
David hides from Saul in the Hill of Hachilah
David returned to Hachilah after fighting with Saul, where he had fixed his living quarters. The Ziphites went to Saul and informed him that David had hidden himself in the hill of Haschilah, which is before Jeshimon. Immediately Saul arose and went to the wilderness of Ziph with three thousand chosen men of Israel to seek David. Saul pitched in the hills of Hachilah.
David had sent out spies and knew Saul was coming after him in the wilderness. David arose and came to the place where Saul had pitched and found the trench were Saul and Abner, the captain of his host, lay, with the all his people around about him.
David and his nephew Abishai stole into the midst of the camp of Saul at night and removed the royal spear and the cruse of water from the bolster from the side of King Saul, but did not destroy him. David and Abishai went over to the other side, and stood on the top of a hill afar off, with a great space being between them…
“And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, [which is] before Jeshimon? Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which [is] before Jeshimon, by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness. David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come in very deed. And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched: and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Saul lay in the trench, and the people pitched round about him.”
“Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee. So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him. Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not [smite] him the second time. And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD’S anointed, and be guiltless? David said furthermore, [As] the LORD liveth, the LORD shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish. The LORD forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the LORD’S anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that [is] at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go. So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul’s bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw [it], nor knew [it], neither awaked: for they [were] all asleep; because a deep sleep from the LORD was fallen upon them. Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of an hill afar off; a great space [being] between them:” (1 Samuel 26:1-13).
Cite Article Source
MLA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne “Mount Hachilah:.” Becker Bible Studies Library May 2015.<https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2826,>.
APA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2015, May) “Mount Hachilah:.” Becker Bible Studies Library. Retrieved from https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2826,.
Chicago Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2015) “Mount Hachilah:.” Becker Bible Studies Library (May), https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2826, (accessed).
