(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)
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1 Samuel 23:19–29, “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? Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king’s hand. And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have compassion on me. Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who hath seen him there: for it is told me that he dealeth very subtilly. See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah. And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the south of Jeshimon. 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. And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them. But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land. Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Selahammahlekoth. And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at Engedi.”
Some of the people who lived in that dry remote region knew that David was living there and hoped to get some favour from the king for themselves. They went to Saul and told him that David was hiding out in their region. Saul was glad and blessed them for letting him know about David’s hiding place. He told them to secretly find David’s position and let him know so that he could ambush Davis. The men of Ziph told Saul where David’s hiding place was and Saul set out to capture David. David was hiding in the very barren hills on the western side of the Dead Sea. Saul managed to get very close to where David was hiding and David moved away because he was afraid that Saul might capture him. Before long, Saul and his men had managed to surround David and his men and were ready to spring the trap. Just at that moment, Saul received a message from home telling him that a raiding part of Philistines had come up from the coastal plains and were attacking Israel. Saul had to leave David so that he could defend his country from these invaders. David moved away from that area and went to hide in Engedi, which is an oasis on the shores of the Dead Sea.
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