1 Samuel 23:26

26 Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side of the mountain; and David was making haste to get away from Saul, as Saul and his men were closing in upon David and his men to capture them,

1 Samuel 23:26 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 23:26

And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his
men on that side of the mountain
Saul with his army came to the very mountain where David and his men were, the one was on one side of it, and the other on the other side; there was only one mountain between them:

and David made haste to get away for fear of Saul;
he fled on one side of the mountain, while Saul was pursuing him on the other, and hastening to get round unto him:

for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take
them;
he took methods by dividing his troops, and sending them different ways, to surround David and his men, and had very near effected it.

1 Samuel 23:26 In-Context

24 And they arose, and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the wilderness of Ma'on, in the Arabah to the south of Jeshi'mon.

25 And Saul and his men went to seek him. And David was told; therefore he went down to the rock which is in the wilderness of Ma'on. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Ma'on.

26 Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side of the mountain; and David was making haste to get away from Saul, as Saul and his men were closing in upon David and his men to capture them,

27 when a messenger came to Saul, saying, "Make haste and come; for the Philistines have made a raid upon the land."

28 So Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines; therefore that place was called the Rock of Escape.