Study 34: 1 Samuel 23: 14-29: Trent Evans

This message walks through 1 Samuel 23 and traces how God sustains David in a long season of pursuit and pressure, showing that opposition may persist “day after day,” yet God’s rescue meets David with the same consistency. The passage highlights how God strengthens His people through His presence and through others, as seen when Jonathan arrives to fortify David’s faith and remind him of God’s promises. The text reveals the contrast between Saul’s destructive intent and Jonathan’s role as an agent of spiritual repair, urging believers to anchor their counsel and courage in God’s word. The narrative also shows how God provides refuge, pictured in “the rock of escape,” and teaches that strength is not found by avoiding the wilderness but by encountering God within it. David learns to dwell at ease in difficult places because God is with him, offering a steady refuge for all who trust Him

Sermon Outline

1. Setting the Scene: David on the Run

Timestamp: 04:11–06:40

Scripture: 1 Samuel 23:1–13 (context), 23:14

Key Points:

• David is fleeing Saul, who pursues him “day after day.”

• God’s sovereignty is already evident: “But God did not give David into his hands.”

• Introduction to the theme of persistent pressure and daily rescue.

  
  

2. What “Day After Day” Feels Like

Timestamp: 06:40–09:34

Scripture: 1 Samuel 23:14

Key Points:

• The sermon connects David’s daily danger to our own ongoing struggles.

• Emphasis on the reality that trials persist, but God’s rescue persists with equal consistency.

• Encouragement to notice God’s steady deliverance rather than only the intensity of the challenge.

  
  

3. Word Arrives: Saul Intensifies His Pursuit

Timestamp: 10:03–10:54

Scripture: 1 Samuel 23:15

Key Points:

• Perceived threats become tangible.

• The weight of fear shifts when danger becomes visible and embodied.

• Highlights David’s emotional reality as Saul seeks his life again.

4. God Sends Jonathan: Strength for the Soul

Timestamp: 11:41–13:03

Scripture: 1 Samuel 23:16

Key Word: Kazakh – “to strengthen, fortify, repair”

Key Points:

• Jonathan arrives as God’s agent of strengthening.

• The Hebrew nuance of kazakh reveals the idea of deep, unseen repairs.

• Jonathan does not offer surface encouragement, but participates in God’s work of inner restoration.

5. Two Agents: Destruction or Repair

Timestamp: 13:03–16:33

Scripture: 1 Samuel 23:16–17

Key Points:

• Saul embodies the role of an agent of destruction.

• Jonathan embodies the role of an agent of repair.

• Application: believers must choose which kind of presence they will be in the lives of others.

6. Jonathan’s Prophetic Encouragement

Timestamp: 16:33–19:52

Scripture: 1 Samuel 23:17

Key Points:

• “Do not be afraid”—credible because Jonathan shares David’s danger.

• Jonathan affirms God’s calling: “You will be king over Israel.”

• He willingly submits to God’s purpose, even at personal cost (“I will be second to you”).

• A model for biblically rooted encouragement.

7. Covenant Strength, Desert Reality

Timestamp: 21:59–22:36

Scripture: 1 Samuel 23:18

Key Points:

• David and Jonathan renew their covenant before the Lord.

• Jonathan returns home; David remains in the wilderness strengthened.

• Being strengthened by God does not require being removed from hardship.

8. Betrayal from Within: The Ziphites

Timestamp: 23:13–25:08

Scripture: 1 Samuel 23:19–20

Key Points:

• The Ziphites (from David’s own tribe) offer to hand him over to Saul.

• Fear drives people to align with destructive power.

• Insight into how betrayal often comes from familiar places.

9. Saul’s Craftiness vs. God’s Favor

Timestamp: 25:24–31:49

Scripture: 1 Samuel 23:21–23

Key Points:

• Saul cloaks evil intent in spiritual language (“The Lord bless you”).

• He accuses David of being “crafty” while relying on manipulation himself.

• God’s favor cannot be undermined; human schemes collapse under divine sovereignty.

10. The Rock of Escape: God’s Providential Rescue

Timestamp: 32:04–40:15

Scripture: 1 Samuel 23:24–29; Psalm 94:22

Key Points:

• Saul nearly surrounds David, but a Philistine raid forces Saul to turn back.

• What the enemy meant for harm becomes the means of David’s rescue.

• The place is named Sela-hammahlekoth, “The Rock of Escape.”

• David then dwells in the strongholds of En Gedi, learning to be at ease in the wilderness because God’s strength is there.

Scripture References

1. 1 Samuel 23:1–13 (context)

Timestamp: 04:11–05:55

How it was used:The preacher summarizes the events leading up to verse 14: David seeking the Lord about rescuing Keilah, obeying God’s command, and leaving the city under God’s guidance. This sets the stage for the “day after day” pursuit that follows.

2. 1 Samuel 23:14

Timestamp: 06:40–09:34

How it was used:The core verse describing Saul’s relentless pursuit and God’s consistent protection:“Day after day Saul searched for him, but God did not give David into his hands.”Used to highlight the tension between ongoing pressure and ongoing rescue.

3. 1 Samuel 23:15

Timestamp: 10:03–10:54

How it was used:Shows the emotional weight David feels when he learns Saul is actively seeking to kill him again. The preacher contrasts perceived fear vs. embodied threat.

4. 1 Samuel 23:16 – Hebrew word kazakh

Timestamp: 11:41–13:03

How it was used:Jonathan “helps David find strength in God.”The Hebrew word kazakh is explored, meaning strengthen, fortify, repair, leading to an application about being God’s agents of deep spiritual repair in others.

5. 1 Samuel 23:17

Timestamp: 16:33–19:52

How it was used:Jonathan tells David:

• “Do not be afraid.”

• “You will be king over Israel.”

• “I will be second to you.”Used to illustrate biblical encouragement that is rooted in God’s promises. Also highlights Jonathan’s humility and allegiance to God’s plan.

  
  

6. 1 Samuel 23:18

Timestamp: 21:59–22:36

How it was used:David and Jonathan renew their covenant before the Lord.This verse connects covenant faithfulness with spiritual strengthening. It also highlights the contrast between Jonathan returning home and David remaining strengthened in the wilderness.

7. 1 Samuel 23:19–20

Timestamp: 23:13–25:08

How it was used:The Ziphites (from David’s own tribe) betray him to Saul.Used to highlight the pain of betrayal and the human instinct to protect oneself by aligning with corrupt power.

8. 1 Samuel 23:21–23

Timestamp: 25:24–31:49

How it was used:Saul’s spiritual manipulation (“The Lord bless you”) and accusation that David is “crafty.” The preacher exposes Saul’s self-deception and contrasts it with God’s favor over David.

9. 1 Samuel 23:24–26

Timestamp: 32:04–33:10How it was used:Describes Saul closing in on David around the mountain.The preacher emphasizes that “the rock” stands between them, pointing to God’s protective presence.

10. Psalm 94:22

Timestamp: 33:11–33:33

Reference: “The Lord has been my defense and my God, the rock of my refuge.”How it was used:Supports the theme that God Himself is David’s true refuge, not merely a physical hiding place.

11. 1 Samuel 23:27–28

Timestamp: 34:13–36:06

How it was used:A Philistine invasion forces Saul to abandon pursuing David.This becomes “the Rock of Escape” (Sela-hammahlekoth).God uses even David’s enemies’ enemies to rescue him.

12. 1 Samuel 23:29

Timestamp: 38:05–40:15

How it was used:David goes to live in En Gedi.The Hebrew word yashav is explored, meaning to dwell, remain, settle, be at ease.Shows David learning to be at home in the wilderness because God’s strength is there.

Word Study

1. “Strengthen” — חָזַק (ḥāzaq)

Language: Hebrew (Old Testament)

Strong’s: H2388

Pronunciation: khaw-ZAK

Definitions

Simple:To strengthen, make firm, encourage, fortify.

Extended (lexical):

• To repair, make strong again

• To seize or take hold firmly

• To restore what has weakened

• To impart courage or renewed capacity to endure(Used of physical fortification, emotional courage, and spiritual repair.)

Synonyms / Antonyms

• Synonyms: ʿāmad (to stand firm), sāmak (to support or uphold)

• Antonyms: rāphah (to slacken, let go), mug (to be dissolved, melt away)

Other Key Passages

• Deuteronomy 31:6 – “Be strong and courageous…”

• Joshua 1:7 – “Only be strong and very courageous.”

• 2 Samuel 11:25 – Strengthening in battle

• Psalm 27:14 – “Be strong, and let your heart take courage.”

How It Was Used in the Sermon

When Jonathan “helped David find strength in God” (1 Samuel 23:16), the preacher highlighted that ḥāzaq includes the idea of repairing what has been damaged. Jonathan becomes an agent of repair in David’s life—strengthening him inwardly, not just offering surface encouragement.

Reflection

This word deepens the sermon’s theme by reminding us that God’s strengthening often happens in the wilderness, not after we escape it. God repairs what pressure has worn down. He fortifies us in hidden places, enabling us to stand even when the situation has not changed.

2. “Rock / Refuge” — צוּר (tsur)

Language: Hebrew (Old Testament)

Strong’s: H6697

Pronunciation: tsoor

Definitions

Simple:Rock, cliff, refuge, a place of safety.

Extended (lexical):

• A defensive, immovable shelter

• A symbol of God’s reliability, protection, and covenant faithfulness

• Figuratively, God as one who is unshakable, steady, and unconquerable

Synonyms / Antonyms

• Synonyms: selaʿ (crag, cliff), machaseh (refuge, shelter)

• Antonyms: There is no true opposite for God as “rock,” but scripturally contrasted with “shifting sand” or unreliable trust structures (cf. Psalm 146:3).

Other Key Passages

• Deuteronomy 32:4 – “He is the Rock, His works are perfect.”

• Psalm 18:2 – “The Lord is my rock and my fortress.”

• Psalm 94:22 – “My God is the rock of my refuge.” (Quoted in the sermon.)

• Isaiah 26:4 – “The Lord is an everlasting rock.”

How It Was Used in the Sermon

The preacher emphasized that David fled “to the rock” and that God Himself became the barrier between David and Saul (1 Samuel 23:25–26). The place is even named Sela-hammahlekoth “The Rock of Escape.”

Reflection

This word anchors the sermon’s theme of God’s dependable rescue. The rock is not just a place; it is a picture of God’s unwavering protection. When danger closes in, God positions Himself between us and what threatens us. Strength is found by running to the Rock, not running from the wilderness.

3. “Fear / Do Not Fear” — יָרֵא (yārē)

Language: Hebrew (Old Testament)

Strong’s: H3372

Pronunciation: yaw-RAY

Definitions

Simple:To fear, be afraid, stand in awe, or revere.

Extended (lexical):

• To experience emotional fear in the face of danger

• To be overwhelmed or shaken

• In positive use: deep reverence for God

• In negative use: fear that draws someone away from trust

Synonyms / Antonyms

• Synonyms: pāchad (terror), da’ag (anxiety, worry)

• Antonyms: batach (to trust securely), ḥāsāh (to take refuge)

Other Key Passages

• Joshua 1:9 – “Do not be afraid… for the Lord your God is with you.”

• Isaiah 41:10 – “Fear not, for I am with you.”

• Psalm 56:3 – “When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.”

• 1 Samuel 12:24 – Godly fear leads to faithful obedience.

How It Was Used in the Sermon

Jonathan tells David, “Do not be afraid” (1 Samuel 23:17). The preacher notes that Jonathan can speak this truth because he is experiencing the same danger and has anchored his courage in God. His words are not cliché; they are covenant-rooted and prophetically aligned with God’s promises.

Reflection

This word highlights the battle inside David—not just the external pursuit but the internal struggle with fear. Jonathan’s call not to fear is grounded in who God is, not in circumstance. It mirrors the sermon’s message: courage grows when we remember God’s presence, promises, and protection.

Questions for Deeper Study

Where in your own “day after day” struggles do you sense God offering strength, and what would it look like to receive His ḥāzaq—His deep inner repair—rather than simply asking for escape?

Jonathan strengthened David by reminding him of what God had already spoken. What promises or passages of Scripture do you need to return to so you can anchor your courage in God’s word rather than in shifting circumstances?

David learned to dwell at ease in the wilderness because he had encountered God there. Where might God be inviting you to see Him as your Rock and Refuge in places you would not have chosen, and how does that reshape the way you view your present season?