Read 1 Samuel 23 here (text coming …) or at Bible Gateway.
The Hebrew paragraphs:
23:1-2a {s} David inquired of YHVH re: Keilah and the Philistines
23:2b-3 {s} YHVH: Save Keilah, but his men fear being delivered to Saul
23:4-5 {s} David inquired of YHVH a 2nd time/ he saves the inhabitants of Keilah
23:6-9 {s} Abiathar and the ephod/ Saul plots evil against David
23:10-11a {s} David inquired of YHVH: will Saul come down to besiege me
23:11b {s} YHVH answered: He will come down
23:12 {s} David: will Keilah deliver me to him/ YHVH’s answer: they will deliver you
23:13-15 {s} David escaped to the wilderness of Ziph, and Saul hunted him without success
23:16-18 {s} Jonathan strengthened David in God
23:19-29 {s} The Ziphites betray David to Saul, but a narrow escape to En Gedi
1 Samuel 23:1-29 Chiastic Structure:
To strengthen is in Hebrew, Strong’s H2388 חזק chazaq, a primitive verb meaning, “to strengthen, to uphold.” The ancient pictographs are chet + zayin + quph.
chet ח = the wall, thus outside, divide, half
zayin ז = mattock, thus tool, food, cut, nourish
quph ק = sun on the horizon, thus condense, circle, time
The parable being told by the Hebrew Root Word is of a wall (chet) built up (zayin, as tools are used in building) so that it encircles (quph). Positively it means to be strong, to grab hold of and not let go; negatively it means to be stubborn, to be hardened.
Right when David must have been at a very low point, since victory over Goliath, and victory after victory in battle against the Philistines, did not garner him praise from his king but only persecution, Jonathan came to him, no, was sent from God to him, to strengthen his hand in God. He built up a high wall of courage so that it surrounded David’s heart. He encouraged him, he uplifted and upheld him, and reminded him that his calling from God was sure.
This is a repeating theme in Scripture (see Joshua 1), that the one whom God calls, the enemy opposes, so that His servant has need of courage. And what His servant has need of, YHVH provides.
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