Hachilah
the darksome hill, one of the peaks of the long ridge of
el-Kolah, running out of the Ziph plateau, "on the south of
Jeshimon" (i.e., of the "waste"), the district to which one
looks down from the plateau of Ziph (1 Sam. 23:19). After his
reconciliation with Saul at Engedi (24:1-8), David returned to
Hachilah, where he had fixed his quarters. The Ziphites
treacherously informed Saul of this, and he immediately (26:1-4)
renewed his pursuit of David, and "pitched in the hill of
Hachilah." David and his nephew Abishai stole at night into the
midst of Saul's camp, when they were all asleep, and noiselessly
removed the royal spear and the cruse from the side of the king,
and then, crossing the intervening valley to the height on the
other side, David cried to the people, and thus awoke the
sleepers. He then addressed Saul, who recognized his voice, and
expostulated with him. Saul professed to be penitent; but David
could not put confidence in him, and he now sought refuge at
Ziklag. David and Saul never afterwards met. (1 Sam. 26:13-25).
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