1 Samuel 23:19

THE ZIPHITES DISCLOSE DAVID'S HIDEOUT TO SAUL

"Then the Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, "Does not David hide among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah, which is south of Jeshimon? Now come down, O king, according to all your heart's desire to come down; and our part shall be to surrender him into the king's hand." And Saul said, "May you be blessed of the Lord; for you have had compassion on me. Go make yet more sure; know and see the place where his haunt is, and who has seen him there; for it is told me that he is very cunning. See therefore, and take note of all the lurking places where he hides, and come back to me with sure information. Then I will go with you; and if he is in the land, I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah." And they arose and went to Ziph ahead of Saul."

"The strongholds of Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah" (1 Samuel 23:19). G. W. Grogan of Glasgow identifies Horesh merely as "a place in the wilderness of Judea."[15] J. D. Douglas identified "Hachilah" as, "a hill in the wilderness of Judah where David was hidden when the Ziphites plotted to betray him to Saul. The site is not accurately known but generally regarded as being near Dahret el Kola, between Ziph and Engedi."[16]

"Our part shall be to surrender him into the king's hand" (1 Samuel 23:20). This, of course, was the Ziphites promise to betray David. "The reason for the Ziphites betrayal was either their zeal for Saul or the fact that David levied protection money against them as he did against Nabal (1 Samuel 25)."[17] Willis pointed out another possible reason, namely, that, "The Ziphites might have feared that Saul would slaughter them, if he discovered that they knew where David was and did not tell him."[18] The knowledge of what Saul did at Nob was known to all Israel. Any or all of these reasons might have motivated the Ziphites. This shameful deed of the Ziphites is mentioned in the superscription of Psalms 54.

"For you have had compassion on me" (1 Samuel 23:21). Saul's miserable unhappiness and grief were very real, and not less so because his sins had brought all of his misfortunes upon him. This is an accurate detail of what always happens when any person whomsoever decides to forsake God and "live his own way."