I Samuel 23:22 · Bible study
1 Samuel 23:22 Commentary: Saul's 'Cunning' David
Hebrew · 6 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Saul sends spies to track David, calling him 'very cunning.' This verse exposes Saul's paranoid obsession and the theological irony of his failed pursuit.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Saul orders further reconnaissance, acknowledging David's elusiveness and confirming his own obsessive pursuit.
- Key words: regel (foot/track), the literal place of David's steps; arom (crafty/cunning), the same root used of the serpent in Genesis 3:1, here describing survival skill.
- Main debate: Whether David's cunning is morally neutral (a God-given wisdom for self-preservation) or implicitly criticized as deceptive.
- Theological theme: God's sovereignty over human schemes, Saul's intelligence gathering fails, and a Philistine raid rescues David.
- Best use: As a narrative example of God protecting His anointed, especially useful in sermons on trusting God in times of persecution or threat.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Please go and prepare further. Investigate and watch carefully where he goes and who has seen him there, for I am told that he is extremely cunning.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Please go make yet more sure, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who has seen him there; for I have been told that he is very cunning.
KJV King James Version 1769
Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who hath seen him there: for it is told me that he dealeth very subtilly.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Go, I pray you, make yet more sure, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who hath seen him there; for it is told me that he dealeth very subtly.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his foot is; who hath seen him there? for one hath said unto me, He is very subtile.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Go, I pray you, make yet more sure, and know and see his place where his track is, who has seen him there; for it is told me that he deals very subtilly.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Go, therefore, I pray you, and use all diligence, and curiously inquire, and consider the place where his foot is, and who hath seen him there: for he thinketh of me, that I lie craftily in wait for him.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Id pues ahora, apercibid aún, considerad y ved su lugar donde tiene el pie, y quién lo haya visto allí; porque se me ha dicho que él es en gran manera astuto.
Ide, pois, agora, preparai ainda, considerai e vede seu lugar por onde ele passa, e quem o tenha visto ali; porque se me disse que ele é em grande maneira astuto.
Allez, je vous prie, prenez encore des informations pour savoir et découvrir dans quel lieu il a dirigé ses pas et qui l’ y a vu, car il est, m’a-t-on dit, fort rusé.
So gehet nun hin und werdet' s noch gewisser, daß ihr wisset und sehet, an welchem Ort seine Füße gewesen sind und wer ihn daselbst gesehen habe; denn mir ist gesagt, daß er listig ist.
Gaat toch heen, en bereidt de zaak nog meer, dat gij weet en beziet zijn plaats, waar zijn gang is, wie hem daar gezien heeft; want hij heeft tot mij gezegd, dat hij zeer listiglijk pleegt te handelen.
Andate, vi prego, informatevi anche più sicuramente per sapere e scoprire il luogo dove suol fermarsi, e chi l’abbia quivi veduto; poiché mi si dice ch’egli è molto astuto.
Idźcież proszę, a starajcie się tem pilniej; wywiedzcie się, a wyszpiegujcie to miejsce jego, gdzie się obraca. Kto go tam widział? bo mi powiadano, że sobie bardzo chytrze postępuje.
идите, удостоверьтесь еще, разведайте и высмотрите место его, где будет нога его, и кто видел его там, ибо мне говорят, что он очень хитер;
請 你們回去，再 確實 查 明 他的住處 和 行蹤，是誰 看見 他在那裡，因為 我聽見 人說 他 甚 狡猾。
Go now, and take more steps, and see where he is living: for they say that he is expert in deceit.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · I Samuel 23:22
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
The commentators largely agree that this verse reveals Saul's deepening paranoia and his grudging respect for David's evasive skill. Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges notes that the phrase 'where his haunt is' literally reads 'where his foot is', a tracking term used for wild beasts. Gill's Exposition amplifies this: Saul suspects David uses 'subtilty' to keep his location hidden, and he demands not just reports but firsthand sightings. Keil and Delitzsch highlight Saul's anxiety that David might slip away despite the Ziphites' intelligence. The consensus is clear: Saul is no longer a confident king; he is a frantic hunter who acknowledges that his prey is 'very cunning' (or in KJV, 'dealeth very subtilly'). Beneath the surface, however, the commentators also note the irony, Saul thinks he is in control, but the reader knows that David is God's anointed and that God's purposes will not be thwarted by human scheming. This verse thus invites us to see the conflict not as a simple chase, but as a theological drama where the king's own words betray his weakness.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Saul believes David is cunning and orders detailed reconnaissance to capture him, but the narrative shows that human schemes do not override God's protection of His anointed.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| David's cunning | Christians agree that Saul perceives David's actions as cunning and that this perception drives his pursuit. | Some traditions see David's shrewdness as a legitimate form of prudence in a just cause; others caution that the word often carries overtones of deception, and note that David's lies (e.g., to Ahimelech) complicate a purely positive reading. |
| Meaning of הָכִינוּ (prepare/be heedful) | All major translations render the verb as either 'prepare' or 'make sure,' reflecting the idea of diligent investigation. | Gill understands it as 'get things in greater readiness' (military preparation), while Keil and Delitzsch read it as 'give still further heed' (cautious surveillance). The semantic range allows both, but the context of spying favors the latter. |
| Source of Saul's intelligence | Saul says 'it is told me', he receives reports about David's movements. | Whether these reports come from spies, informants, or Saul's own inference is not specified; Jewish commentators like R. Isaiah (noted by Gill) suggest Saul's own mind ('my heart says so') is the source. |
Historical & Cultural Context
David has been a fugitive since Saul's first murder attempt, and the chapter 23 setting shows him moving through the wilderness of Ziph, a region of Judah, south of Hebron, marked by steep ridges and caves. The Ziphites, who were of David's own tribe, choose loyalty to Saul over loyalty to the future king, perhaps hoping for royal favor or reward. They inform Saul of David's location in the hill of Hachilah (v.19). Saul's response in v.22 is to send them back for more precise intelligence: he wants to know 'where his foot is', an image of tracking, as one would hunt game. The word for 'haunt' (regel) literally means 'foot,' and the Cambridge Bible compares it to observing the tracks of a wild beast. This language reduces David from a man to a quarry.
Geographically, the wilderness of Maon (v.24) lies just south of Ziph, a dry region of ravines and rocky cliffs. Saul's later near-capture of David (v.26) is a dramatic moment: he closes in from two sides, only to be interrupted by news of a Philistine raid (v.27). That rescue, which gives the place the name Sela-hammahlekoth ('Rock of Division'), shows how political pressures (Philistine invasions) and divine timing combine to preserve David. Culturally, this narrative reflects the instability of Saul's reign: he has lost moral authority, his tribe (Benjamin) is in conflict with Judah, and his obsession with David distracts him from national defense. The Ziphites' betrayal and Saul's reliance on spies reveal a kingdom unraveling from within.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for this verse. The Hebrew text is stable, and translations differ only in rendering idiomatic phrases like 'where his haunt is' vs. 'where his foot is.'
Reception History
This verse has received less extended theological commentary than other parts of the David narrative, but it has functioned as a window into Saul's character. Early Christian interpreters (e.g., Augustine) saw Saul's obsessive pursuit as a type of the devil's harassment of the righteous, with David prefiguring Christ. In Reformation-era readings, the 'cunning' of David was sometimes compared to the prudence commended in the New Testament ('wise as serpents,' Matthew 10:16). The verse also appears in moral reflection on the self-destructive nature of envy, Saul's own words convict him of his misplaced priorities. In modern homiletics, it is often used to illustrate how human plans, however diligent, cannot stand against God's purpose for His chosen servant.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Saul's paranoia drives his pursuit. He blesses the Ziphites for their betrayal (v.21) but immediately demands more proof. His mind is consumed with David, and he sees cunning where God sees a servant.
- David's shrewdness is a gift of survival. The same word for 'cunning' (עָרוֹם) appears in Job 5:13 describing how God catches the wise in their own craftiness. David's resourcefulness is not sinful; it is the wisdom of a man who trusts God while using his wits.
- God overrules human plots. Saul's careful planning is undone by a Philistine attack. The 'very cunning' David is preserved not by his own skill alone but by God's providential interruption.
Five-point outline
- The Ziphites' betrayal: tribal loyalty traded for royal favor.
- Saul's deceptive blessing: 'You are blessed by Yahweh' while he schemes murder.
- The tracking language: 'where his foot is', David treated as prey.
- Saul's self-deception: he thinks he is wise, but he is being led astray.
- The Philistine raid: God's 'interruption' that saves David.
Illustration hooks
- GPS tracking: We can locate anyone instantly, but Saul still fails. Human surveillance is no match for divine protection.
- The hunted animal: The image of a deer or fox that uses cover and cunning to survive. David is the fox; Saul is the frustrated hunter who keeps losing the trail.
- Office politics: A manager obsessed with one employee's 'cunning' may overlook the real threats (the 'Philistines' at the door).
Questions your congregation is asking
- Is it okay to be 'cunning' like David, or is that dishonest?
- Why does God allow David to be hunted so long?
- Does Saul's failure mean that God is against him, or that he is just unlucky?
Leading a Discussion
This verse sits at the midpoint of a story where human scheming collides with God's hidden plan. The Ziphites think they are helping the king; Saul thinks he is finally closing in; but the reader knows David is still safe. As you discuss this passage, pay attention to how each character's words and actions reveal what they truly trust.
Discussion questions
- What does Saul's command 'go make yet more sure' tell you about his emotional state?
- Why do you think the Ziphites volunteer to betray David? What might they hope to gain?
- How does the physical setting (wilderness, caves, cliffs) shape the drama of this story?
- In what ways does Saul's description of David as 'very cunning' reveal more about Saul than about David?
- David is called 'cunning' (עָרוֹם). Compare this with the serpent in Genesis 3:1 (also 'crafty'). What is the difference between the two uses?
- How does the Philistine invasion (v.27) come as a turning point? What does this teach about God's timing?
- Where do you see God's hidden hand in your own life when others seem to have the upper hand?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Job 5:13 | He takes the wise in their own craftiness; the counsel of the cunning is carried headlong. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
5 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible School commentary points out that the original language literally reads "where his foot is" rather than "where his haunt is." The image invites the reader to track the subject's movements as carefully as one would the trail of a wild beast, emphasizing attentive observation.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The note stresses that simply knowing the general area is not enough; the search must be more thorough. They must pinpoint the exact hiding place, find witnesses, and confirm who saw him there, because the man is known to be cunning and deceptive.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill sees Saul's command as far more than a simple order. Saul wants his men to investigate David's hiding places themselves, not just hear reports, because he knows from experience that David is extremely cunning. Saul may even be recalling what David once told him directly about his own clever tactics.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch highlights Saul's intense anxiety, which drives him to order a more careful search for David. He stresses the command to reconnoiter David's exact location and question witnesses, because Saul has been told that David is extremely cunning.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes the irony that David placed special confidence in the Ziphites because they were his own tribesmen,