The Wilderness of Maon
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The Ziphites, into whose wild regions David went from Keilah, sent word to Saul in Gibeah that they knew where David was hiding, and that they would guide the king to his retreat. But David, warned of their intentions, changed his position, seeking refuge in the mountains between Maon and the Dead Sea.” Maon was a small town approximately eight miles south of Ziph, and such a move by David’s men was easily made in one day.
East of the town was a wilderness of gorges, caves, and cliffs.
This area offered defensive positions difficult to circumvent.
When Saul caught up with David’s band, David and his men stood on one side of a deep gorge, and Saul stood on the other. Saul ordered his men to flank David’s position.
Things looked bleak for David and his men until unexpected news upset Saul’s plans.
“But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land” (1 Samuel 23:27).
“The disappointed king was in a frenzy of anger to be thus cheated of his prey; but he feared the dissatisfaction of the nation; for, if the Philistines should ravage the country while he was destroying its defender, a reaction would be likely to take place, and he would become the object of the people’s hate. So he relinquished his pursuit of David, and went against the Philistines, and this gave David an opportunity to escape to the stronghold of En-gedi.” “Between the ridge of El Kôlah [the ancient hill of Hachilah] and the neighbourhood of Maon there is a great gorge called ‘the Valley of Rocks,’ a narrow but deep chasm, impassable except by a detour of many miles, so that Saul might have stood within sight of David, yet quite unable to overtake his enemy.” This gorge was probably “the scene of the wonderful escape of David, due to a sudden Philistine invasion.” The plans of evil men and women are often defeated by events little anticipated or appreciated for what they are—heaven-sent deliverance.
