23:1 Threshing floors were open circular areas where the grain kernels were separated from their husks. (In order to separate the grain from the husk, farmers would toss their grain into the air. The wind would blow the husks away, leaving only the grain. This process is called winnowing.) By looting the threshing floors, the Philistines were robbing Keilah’s citizens of all their food supplies. (For more on threshing, see the note on Ruth 3:2.)
23:2 Through the Urim and Thummim that Abiathar the priest brought (23:6), David sought the Lord’s guidance before he took action. He listened to God’s directions and then proceeded accordingly. Rather than trying to find God’s will after the fact or having to ask God to undo the results of our hasty decisions, we should take time to discern God’s will beforehand. We can hear him speak through the counsel of others, his Word, and the leading of his Spirit in our hearts, as well as through circumstances.
23:6 An ephod was a sleeveless linen vest worn by priests. The high priest’s ephod was brightly colored and had a breastplate with 12 gemstones, each stone representing one of the 12 tribes. The Urim and Thummim were kept in a pouch of the high priest’s ephod. (See the second note on 2:18 for a more detailed explanation of the ephod.)
23:7 When Saul heard that David was trapped in a walled city (one with gates and bars), he thought God was putting David at his mercy. Saul wanted to kill David so badly that he would have interpreted any sign as God’s approval to move ahead with his plan. Had Saul known God better, he would have known what God wanted and would not have misread the situation as God’s approval for murder.
Not every opportunity is sent from God. We may want something so much that we assume any opportunity to obtain it is of divine origin. As we see from Saul’s case, however, this may not be true. An opportunity to do something against God’s will can never be from God because God does not tempt us. When opportunities come your way, double-check your motives. Make sure you are following God’s desires and not just your own.
23:16-18 This may have been the last time David and Jonathan were together. As true friends they were more than just companions who enjoyed each other’s company. They encouraged each other’s faith in God and trusted each other with their deepest thoughts and closest confidences. These are the marks of true friendship.