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Hachilah

Hebrew: חֲכִילָה —transliteration: Chakilah —meaning: dark / a dark hill —occurrences: 3 (all in 1 Samuel)

The is the name of one of the peaks of the long ridge of el-Kolah in southern wilderness of Judah, 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 Samuel 23:19)

David hid at this place from King Saul.

After his reconciliation with Saul at Engedi (24:1-8), David returned to Hachilah, where he had made his headquarters. 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 met again after this (1 Samuel 26:13-25).

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Article Version: June 12, 2024