They arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah on the south of the desert.
"A messenger came to Saul ...  Make haste and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land"  (1 Samuel 23:27).  "Providence gave Saul a diversion."[22]  It is generally agreed among scholars that without that providential intervention David would almost certainly have been captured. It is interesting to speculate on just what part of Israel the Philistines had attacked.  Saul paid no attention whatever when Keilah was attacked; why his haste to leave on this occasion?  As Henry suggested, "It was probably that part of Israel where Saul's own estates were located."[23]  If this had not been the case, it is difficult to believe that Saul, otherwise, would have interrupted his pursuit of David.