Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Selahammahlekoth.
So Saul stopped chasing David and went to fight the Philistines instead. That's why they named that place Sela-hammahlekoth.
This verse shows how God used the Philistine threat to rescue David from Saul's pursuit at just the right moment.
📚 Historical Context
This incident occurred during the period when King Saul was obsessively hunting David, who had been anointed as the future king but was living as a fugitive. The Philistines were Israel's persistent enemies who often launched raids against Israelite territory, forcing Saul to abandon personal vendettas to defend his kingdom. The place name 'Sela-hammahlekoth' means 'Rock of Escape' or 'Rock of Division,' commemorating this dramatic moment when David narrowly escaped capture.
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