Hachilah

Hachilah is a hill in Judah, on the edge of the southern desert, named twice in the chapters that record David's pursuit by Saul. Both references locate the hill near the Ziphite country and place it on the line between settled forest-strongholds and the open wilderness.

David's hiding place reported

The Ziphites take news of David's whereabouts to Saul at Gibeah and pinpoint the location. "Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Does not David hide himself with us in the strongholds in the forest, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of the desert?" (1 Sam 23:19). The hill is identified by its bearing — south of the desert — and by the strongholds in the forest where David's company is sheltered.

Saul's encampment on the hill

In the second reference, Saul himself encamps on the same height. "And Saul encamped in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert, by the way. But David remained in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness" (1 Sam 26:3). The same hill that hid David earlier now holds the king's army, while David has moved out into the wilderness behind it. Hachilah marks the line between the two — Saul's camp on the slope, David in the open ground beyond.