שמואל א, פרק כ״ג, פסוק י״ד

Fleeing from a relentless king requires constant movement and a reliance on both harsh terrain and Divine protection. Survival in the wilderness depends as much on choosing the right hiding places as it does on unseen assistance. David sought refuge in guarded, protected strongholds [מצודת ציון]. These were fortified locations on mountaintops that sometimes served as shelters for shepherds [ביאור שטיינזלץ], or exceptionally high, inaccessible rocks deep within the desert [רד״ק, אברבנאל]. His presence in both these strongholds and the mountain reflects a life of restless wandering. Rather than settling in a single safe haven, he moved constantly back and forth between the high desert rocks and a specific mountain in the wilderness of Ziph [מצודת דוד, אברבנאל]. Alternatively, the mountain in the wilderness of Ziph was not a separate destination, but rather the specific area where these high rocks and strongholds were situated [רד״ק].

The tension of this chase was constant, with Saul hunting for David relentlessly, day after day [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Yet, God protected David and kept the king from capturing him. This Divine protection worked through a combination of practical tactics and human loyalty. David's endless wandering naturally made it impossible for Saul to track him to a fixed location. Furthermore, David was never caught off guard. Saul's own servants secretly loved David, and they made sure to send him quiet warnings ahead of time, letting him know exactly when the king was setting out on his pursuit [אברבנאל].