שמואל א, פרק כ״ג, פסוק כ״ג

A successful manhunt requires precise intelligence rather than rushed action. King Saul directs his men to execute a strict and well-planned intelligence operation before he personally joins the pursuit. He demands they gather highly accurate information and map out every possible hiding spot, ensuring their target cannot easily slip away.

The initial phase of the operation requires the men to thoroughly scan and inspect all potential hiding places [מצודת ציון]. This detailed investigation is critical; even if David's general location is discovered, a lack of specific intelligence might allow him to vanish into an unknown refuge [מלבי״ם]. Once they gather this information, the men are instructed to return with clear, accurate, and verified facts. The primary approach among commentators is that this report must be absolutely true and based on exact details.

Only after receiving this verified intelligence does Saul promise to enter the pursuit. He clarifies that sending them first is not an act of laziness. On the contrary, once the information is confirmed and David is known to be in the area [מצודת ציון], Saul will personally exert all his power to lead a massive search operation [מלבי״ם, מצודת ציון].

If the initial sweep fails to locate David in the known hiding spots, the logical conclusion is that he is taking shelter among his own tribesmen [מצודת דוד]. In this scenario, Saul declares his intention to search through all the thousands of Judah, referring to the official units of thousands that made up the tribes [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. David specifically chose to stay within his own tribe's territory, relying on his people to protect him, knowing full well that members of other tribes would readily hand him over [רד״ק]. To break through this wall of tribal loyalty, Saul plans to leverage his royal authority. He intends to force the commanders of Judah's units of thousands to conduct rigorous searches among their own men until the fugitive is finally captured [רד״ק, מצודת דוד].