Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Selahammahlekoth.

Wherefore Saul returned, leaving the pursuit of David, and went to meet the Philistines. For this cause they called that place, the Rock of division.

Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Sela-hammah-lekoth.

And Saul turneth back from pursuing after David, and goeth to meet the Philistines, therefore they have called that place 'The Rock of Divisions.'

Why Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Selahammahlekoth.

So turning back from going after David, Saul went against the Philistines: so that place was named Sela-hammah-lekoth.

So Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines. Therefore they called that place Rock of Divisions.

Therefore, Saul turned back, ceasing in the pursuit of David, and he traveled to meet the Philistines. For this reason, they called that place, the Rock of Division.

Sela-hammahlekoth - See the margin. (Identified by Conder with a narrow and impassable gorge between El Kolah and Maon, called Malaky).

They called that place Sela-hammah-lekoth - That is, the rock of divisions; because, says the Targum, the heart of the king was divided to go hither and thither. Here Saul was obliged to separate himself from David, in order to go and oppose the invading Philistines.

Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place (l) Selahammahlekoth.
(l) That is, stone of division, because there they divided themselves one from another.

Therefore Saul returned from pursuing after David,.... Stopped short at once, as soon as ever he received the message:
and went against the Philistines; to stop them in their progress, and drive them out of his country:
therefore they called that place Selahammahlekoth, which signifies the rock of divisions. David and his men, very probably, gave it this name, not only because it divided between Saul and his men, and David and his men, when they were one on one side of it, and the other on the other side of it; but because Saul was, by the providence of God, divided and separated from David here, whereby he escaped falling into his hands. The Targum is,"therefore they called that place the rock of division, the place where the heart of the king was divided to go here and there:''he was divided in his own mind, and at a loss what to do; he was in two minds, as Jarchi says, and did not know which to follow, whether to return and deliver his country from the hands of the Philistines, or to pursue and take David; and others represent the soldiers of Saul as divided, some saying that since the son of Jesse was just falling into their hands, they should not leave him; others, that the war of Israel should be regarded before him, who might be found at any time (u).
(u) Midrash apud Yalkut in loc.

From this occurrence the place received the name of Sela-hammahlekoth, "rock of smoothnesses," i.e., of slipping away or escaping, from חלק, in the sense of being smooth. This explanation is at any rate better supported than "rock of divisions, i.e., the rock at which Saul and David were separated" (Clericus), since חלק does not mean to separate.

Called, &c. - That is, The rock of divisions, because there Saul was separated, and in a manner pulled asunder from David, who was now almost within his reach.