### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **Chăkîylâh**, represented by `{{H2444}}`, is a proper name for a hill in Palestine, meaning **dark**. It appears **3 times** across **3 unique verses** in the Bible. It is not a common term but marks a specific geographical location that is central to a critical narrative involving King David and Saul.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical narrative, `{{H2444}}` consistently appears as the location where David attempts to hide from King Saul. The Ziphites report David's whereabouts to Saul, stating he is hiding "in the hill of **Hachilah**" ([[1 Samuel 23:19]], [[1 Samuel 26:1]]). This information prompts Saul to pursue David directly to that location. The final mention of the name shows Saul setting up his camp "in the hill of **Hachilah**," while David remained in the nearby wilderness [[1 Samuel 26:3]]. The hill is thus a focal point for the intense pursuit and conflict between the two figures.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words provide a fuller picture of the events surrounding the hill of Hachilah:
* `{{H1389}}` **gibʻâh** (hill, little hill): This term is used in every instance to classify **Hachilah** as a **hill** [[1 Samuel 23:19]]. It establishes the topography of the location where David sought refuge.
* `{{H5641}}` **çâthar** (to hide): This verb describes David's primary action at Hachilah. The Ziphites twice report that David does **hide** himself there ([[1 Samuel 23:19]], [[1 Samuel 26:1]]), defining the location as a place of concealment.
* `{{H4057}}` **midbâr** (wilderness): David is described as abiding in the **wilderness** when Saul came to Hachilah [[1 Samuel 26:3]]. This word sets the scene in a desolate and remote region, a common setting for fugitives and divine testing [[Deuteronomy 8:2]].
* `{{H4679}}` **mᵉtsad** (strong hold): Hachilah is identified as a place with **strong holds** where David was hiding [[1 Samuel 23:19]]. This suggests the hill offered natural or constructed fortifications, making it a place of defense or a **fort** [[Ezekiel 33:27]].
### Theological Significance
The narrative significance of `{{H2444}}` is tied to its role as a dramatic stage for several key themes:
* **A Place of Concealment and Refuge:** Hachilah is introduced as a refuge, a place with **strong holds** `{{H4679}}` where David attempts to **hide** `{{H5641}}` from his pursuer. This establishes the hill as a place of survival in a hostile landscape.
* **A Site of Betrayal and Pursuit:** The hill is transformed from a safe haven into a location of extreme danger when the Ziphites betray David's location to Saul [[1 Samuel 23:19]]. It becomes the specific target of Saul's military encampment [[1 Samuel 26:3]].
* **A Setting for Conflict:** As the meeting point for both David's hiding and Saul's pursuit, the hill of Hachilah becomes the backdrop for a tense standoff. It is situated in the **wilderness** `{{H4057}}`, a place where David often sought refuge in strong holds, and where God ultimately protected him from Saul [[1 Samuel 23:14]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H2444}}` **Chăkîylâh** is a specific geographical marker that carries significant narrative weight. Though mentioned only three times, the hill of Hachilah is indelible in the story of David's flight from Saul. It serves as a symbol of the precariousness of his situation—a place that was simultaneously a refuge, a target of betrayal, and the setting for a critical confrontation that defined his years as a fugitive.
TRV