The Rock of Escape was a place where Saul stopped pursuing David after being called away to fight the Philistines (1Sa. 23:28).
Also known as Sela Hammahlekoth
The Rock of Escape, also known as Sela-hammahlekoth in Hebrew, was a location in the wilderness of Maon where Saul was pursuing David. When Saul and his men were about to close in on David and his followers, a messenger arrived informing Saul that the Philistines had invaded the land. Saul then broke off his pursuit of David to fight against the Philistines. As a result, the place was named the Rock of Escape or the Rock of Divisions (1Sa. 23:28). The exact location of this site is unknown, but it was likely situated in the wilderness area near Maon, in the Judean hills south of Hebron.
Approximate location: 31.417, 35.117 · view on a map · on the Bible atlas
1 verse in 1 book · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H5555
So Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to meet the Philistines. That is why that place is called Sela-hammahlekoth.
Names, family links and references: STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Short descriptions were drafted with AI assistance by STEPBible. Family links follow STEPBible’s scholarly decisions where genealogies are ambiguous.