Then they told David
, saying
, "Behold
, the Philistines
are fighting
against aKeilah
and are plundering
the threshing
floors
."
So David ainquired
of the LORD
, saying
, "Shall I go
and 1attack
these
Philistines
?" And the LORD
said
to David
, "Go
and 1attack
the Philistines
and deliver
Keilah
."
But David's men
said
to him, "Behold
, we are afraid
here
in Judah
. How
much
more
then if
we go
to Keilah
against
the ranks
of the Philistines
?"
Then David inquired
of the LORD
once
more
. And the LORD
answered
him and said
, "Arise
, go
down
to Keilah
, for aI will give
the Philistines
into your hand
."
So David and his men
went
to Keilah
and fought
with the Philistines
; and he led
away
their livestock
and struck
them with a great
slaughter
. Thus David
delivered
the inhabitants
of Keilah
.
Now it came about, when Abiathar
the son
of Ahimelech
afled
to David
at Keilah
, that he came
down
with an ephod
in his hand
.
When it was told Saul
that David
had come
to Keilah
, Saul
said
, "God
has 1delivered
him into my hand
, for he shut
himself in by entering
a city
with double gates
and bars
."
So Saul summoned
all
the people
for war
, to go
down
to Keilah
to besiege
David
and his men
.
Now David knew
that Saul
was plotting
evil
against
him; so he said
to aAbiathar
the priest
, " bBring
the ephod
here
."
Then David said
, "O LORD
God
of Israel
, Your servant
has heard
for certain
that Saul
is seeking
to come
to Keilah
to destroy
the city
on my account
.
"Will the men of Keilah
surrender
me into his hand
? Will Saul
come
down
just
as Your servant
has heard
? O LORD
God
of Israel
, I pray
, tell
Your servant
." And the LORD
said
, "He will come
down
."
Then David said
, "Will the men
of Keilah
surrender
me and my men
into the hand
of Saul
?" And the LORD
said
, " aThey will surrender
you."
Then David and his men
, aabout six
hundred
, arose
and departed
from Keilah
, and they went
bwherever
they could go
. When it was told
Saul
that David
had escaped
from Keilah
, he 1gave
up the pursuit
.
David stayed
in the wilderness
in the strongholds
, and remained
in the hill
country
in the wilderness
of aZiph
. And Saul
sought
him every
day
, but bGod
did not deliver
him into his hand
.
Now David 1became
aware
that Saul
had come
out to seek
his life
while David
was in the wilderness
of Ziph
at Horesh
.
And Jonathan, Saul's
son
, arose
and went
to David
at Horesh
, and 1 aencouraged
him in God
.
Thus he said to him, " aDo not be afraid
, because
the hand
of Saul
my father
will not find
you, and you will be king
over
Israel
and I will be next
to you; and bSaul
my father
knows
that also
."
So athe two of them made
a covenant
before
the LORD
; and David
stayed
at Horesh
while Jonathan
went
to his house
.
Then aZiphites came
up to Saul
at Gibeah
, saying
, "Is David
not hiding
with us in the strongholds
at Horesh
, on bthe hill
of Hachilah
, which
is on the 1south
of 2Jeshimon
?
"Now then, O king
, come
down
according to all
the desire
of your soul
to 1do
so
; and aour part shall be to surrender
him into the king's
hand
."
Saul said
, "May you be blessed
of the LORD
, afor you have had
compassion
on me.
"Go now
, make
more
sure
, and investigate
and see
his place
where
his 1haunt
is, and who
has seen
him there
; for I am told
that he is very
cunning
.
"So look, and learn
about
all
the hiding
places
where
he hides
himself and return
to me with certainty
, and I will go
with you; and if
he is in the land
, I will search
him out among all
the thousands
of Judah
."
Then they arose and went
to Ziph
before
Saul
. Now David
and his men
were in the wilderness
of aMaon
, in the Arabah
to the 1south
of 2Jeshimon
.
When Saul and his men
went
to seek
him, they told
David
, and he came
down
to the rock
and stayed
in the wilderness
of Maon
. And when Saul
heard
it, he pursued
David
in the wilderness
of Maon
.
Saul went
on one
side
of the mountain
, and David
and his men
on the other
side
of the mountain
; and David
was hurrying
to get
away
from Saul
, for Saul
and his men
awere surrounding
David
and his men
to seize
them.
But a messenger came
to Saul
, saying
, "Hurry
and come
, for the Philistines
have made
a raid
on the land
."
So Saul returned
from pursuing
David
and went
to meet
the Philistines
; therefore
they called
that place
1the Rock
of Escape
.
1David went
up from there
and stayed
in the strongholds
of aEngedi
.