1 Samuel 23

1 David was told, "Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and are robbing the threshing floors."

2 Therefore David inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall I go and strike these Philistines?" Then the LORD replied, "Go strike the Philistines, and save Keilah."

3 David's men said to him, "Look, we are afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?"

4 Then David inquired of the LORD yet again. The LORD answered him, and said, "Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into your hand."

5 David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their livestock, and killed them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

6 It happened, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David, that he went down with David to Keilah, having an ephod in his hand.

7 Now it was told Saul that David had come to Keilah. So Saul said, "God has sold him into my hand, for he has shut himself in by entering into a town that has gates and bars."

8 Then Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.

9 David knew that Saul was devising mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the cohen, "Bring the ephod here."

10 Then David said, "LORD, God of Israel, your servant has surely heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake.

11 And now, will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? LORD, God of Israel, tell your servant." And the LORD said, "He will come down."

12 Then David said, "Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul?" The LORD said, "They will deliver you up."

13 Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went wherever they could go. And Saul was told that David had escaped Keilah; so he gave up the pursuit.

14 David stayed in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but the LORD did not deliver him into his hand.

15 Now David was afraid that Saul had come out to seek his life. And David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh.

16 Jonathan, Saul's son, set out and came to David at Horesh and encouraged him in the LORD.

17 He said to him, "Do not be afraid; for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you; and you shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you; and that also Saul my father knows."

18 They both made a covenant before the LORD: and David stayed at Horesh, and Jonathan went to his house.

19 Then the Ziphites came up to Saul to Gibeah, saying, "Doesn't David hide himself with us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hakilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon?

20 Now therefore, O king, come down, according to all the desire of your soul to come down. It will be our responsibility to deliver him up into the king's hand."

21 Saul said, "You are blessed by the LORD; for you have had compassion on me.

22 Please go investigate again, and look around and learn the place where his swift foot is, for I am told that he is very clever.

23 See therefore, and find out all the hiding places where he hides himself, and come back to me when you know for certain, and I will go with you. And it shall happen, if he is in the land, that I will search for him among all the thousands of Judah."

24 They arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah on the south of Jeshimon.

25 Saul and his men went to seek him. When David was told, he went down to the rock, and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. When Saul heard that, he pursued David in the wilderness of Maon.

26 And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain. And David was hurrying to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men surrounded David and his men to take them.

27 But a messenger came to Saul, saying, "Hurry and come; for the Philistines have made a raid on the land."

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

29 David went up from there, and lived in the strongholds of En Gedi.