David saves the town of Keilah from the Philistines, but Saul pursues him in the wilderness. Jonathan visits David and encourages him. Saul is called away by a Philistine raid.
1 Then they told David , saying , Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah , and they rob the threshingfloors .
2 Therefore David enquired of the LORD , saying , Shall I go and smite these Philistines ? And the LORD said unto David , Go , and smite the Philistines , and save Keilah .
3 And David's men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah : how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines ?
4 Then David enquired of the LORD yet again . And the LORD answered him and said , Arise , go down to Keilah ; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand .
5 So David and his men went to Keilah , and fought with the Philistines , and brought away their cattle , and smote them with a great slaughter . So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah .
6 And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah , that he came down with an ephod in his hand .
7 And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah . And Saul said , God hath delivered him into mine hand ; for he is shut in , by entering into a town that hath gates and bars .
8 And Saul called all the people together to war , to go down to Keilah , to besiege David and his men .
9 And David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest , Bring hither the ephod .
10 Then said David , O LORD God of Israel , thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah , to destroy the city for my sake.
11 Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand ? will Saul come down , as thy servant hath heard ? O LORD God of Israel , I beseech thee, tell thy servant . And the LORD said , He will come down .
12 Then said David , Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul ? And the LORD said , They will deliver thee up .
13 Then David and his men , which were about six hundred , arose and departed out of Keilah , and went whithersoever they could go . And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah ; and he forbare to go forth .
14 And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds , and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph . And Saul sought him every day , but God delivered him not into his hand .
15 And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life : and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood .
16 And Jonathan Saul's son arose , and went to David into the wood , and strengthened his hand in God .
17 And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel , and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth .
18 And they two made a covenant before the LORD : and David abode in the wood , and Jonathan went to his house .
19 Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah , saying , Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood , in the hill of Hachilah , which is on the south of Jeshimon ?
20 Now therefore, O king , come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down ; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king's hand .
21 And Saul said , Blessed be ye of the LORD ; for ye have compassion on me.
22 Go , I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who hath seen him there: for it is told me that he dealeth very subtilly .
23 See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty , and I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land , that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah .
24 And they arose , and went to Ziph before Saul : but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon , in the plain on the south of Jeshimon .
25 Saul also and his men went to seek him. And they told David : wherefore he came down into a rock , and abode in the wilderness of Maon . And when Saul heard that, he pursued after 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 made haste to get away for fear of Saul ; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them.
27 But there came a messenger unto Saul , saying , Haste thee, and come ; for the Philistines have invaded the land .
28 Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David , and went against the Philistines : therefore they called that place Selahammahlekoth .
29 And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at Engedi .