1And they told David , saying, Behold , the Philistines are fighting against Keilah , and are robbing the threshing-floors. 2Therefore David inquired of Jehovah , saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines ? And Jehovah said unto David , Go , and smite the Philistines , and save Keilah . 3And David ’s men said unto him , Behold , we are afraid here in Judah : how much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines ? 4Then David inquired of Jehovah yet again . And Jehovah answered him , and said , Arise , go down to Keilah ; for I will deliver the Philistines into thy hand . 5And David and his men went to Keilah , and fought with the Philistines , and brought away their cattle , and slew them with a great slaughter . So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah .
Saul Seeks David
6And 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 . 7And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah . And Saul said, God hath delivered him into my hand ; for he is shut in , by entering into a town that hath gates and bars . 8And Saul summoned all the people to war , to go down to Keilah , to besiege David and his men . 9And David knew that Saul was devising mischief against him ; and he said to Abiathar the priest , Bring hither the ephod. 10Then said David , O Jehovah , the God of Israel , thy servant hath surely heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah , to destroy the city for my sake . 11Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand ? will Saul come down , as thy servant hath heard ? O Jehovah , the God of Israel , I beseech thee , tell thy servant . And Jehovah said , He will come down . 12Then said David , Will the men of Keilah deliver up me and my men into the hand of Saul ? And Jehovah said, They will deliver thee up . 13Then David and his men , who 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 .
David's Escape from Keilah
14And David abode in the wilderness in the strongholds , and remained in the hill-country in the wilderness of Ziph . And Saul sought him every day , but God delivered him not into his hand . 15And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life : and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in the wood . 16And Jonathan , Saul ’s son , arose , and went to David into the wood , and strengthened his hand in God . 17And 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 . 18And they two made a covenant before Jehovah : and David abode in the wood , and Jonathan went to his house .
David in the Wilderness
19Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah , saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in the strongholds in the wood , in the hill of Hachilah , which is on the south of the desert ? 20Now therefore , O king , come down , according to all the desire of thy soul to come down ; and our part shall be to deliver him up into the king ’s hand . 21And Saul said, Blessed be ye of Jehovah ; for ye have had compassion on me . 22Go , I pray you , make yet more sure , 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 subtly. 23See therefore , and take knowledge of all the lurking-places where he hideth himself , and come ye again to me of a 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 among all the thousands of Judah . 24And 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 the desert . 25And Saul and his men went to seek him . And they told David : wherefore he came down to the rock , and abode in the wilderness of Maon . And when Saul heard that , he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon . 26And 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 . 27But there came a messenger unto Saul , saying, Haste thee , and come ; for the Philistines have made a raid upon the land. 28So Saul returned from pursuing after David , and went against the Philistines : therefore they called that place Sela-hammahlekoth . 29And David went up from thence, and dwelt in the strongholds of En-gedi.