Top of Page
Page Style
was told, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are plundering the threshing floors.” 2 So David inquired of the Lord: “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?”
The Lord said to David, “Go, attack the Philistines and save Keilah.”
3 But 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 So David inquired of the Lord again, and the Lord answered him: “Go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into your hand.” 5 So David and his men went to Keilah and fought against the Philistines. He drove away their cattle, and struck them with a great slaughter. So David saved the people of Keilah. 6 When Abiathar son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, he came down with an ephod in his hand.
7 When it was reported to Saul that David had gone to Keilah, he said, “God has delivered him into my hand, for he has trapped himself by entering a town with gates and bars.” 8 And Saul summoned all the troops to go to war at Keilah, and besiege David and his men.
9 When David learned that Saul was plotting evil against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.” 10 Then David said, “O Lord, the God of Israel, Your servant has certainly heard that Saul plans to come to Keilah and destroy the city on account of me. 11 Will the men of Keilah hand me over to him? Will Saul come down, as Your servant has heard? O Lord, the God of Israel, please tell Your servant.”
And the Lord answered, “He will come down.”
12 Again David asked, “Will the men of Keilah hand me and my men over to Saul?” And the Lord said, “They will deliver you up.”
13 So David and his men, numbering about six hundred, left Keilah, and they moved from place to place. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he abandoned the pursuit.
14 David stayed in the wilderness strongholds, and in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph. Saul searched for him constantly, but God did not deliver David into his hands.
15 David was at Horesh in the Wilderness of Ziph when he found out that Saul was pursuing him to kill him. 16 And Saul’s son, Jonathan went out to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God. 17 Jonathan told David, “Do not be afraid. My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You are going to be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this.” 18 Then the two of them made a covenant before the Lord. After this David remained at Horesh, while Jonathan went home.
19 Some Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah and told him, “David is hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah south of Jeshimon. 20 Now, O king, come down whenever it pleases you to do so, and our part will be to deliver him into the king’s hand.”
21 Saul replied, “May the Lord bless you, for you have shown me compassion. 22 Go out and make sure. Find out where David hides and who has seen him there; for I am told he is very cunning. 23 So look and find out all the hiding places where he lurks, and come back to me when you are certain. Then I will go with you; and if he is in the area, I will search for him out among all the clans of Judah.”
24 So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the Wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah, to the south of Jeshimon. 25 When Saul and his men came to search for him, David was told about it, and he went down to the rock and stayed in the Wilderness of Maon. When Saul heard of this, he pursued David there.
26 Saul was going along one side of the mountain, and David and his men were on the other side of the mountain. David was hurrying to get away from Saul, for Saul and his men were surrounding David and his men to capture them. 27 But a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Come quickly, for the Philistines have invaded the land!” 28 So Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went against the Philistines; therefore they called that place Sela-hammalekoth. 29 David went up from there and stayed in the stronghold at En-gedi.