1 Samuel 23:7-23

7When Saul was told that David went to Keilah, Saul said, “God has delivered him into my hands. He has trapped himself by going into a city which has ⌞a gate with⌟ a double door ⌞held shut by⌟ a bar.”

8So Saul called together all the troops to go to war and blockade Keilah, where David and his men were.

9When David learned that Saul was planning to harm him, he told the priest Abiathar, “Bring the ephod.”

10Then David said, “Lord God of Israel, I have actually heard that Saul is going to come to Keilah and destroy the city on account of me.

11Will the citizens of Keilah hand me over to him? Will Saul come here as I have heard? Lord God of Israel, please tell me.” “He will come,” the Lord answered.

12“Will the citizens of Keilah hand me and my men over to Saul?” David asked. “They will hand you over,” the Lord answered.

13So David and his men, about six hundred  in all, left Keilah. They went wherever they could go. Then Saul was told, “David has escaped from Keilah!” So he gave up the campaign.

14David lived in fortified camps in the desert, and he lived in fortified camps in the mountains of the desert of Ziph. Saul was always searching for him, but God didn’t let him capture David.

15David was afraid because  Saul had come to kill him at Horesh in the desert of Ziph.

16Saul’s son Jonathan came to David at Horesh. He strengthened David’s ⌞faith⌟ in the Lord.

17“Don’t be afraid,” he told David, “my father Saul won’t find you. You will rule Israel, and I will be your second-in-command. Even my father Saul knows this.”

18Both of them made a pledge in the Lord’s presence. David stayed in Horesh, and Jonathan went home.

19Then the men of Ziph went to Saul in Gibeah. They said, “David is hiding with us in fortified camps at Horesh on the hills of Hachilah, south of Jeshimon.

20Come, Your Majesty, whenever you want. We will hand him over to you.”

21Saul responded, “The Lord bless you for feeling sorry for me!

22Please make more plans, and watch where he goes. Who has seen him there? I’m told he’s very clever.

23Watch and learn about all the hiding places where he may be hiding, and come back to me with the facts. Then I’ll go with you, and if he’s in the country, I’ll search for him among all the families of Judah.”