1 Samuel 23:7-23

7When it was reported to Saul that David had come to Keilah, Saul said, “God has handed him over to me, for he shut himself in by entering a city with double gates and bars.” 8So Saul summoned all the people for war, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men. 9But David knew that Saul was plotting evil against him; so he said to 1Abiathar the priest, “2Bring the ephod here.” 10Then David said, “Lord God of Israel, Your servant has heard for certain that Saul is seeking to come to Keilah to destroy the city on my account. 11Will the citizens of Keilah hand me over to him? Will Saul come down just as Your servant has heard? Lord God of Israel, please, tell Your servant.” And the Lord said, “He will come down.” 12Then David said, “Will the citizens of Keilah hand me and my men over to Saul?” And the Lord said, “3They will hand you over.” 13Then David and his men, 4about six hundred, rose up and departed from Keilah, and they went 5wherever they could go. When it was reported to Saul that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up 6the pursuit. 14David stayed in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill country in the wilderness of 7Ziph. And Saul searched for him every day, but 8God did not hand him over to him.

15Now David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life while David was in the wilderness of Ziph, at Horesh. 16And Jonathan, Saul’s son, set out and went to David at Horesh, and 910encouraged him in God. 17He said to him, “11Do not be afraid, because the hand of Saul my father will not find you, and you will be king over Israel, and I will be second in command to you; and 12Saul my father knows that as well.” 18So 13the two of them made a covenant before the Lord; and David stayed at Horesh, while Jonathan went to his house.

19Then 14Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is David not keeping himself hidden with us in the strongholds at Horesh, on 15the hill of Hachilah, which is south of 16Jeshimon? 20Now then, O king, come down, 17since you fully desire to 18do so; and 19our part shall be to hand him over to the king.” 21Saul said, “May you be blessed of the Lord, 20since you have had compassion on me. 22Go now, be more persistent, and investigate and see his place where 21he is hiding, and who has seen him there; for I am told that he is very cunning. 23So look, and learn about all the hiding places where he keeps himself hidden, and return to me with certainty, and I will go with you; and if he is in the land, I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.”