09:023:001 Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight
against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors.
09:023:002 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.
09:023:003 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?
09:023:004 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.
09:023:005 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.
09:023:006 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.
09:023:007 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.
09:023:008 And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to
Keilah, to besiege David and his men.
09:023:009 And David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against
him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the
ephod.
09:023:010 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.
09:023:011 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.
09:023:012 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.
09:023:013 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.
09:023:014 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.
09:023:015 And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and
David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.
09:023:016 And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into the
wood, and strengthened his hand in God.
09:023:017 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.
09:023:018 And they two made a covenant before the LORD: and David abode
in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.
09:023:019 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?
09:023:020 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.
09:023:021 And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have
compassion on me.
09:023:022 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.
09:023:023 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.
09:023:024 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.
09:023:025 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.
09:023:026 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.
09:023:027 But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and
come; for the Philistines have invaded the land.
09:023:028 Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went
against the Philistines: therefore they called that place
Selahammahlekoth.
09:023:029 And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at
Engedi.