1 Samuel 23

David Rescues Keilah

1They told David, saying, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and plundering the threshing floors.” 2David inquired of the LORD, saying, “Will I go and strike these Philistines?” The LORD said to David, “Go, strike the Philistines and save Keilah.” 3Yet David’s men said to him, “Look, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more if we go to Keilah against the battle lines of the Philistines?” 4David again inquired of the LORD, and the LORD answered him and said, “Rise, go down to Keilah, for I am giving the Philistines into your hand.” 5So David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines. He drove away their livestock and struck them with a great slaughter. Thus David saved the inhabitants of Keilah. 6And it happened when Abiathar son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah that he came down with an ephod in his hand.

Saul Learns David Is at Keilah

7It was told to Saul that David had come to Keilah. Saul said, “God has rejected him into my hand, for he has shut himself in by entering a city with doors and bars.” 8Saul summoned all the people for war, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men.

David Inquires through the Ephod

9David knew that Saul was devising evil against him, and he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring near the ephod.” 10David said, “O LORD, God of Israel, your servant has surely heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah to destroy the city because of me. 11Will the leaders of Keilah deliver me into his hand? Will Saul come down as your servant has heard? O LORD, God of Israel, please tell your servant.” The LORD said, “He will come down.” 12David said, “Will the leaders of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul?” The LORD said, “They will deliver you.”

David Escapes from Keilah

13Then David and his men, about six hundred, arose and went out from Keilah and went wherever they could go. It was told to Saul that David had escaped from Keilah, so he ceased going out. 14David stayed in the wilderness in strongholds and remained in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but God did not give him into his hand.

Jonathan Strengthens David’s Hand in God

15David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh. 16Jonathan son of Saul arose and went to David at Horesh and strengthened his hand in God. 17He said to him, “Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father will not find you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Saul my father also knows this.” 18The two of them made a covenant before the LORD. David remained at Horesh, and Jonathan went to his house.

The Ziphites Betray David’s Location

19Then the Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah, which is south of Jeshimon? 20And now, according to all the desire of your life, O king, to come down, come down, and it will be for us to deliver him into the king’s hand.” 21Saul said, “Blessed are you by the LORD, for you have had compassion on me. 22Please go, make even more certain. Know and see his place where his foot is, who has seen him there, for it is said to me that he is very cunning. 23See and know all the hiding places where he hides and return to me with certainty. Then I will go with you, and it will be if he is in the land, I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.”

David Narrowly Escapes Saul

24They arose and went to Ziph before Saul. But David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah south of Jeshimon. 25Saul and his men went to seek him, and it was told to David. So he went down to the rock and remained in the wilderness of Maon. Saul heard and pursued David in the wilderness of Maon. 26Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side of the mountain. David was hurrying to get away from Saul, while Saul and his men were surrounding David and his men to seize them. 27But a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and go, for the Philistines have made a raid upon the land.” 28So Saul returned from pursuing David and went to meet the Philistines. Therefore they called that place the Rock of Escape. 29David went up from there and stayed in the strongholds of En-Gedi.