¶ Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah¹, and they rob the² threshingfloors.

Therefore David enquired³ 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.

And David's men said unto him, Behold,⁴ we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?

Then David enquired of the LORD yet again⁵. And the LORD answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will⁶ deliver the Philistines into thine hand.

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.

And it came to pass, when Abiathar⁷ the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod⁸ in his hand.

¶ And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said, God hath delivered him into mine hand; for he is shut¹⁰ in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars.

And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.

And David¹¹ knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring¹² hither the ephod.

¶ Then said David, O LORD God of Israel, thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city¹³ for my sake.

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 LORD¹⁴ said, He will come down.

Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver¹⁵ me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the LORD said, They will¹⁶ deliver thee up.

Then David and his men, which were about six hundred¹⁷, 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.

¶ And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a mountain¹⁸ in the wilderness¹⁹ of Ziph. And Saul²⁰ sought him every day, but God²¹ delivered him not into his hand.

And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life²²: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.

And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened²³ his hand in God.

And he said unto him, Fear not:²⁴ for the hand of Saul my father shall not²⁵ find thee; and thou shalt be²⁶ king over Israel, and I shall be²⁷ next unto thee; and that also Saul²⁸ my father knoweth.

²⁹And they two made a covenant before the LORD: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.

¶ Then came up the Ziphites³⁰ to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah³¹, which is on the south³² of Jeshimon?

¶ Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire³³ of thy soul to come down; and our part³⁴ shall be to deliver him into the king's hand.

³⁵And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have compassion on me.

Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt is,³⁶ and who hath seen him there: for it is told me that he dealeth very subtilly.

See therefore, and take knowledge³⁷ 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 search³⁸ him out throughout all the thousands³⁹ of Judah.

And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men were in the wilderness⁴⁰ of Maon⁴¹, in the plain on the south⁴² of Jeshimon.

Saul also and his men went to seek him. And they told David: wherefore he came down into a rock⁴³, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.

And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste⁴⁴ to get away⁴⁵ for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them.

But there came⁴⁶ a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines⁴⁷ have invaded⁴⁸ the land.

Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Selahammahlekoth⁴⁹.

And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds⁵⁰ at Engedi.