1David was told that the Philistines were fighting against Keilah and stealing grain from the open-air threshing floors.
2So David asked Yahweh, "Should I go and attack these Philistines?" Yahweh answered David, "Go and attack the Philistines, and save Keilah."
3David's men said to him, "We are afraid even here in Judah. How much more afraid will we be if we go to Keilah to face the Philistine armies?"
4Then David asked Yahweh again. Yahweh answered him, "Go down to Keilah, because I will hand the Philistines over to you."
5So David and his men went to Keilah, fought the Philistines, drove off their livestock, and defeated them with a great slaughter. In this way, David saved the people of Keilah.
6When Abiathar, the son of Ahimelech, fled to David in Keilah, he brought the ephod with him.
7Saul was told that David had come to Keilah. Saul said, "God has given him into my hand, because he is trapped by entering a town with gates and bars."
8Saul called all the people to fight, to go down to Keilah and attack David and his men.
9David learned that Saul was planning evil against him. So he told Abiathar the priest, "Bring the ephod here."
10Then David said, "Yahweh, God of Israel, I have heard that Saul plans to come to Keilah and destroy the city because of me.
11Will the men of Keilah hand me over to him? Will Saul come down, as I've heard? Yahweh, God of Israel, please tell your servant." Yahweh answered, "He will come down."
12Then David asked, "Will the men of Keilah hand me and my men over to Saul?" Yahweh answered, "They will hand you over."
13So David and his men, about six hundred of them, left Keilah and went wherever they could. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he decided not to go there.
14David stayed in the wilderness in strongholds and in the hill country of the wilderness of Ziph. Saul searched for him every day, but God did not let Saul capture him.
15David saw that Saul had come out to kill him. David was in the wilderness of Ziph, in the wooded area.
16Jonathan, Saul’s son, went to David in the woods and encouraged him in God.
17He said to David, “Don’t be afraid, because my father Saul won't find you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. My father Saul knows this too.”
18The two of them made a promise before Yahweh. David stayed in the wooded area, and Jonathan went home.
19Then the people of Ziph went to Saul in Gibeah and said, “Isn’t David hiding with us in the strongholds in the woods, on the hill of Hachilah, south of the desert?
20Now, king, come down. It is your desire to come, and we will hand him over to you, the king.”
21Saul said, “Yahweh bless you, for you have shown me compassion.
22Please go and make sure again. Find out and see the exact place where he is hiding and who has seen him there. I’ve been told that he is very cunning.
23So look around and find all the hiding places where he might be. Then come back to me with definite information, and I will go with you. If he is in the land, I will track him down among all the thousands of Judah.”
24So they set off and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. But David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah, south of the desert.
25Saul and his men went to look for him. When David was told, he went down to the rock and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. When Saul heard this, he pursued David in the wilderness of Maon.
26Saul went around one side of the mountain, and David and his men went around the other side. David hurried to escape from Saul, because Saul and his men were surrounding David and his men to capture them.
27But a messenger came to Saul and said, “Hurry and come back, because the Philistines are attacking the land!”
28So Saul stopped chasing David and went to fight the Philistines. That is why they called that place Sela Hammahlekoth (Rock of Divisions).
29David went up from there and lived in the fortresses of En Gedi.