23:1 They told David, “The Philistines are fighting in Keilah and are plundering the threshing floors.” 23:2 So David asked the LORD, “Should I go and strike down these Philistines?” The LORD said to David, “Go, strike down the Philistines, and deliver Keilah.”

23:3 But David’s men said to him, “We are fearful while we are still here in Judah! What will it be like if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?” 23:4 So David asked the LORD once again. But the LORD replied, “Arise, go down to Keilah. For I am about to give the Philistines into your hand.”

23:5 So David and his men went down to Keilah and fought with the Philistines. After carrying off as booty their cattle, he struck them down decisively and delivered¹ the inhabitants of Keilah. 23:6 Now when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech had fled to David at Keilah, he had brought with him² an ephod.

23:7 When Saul was told that David had come to Keilah, Saul said, “God has delivered³ him into my hand, for he has boxed himself into a corner by entering a city with two doors and a bar.” 23:8 So Saul mustered all his army for battle, to go down to Keilah to attack David and his men.

23:9 When David realized that Saul was conspiring evil against him, he told Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod.” 23:10 Then David said, “O LORD God of Israel, your servant has clearly heard that Saul is attempting to come to Keilah in order to destroy the city on my account. 23:11 Will the leaders of Keilah deliver me into his hand? Will Saul come down as your servant has heard? O LORD God of Israel, please inform your servant.”

Then the LORD said, “He will come down.” 23:12 David asked, “Will the leaders of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul?” The LORD said, “They will deliver you over.”

23:13 So David and his men, who numbered about six hundred, arose, leaving Keilah and going from one place to another.⁴ When he was told that David had escaped from Keilah, Saul⁵ called a halt to his expedition. 23:14 David stayed in the strongholds that were in the desert and in the hill country of the desert of Ziph. Saul looked for him all the time, but God did not deliver him into his hand. 23:15 David realized⁶ that Saul had gone out to seek his life; at that time David was in Horesh in the desert of Ziph.

23:16 Then Jonathan the son of Saul arose and went to David at Horesh. He encouraged⁷ him in God. 23:17 He said to him, “Don’t fear. For the hand of my father Saul cannot find you. You will rule over Israel, and I will be your second in command. Even my father Saul realizes this.” 23:18 When the two of them had made a covenant before the LORD, David stayed on at Horesh, but Jonathan went to his house.

23:19 Then the Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah saying, “Isn’t David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh on the hill of Hakilah, which is south of Jeshimon? 23:20 Now at your own discretion,⁸ O king, come down. Delivering him into the king’s hand will be our part.”

23:21 Saul replied, “May you be blessed by the LORD, for you have had compassion on me. 23:22 Go and make further arrangements. Accurately determine⁹ his place, and where he sets foot, and who has seen him there. For I am told that he is extremely cunning. 23:23 Accurately determine all the hiding places where he hides and return to me with dependable information,¹⁰ and then I will go with you. If he is in the land, I will search him out from all the thousands of Judah.”

23:24 So they arose and went to Ziph before Saul. Now David and his men were in the desert of Maon, in the Arabah to the south of Jeshimon. 23:25 Saul and his men went to search him out. But David was informed and went down to the rock and stayed in the desert of Maon. When Saul heard about it, he pursued after David in the desert of Maon. 23:26 Saul went on one side of the mountain, while David and his men went on the other side of the mountain. David was hurrying to get away from Saul, but Saul and his men were surrounding David and his men in order to capture them. 23:27 But a messenger came to Saul saying, “Come quickly! The Philistines have made a raid against the land!”

23:28 So Saul left off pursuing after David and went to meet the Philistines. Therefore that place is called Sela Hammahlekoth.