6 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 7 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 8 And Saul called all the people together to war to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men 9 And David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him and he said to Abiathar the priest Bring hither the ephod 10 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 11 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 12 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 13 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 14 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
15 And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood 16 And Jonathan Saul's son arose and went to David into the wood and strengthened his hand in God 17 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 18 And they two made a covenant before the LORD and David abode in the wood and Jonathan went to his house
19 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 20 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 21 And Saul said Blessed be ye of the LORD for ye have compassion on me 22 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 23 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
24 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 25 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 26 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 27 But there came a messenger unto Saul saying Haste thee and come for the Philistines have invaded the land 28 Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David and went against the Philistines therefore they called that place Selahammahlekoth 29 And David went up from thence and dwelt in strong holds at Engedi
