CHAPTER 23
Now it was reported
to David,
“Look,
the Philistines
are fighting
against Keilah
and looting
the threshing floors.”
So David
inquired
of the LORD,
“Should I go
and attack
these
Philistines?”
And the LORD
said
to
David,
“Go
and attack
the Philistines
and deliver
Keilah.”
But David’s
men
said
to him,
“Look,
we
are afraid
here
in Judah;
how much more
if
we go
to Keilah
against
the armies of
the Philistines?”
Once again,
David
inquired
of the LORD,
and the LORD
answered him:
“Go
at once
to Keilah,
for
I
will deliver
the Philistines
into your hand.”
Then David
and his men
went
to Keilah,
fought
against the Philistines,
and carried off
their livestock,
striking
them
with a mighty
blow.
So David
rescued
the people
of Keilah.
When it was reported
to Saul
that
David
had gone
to Keilah,
he
said,
“God
has delivered
him
into my hand,
for
he has trapped himself
by entering
a town
with gates
and bars.”
When David
learned
that
Saul
was plotting
evil
against him,
he said
to
Abiathar
the priest,
“Bring
the ephod.”
And David
said,
“O LORD,
God
of Israel,
Your servant
has heard
that
Saul
intends
to come
to
Keilah
and destroy
the city
on my account.
Will the citizens
of Keilah
surrender me
into his hand?
Will Saul
come down,
as
Your servant
has heard?
O LORD,
God
of Israel,
please
tell
Your servant.”
“He will,”
said
the LORD.
So David
asked,
“Will the citizens
of Keilah
surrender
me
and
my men
into the hand
of Saul?”
“They will,”
answered
the LORD.
Then David
and his men,
about six
hundred strong,
set out
and departed
from Keilah,
moving from place to place.
When it was reported
to Saul
that
David
had escaped
from Keilah,
he declined
to go forth.
And David
stayed
in the wilderness
strongholds
and in the hill country
of the Wilderness
of Ziph.
Day
after day
Saul
searched for him,
but God
would not
deliver David
into his hand.
While David
was in Horesh
in the Wilderness
of Ziph,
he
saw
that
Saul
had come out
to take
his life.
saying,
“Do not
be afraid,
for
my father
Saul
will never
lay a hand on
you.
And you
will be king
over
Israel,
and I will
be
your
second-in-command.
Even
my father
Saul
knows
this is true."
So the two
of them made
a covenant
before
the LORD.
And David
remained
in Horesh,
while Jonathan
went
home.
Then the Ziphites
came up
to
Saul
at Gibeah
and said,
“Is not
David
hiding
with us
in strongholds
in Horesh,
on the hill
of Hachilah,
south
of Jeshimon?
Now,
O king,
come down
whenever
your soul
desires,
and we will be responsible
for delivering him
into your hands.”
Please
go
and prepare
further.
Investigate
and watch
carefully where
he goes
and who
has seen
him there,
for
I am told that
he
is extremely
cunning.
Observe
and find out
all
the places
where
he hides.
Then come back
to
me with
certainty,
and I will go
with you.
If
he is
in the land,
I will search him out
among all
the clans
of Judah.”
So they set out
and went
to Ziph
ahead of
Saul.
Now David
and his men
were in the Wilderness
of Maon
in the Arabah
south
of Jeshimon,
and Saul
and his men
went
to seek him.
When David
was told about it,
he went down
to the rock
and stayed
in the Wilderness
of Maon.
And when Saul
heard of this,
he pursued
David
there.
Saul
was proceeding along
one
side
of the mountain,
and David
and his men
along the other
side.
Even though David
was hurrying
to get away,
Saul
and his men
were closing
in on
David
and his men
to capture them.
So Saul
broke off
his pursuit
of David
and went
to meet
the Philistines.
That is why
that
place
is called
the Rock of Escape.