Now they told David, “Behold, the Philistines are waging battle in Keilah, and they are robbing the threshing floors.”

So David inquired of the speech of the LORD, saying, “Shall I go and kill among these Philistines?” And the LORD said to David, “Go and kill among the Philistines and save Keilah.”

But David’s men said to him, “Behold, now we are here in the land of the House of Judah, we are [constantly] afraid. How much more if we go to Keilah, to the ranks of the Philistines!”

Then David inquired of the speech of the LORD again. And the LORD received his prayer and said, “Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will surrender the Philistines into your hand.”

And David and his men went to Keilah and waged battle with the Philistines. He took their herd and made a great strike among them. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

When Abiathar the son of Ahimelech had fled to David to Keilah, he had brought the ephod down in his hand.

Now it was told Saul that David had come to Keilah. And Saul said, “The LORD has surrendered him into my hand, for we are surrendered to enter a town that has gates and bars.”

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

When David learnt that Saul was plotting evil against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod near.”

Then said David, “O LORD, God of Israel, thy servant has surely heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah, to destroy the town on my account.

Are the inhabitants of Keilah planning to surrender me into his hand? Is Saul planning to come down, as thy servant has heard? O LORD, God of Israel, tell now thy servant!” And the LORD said, “He is planning to come down.”

Then David said, “Are the inhabitants of Keilah planning to surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?” And the LORD said, “They are planning to surrender you.”

Then David and his men – about six hundred men – arose and departed from Keilah, and they went to every place that was fit to go to. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he withdrew from going out.

And David dwelt in the strongholds in the desert, in the hill country of the Desert of Ziph. And Saul sought him all the days, but the LORD did not surrender him into his hand.

And David saw that Saul had come out to seek to kill him. David was in the Desert of Ziph, at The Wood.

And Jonathan, Saul’s son, rose and went to David at The Wood, and strengthened his hand in the speech of the LORD.

And he said to him, “Fear not; for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Saul my father also knows this.”

And the two of them made a covenant before the LORD. And David dwelt in The Wood, while Jonathan went home.

Then the men of Ziph went up to Saul at The Hill, saying, “Does not David hide among us in the strongholds of The Wood, on the hill of Hachilah, which is south of Jeshimon?

And now, come down according to all your heart’s desire, O king, and we shall surrender him into the king’s hand.”

And Saul said, “Blessed be you before the LORD, for you have had compassion on me.”

Go now and make more sure. Know and see the place where he dwells. Who saw him there? For they say that he is cunning and moving.

See then and learn to know any of the hiding places where he hides, and return to me with truth. Then I will go with you, and if he is in the land, I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.”

And they arose and went to Ziph, ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the Desert of Maon, in the valley to the south of Jeshimon.

When Saul and his men went to seek him, David was told and he went down to the rock and dwelt in the Desert of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the Desert of Maon.

Saul went on one side of the mountain and David and his men on the other side of the mountain. And David was anxious to get away from Saul, as Saul and his men were lying in wait against David and against his men to capture them.

Then a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Make haste and come, for the Philistines have marched out against the land!”

So Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines. Therefore they called the place Rock of Divisions, the place where the heart of the king was divided to go here or there.