1 Samuel 23:13   (Read all of 1 Samuel 23)

So David and his men, about six hundred in number, left Keilah and kept moving from place to place. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he did not go there.

1 Samuel 23:14   (Read all of 1 Samuel 23)

David stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God did not give David into his hands.

1 Samuel 23:15   (Read all of 1 Samuel 23)

While David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he learned that Saul had come out to take his life.

1 Samuel 23:16   (Read all of 1 Samuel 23)

And Saul's son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God.

1 Samuel 23:17   (Read all of 1 Samuel 23)

"Don't be afraid," he said. "My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this."

1 Samuel 23:19   (Read all of 1 Samuel 23)

The Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, "Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hakilah, south of Jeshimon?

1 Samuel 23:21   (Read all of 1 Samuel 23)

Saul replied, "The Lord bless you for your concern for me.

1 Samuel 23:24   (Read all of 1 Samuel 23)

So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the Desert of Maon, in the Arabah south of Jeshimon.

1 Samuel 23:25   (Read all of 1 Samuel 23)

Saul and his men began the search, and when David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Desert of Maon. When Saul heard this, he went into the Desert of Maon in pursuit of David.

1 Samuel 23:26   (Read all of 1 Samuel 23)

Saul was going along one side of the mountain, and David and his men were on the other side, hurrying to get away from Saul. As Saul and his forces were closing in on David and his men to capture them,

1 Samuel 23:27   (Read all of 1 Samuel 23)

a messenger came to Saul, saying, "Come quickly! The Philistines are raiding the land."

1 Samuel 23:28   (Read all of 1 Samuel 23)

Then Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to meet the Philistines. That is why they call this place Sela Hammahlekoth.

1 Samuel 24:1   (Read all of 1 Samuel 24)

After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, "David is in the Desert of En Gedi."

1 Samuel 24:2   (Read all of 1 Samuel 24)

So Saul took three thousand able young men from all Israel and set out to look for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats.

1 Samuel 24:3   (Read all of 1 Samuel 24)

He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave.

1 Samuel 24:4   (Read all of 1 Samuel 24)

The men said, "This is the day the Lord spoke of when he said to you, 'I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.' " Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul's robe.

1 Samuel 24:7   (Read all of 1 Samuel 24)

With these words David sharply rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.

1 Samuel 24:8   (Read all of 1 Samuel 24)

Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, "My lord the king!" When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.

1 Samuel 24:9   (Read all of 1 Samuel 24)

He said to Saul, "Why do you listen when men say, 'David is bent on harming you'?

1 Samuel 24:16   (Read all of 1 Samuel 24)

When David finished saying this, Saul asked, "Is that your voice, David my son?" And he wept aloud.

1 Samuel 24:22   (Read all of 1 Samuel 24)

So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.

1 Samuel 25:44   (Read all of 1 Samuel 25)

But Saul had given his daughter Michal, David's wife, to Paltiel son of Laish, who was from Gallim.

1 Samuel 26:1   (Read all of 1 Samuel 26)

The Ziphites went to Saul at Gibeah and said, "Is not David hiding on the hill of Hakilah, which faces Jeshimon?"

1 Samuel 26:2   (Read all of 1 Samuel 26)

So Saul went down to the Desert of Ziph, with his three thousand select Israelite troops, to search there for David.