1. David heard that the Philistines were attacking the town of Keilah and were stealing the newly harvested corn.
2. So he asked the Lord, “Shall I go and attack the Philistines?”“Yes,” the Lord answered. “Attack them and save Keilah.”
3. But David's men said to him, “We have enough to be afraid of here in Judah; it will be much worse if we go to Keilah and attack the Philistine forces!”
4. So David consulted the Lord again, and the Lord said to him, “Go and attack Keilah, because I will give you victory over the Philistines.”
5. So David and his men went to Keilah and attacked the Philistines; they killed many of them and took their livestock. And that was how David saved the town.
6. When Abiathar son of Ahimelech escaped and joined David in Keilah, he took the ephod with him.
7. Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, and he said, “God has put him in my power. David has trapped himself by going into a walled town with fortified gates.”
8. So Saul called his troops to war, to march against Keilah and besiege David and his men.
9. When David heard that Saul was planning to attack him, he said to the priest Abiathar, “Bring the ephod here.”
10. Then David said, “Lord, God of Israel, I have heard that Saul is planning to come to Keilah and destroy it on account of me, your servant.
11. Will the citizens of Keilah hand me over to Saul? Will Saul really come, as I have heard? Lord, God of Israel, I beg you to answer me!”The Lord answered, “Saul will come.”
12. “And will the citizens of Keilah hand my men and me over to Saul?” David asked again.“They will,” the Lord answered.
13. So David and his men — about 600 in all — left Keilah at once and kept on the move. When Saul heard that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up his plan.
14. David stayed in hiding in the hill country, in the wilderness near Ziph. Saul was always trying to find him, but God did not hand David over to him.
15. David saw that Saul was out to kill him.David was at Horesh, in the wilderness near Ziph.
16. Jonathan went to him there and encouraged him with assurances of God's protection,
17. saying to him, “Don't be afraid. My father Saul won't be able to harm you. He knows very well that you are the one who will be the king of Israel and that I will be next in rank to you.”