11. Will the leaders of Keilah deliver me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as Your servant has heard? O Lord, God of Israel, please tell Your 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 you.”
13. So David and his men, which were about six hundred, arose and left Keilah. And they went wherever they could go. Now it was told Saul that David had escaped from Keilah. So he halted the expedition.
14. And David remained in the wilderness in strongholds, and dwelled in mountains in the Wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but God did not give him into his hand.
15. Now David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. And David was in the Wilderness of Ziph in Horesh.
16. Jonathan, the son of Saul, arose and went to David at Horesh. And he strengthened his hand in God.
17. He said to him, “Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father will not find you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be next to you. Saul my father knows this.”
18. The two of them made a covenant before the Lord. And David stayed in Horesh, but Jonathan went to his house.
19. Then the Ziphites went up to Saul to Gibeah saying, “Is David not hiding himself with us in strongholds in Horesh, on the hill of Hakilah, which is south of Jeshimon?
20. Now, O king, come down according to all the desire of your soul to come down. And our part will be to deliver him into the king’s hand.”
21. Saul said, “Blessed are you of the Lord. For you have had compassion on me.
22. Please go, make sure again. Investigate and see the place where his foot rests, and who has seen him there. For it has been said to me that he is very cunning.