19. Then the Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Isn’t David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh on the hill of Hakilah, south of Jeshimon?
20. Now at your own discretion, O king, come down. Delivering him into the king’s hand will be our responsibility.”
21. Saul replied, “May you be blessed by the Lord, for you have had compassion on me.
22. Go and make further arrangements. Determine precisely where he is and who has seen him there, for I am told that he is extremely cunning.
23. Locate precisely all the places where he hides and return to me with dependable information. Then I will go with you. If he is in the land, I will find him among all the thousands of Judah.”
24. So they left and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the desert of Maon, in the Arabah to the south of Jeshimon.
25. Saul and his men went to look for him. But David was informed and went down to the rock and stayed in the desert of Maon. When Saul heard about it, he pursued David in the desert of Maon.
26. Saul went on one side of the mountain, while David and his men went on the other side of the mountain. David was hurrying to get away from Saul, but Saul and his men were surrounding David and his men so they could capture them.