David in Wilderness Strongholds

14 And David stayed in strongholds in the wilderness, and remained in hthe mountains in the Wilderness of iZiph. Saul jsought him every day, but God did not deliver him into his hand. 15 So David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. And David was in the Wilderness of Ziph 3in a forest. 16 Then Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David in the woods and 4strengthened his hand in God. 17 And he said to him, k“Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. lEven my father Saul knows that.” 18 So the two of them mmade a covenant before the Lord. And David stayed in the woods, and Jonathan went to his own house.

19 Then the Ziphites ncame up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is David not hiding with us in strongholds in the woods, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon? 20 Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of your soul to come down; and oour part shall be to deliver him into the king’s hand.”

21 And Saul said, “Blessed are you of the Lord, for you have compassion on me. 22 Please go and find out for sure, and see the place where his hideout is, and who has seen him there. For I am told he is very crafty. 23 See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hides; and come back to me with certainty, and I will go with you. And it shall be, if he is in the land, that I will search for him throughout all the 5clans of Judah.”

24 So they arose and went to Ziph before Saul. But David and his men were in the Wilderness pof Maon, in the plain on the south of Jeshimon. 25 When Saul and his men went to seek him, they told David. Therefore he went down 6to the rock, and stayed in the Wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued David in the Wilderness of Maon. 26 Then Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side of the mountain. qSo David made haste to get away from Saul, for Saul and his men rwere encircling David and his men to take them.

27 sBut a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, for the Philistines have invaded the land!” 28 Therefore Saul returned from pursuing David, and went against the Philistines; so they called that place 7the Rock of Escape. 29 Then David went up from there and dwelt in strongholds at tEn Gedi.