1 Samuel 23:7–14

⁷And Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah. So Saul said, “God has delivered him into my hand, for he has shut himself in by entering a town that has gates and bars.” ⁸Then Saul called all the people together for war, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men.

⁹When David knew that Saul plotted evil against him, ^ehe said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.” ¹⁰Then David said, “O Lord God of Israel, Your servant has certainly heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah ^fto destroy the city for my sake. ¹¹Will the men of Keilah deliver me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as Your servant has heard? O Lord God of Israel, I pray, tell Your servant.”

And the Lord said, “He will come down.”

¹²Then David said, “Will the men of Keilah ²deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul?”

And the Lord said, “They will deliver you.”

¹³So David and his men, ^gabout six hundred, arose and departed from Keilah and went wherever they could go. Then it was told Saul that David had escaped from Keilah; so he halted the expedition.

David in Wilderness Strongholds

¹⁴And 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.