¹⁴ David stayed in the wilderness^(A) strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph.^(B) Day after day Saul searched^(C) for him, but God did not^(D) give David into his hands.

¹⁵ While David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he learned that^[a] Saul had come out to take his life.^(E)

²⁶ Saul^(A) was going along one side of the mountain, and David and his men were on the other side, hurrying to get away from Saul. As Saul and his forces were closing in on David and his men to capture them, ²⁷ a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Come quickly! The Philistines are raiding the land.” ²⁸ Then Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to meet the Philistines. That is why they call this place Sela Hammahlekoth.^[a]