² So Saul went down to the Desert of Ziph, with his three thousand select Israelite troops, to search^(A) there for David.

² So Saul took three thousand able young men from all Israel and set out to look^(A) for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats.

¹⁷ “You are more righteous than I,”^(A) he said. “You have treated me well,^(B) but I have treated you badly.^(C)

²³ Find out about all the hiding places he uses and come back to me with definite information. Then I will go with you; if he is in the area, I will track^(A) him down among all the clans of Judah.”

²⁴ So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the Desert of Maon,^(B) in the Arabah south of Jeshimon.^{(C) 25} Saul and his men began the search, and when David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Desert of Maon. When Saul heard this, he went into the Desert of Maon in pursuit of David.

² Saul chose three thousand men from Israel; two thousand^(A) were with him at Mikmash^(B) and in the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan at Gibeah^(C) in Benjamin. The rest of the men he sent back to their homes.