1 Samuel 23:19-29

International Standard Version

The People of Ziph Betray David

¹⁹ People from Ziph came up to Saul at Gibeah and informed him, “David is hiding with us in the strongholds in Horesh and on the hill of Hachilah south of Jeshimon, isn’t he? ²⁰ Now, your majesty, whenever you want to come down,^[a] come down, and our part will be to hand him over to the king.”

²¹ Saul said, “May you be blessed by the Lord, because you have been gracious to me. ²² Go and again make sure, find out and investigate where he is^[b] and who has seen him there, for people tell me that he’s very clever. ²³ Investigate and find out all the hiding places there where he hides, and return to me with reliable information. Then I’ll go down with you, and if he’s in the land, I’ll search him out among all the thousands of Judah.” ²⁴ The people from Ziph got up and left Saul, while David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon in the Arabah south of Jeshimon.

²⁵ When Saul and his men went to search for David,^[c] some people^[d] told David, and he went down to the Rock of Escape^[e] and remained in the wilderness of Maon. Saul heard this and he pursued David into the wilderness 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 while Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them.

²⁷ Then a messenger came to Saul with this news: “Come quickly, because the Philistines have made a raid on the land!” ²⁸ So Saul turned around from pursuing David and went to meet the Philistines. Therefore, they call that place the Rock of Escape. ^29 [f]David went up from there and stayed in the strongholds of En-gedi.