1 Samuel 23:6-15

Evangelical Heritage Version

⁶ (When Abiathar son of Ahimelek fled with David to Keilah, he had brought the special vest, which was in his possession.)

⁷ When Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, he said, “God has delivered him into my hand, since David has trapped himself by entering a city that has barred gates.” ⁸ Then Saul summoned all the fighting men to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men.

⁹ David knew that Saul was planning to harm him, so he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the special vest here.” ¹⁰ Then David said, “O Lord, the God of Israel, your servant has heard a specific report that Saul plans to come to Keilah to destroy the city because of me. ¹¹ Will the citzens of Keilah hand me over to him? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? O Lord, God of Israel, please tell your servant.”

The Lord said, “He will come down.”

¹² Then David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah hand me and my men over to Saul?”

The Lord said, “They will hand you over.”

¹³ Then David and his men, who numbered about six hundred, immediately departed from Keilah and went wherever they could.^[a] When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up his plan to go there.

David in the Wilderness of Ziph

¹⁴ David stayed in the strongholds in the wilderness. He remained in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph. Saul searched for him every day, but God did not deliver him into his hand. ¹⁵ David knew that Saul had come to seek his life.

David was at Horesh in the Wilderness of Ziph.