19 ¶ Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself by us in holds, in the wood in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the right side [a]of Jeshimon?

20 Now therefore, O king, come down according to all that thine heart can desire, and our part shall be to deliver him into the King’s hands.

21 Then Saul said, [b]Be ye blessed of the Lord: for ye have had compassion on me.

22 Go, I pray you, and prepare ye yet better: know and see his place where he [c]haunteth, and who hath seen him there: for it is said to me, He is subtle, and crafty.

23 See therefore and know all the secret places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you: and if he be in the [d]land, I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah.

24 Then they arose and went to Ziph before Saul, but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the right hand of Jeshimon.

25 Saul also and his men went to seek him, and they told David: wherefore he came down unto a rock, and abode in the wilderness of [e]Maon. And when Saul heard that, he followed after David in the wilderness of Maon.

26 And Saul and his men went on the one side of the mountain: and David and his men on the other side of the mountain: and David made haste to get from the presence of Saul: for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about, to take them.

27 But there came a [f]messenger to Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come: for the Philistines have invaded the land.

28 Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing David, and went against the Philistines. Therefore they called that place, [g]Sela Hammahlekoth.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 23:19 Or, of the wilderness.
  2. 1 Samuel 23:21 The Lord recompense this friendship.
  3. 1 Samuel 23:22 Hebrew, where his foot hath been.
  4. 1 Samuel 23:23 In your country of Ziph, which is in Judah.
  5. 1 Samuel 23:25 Which was also in the tribe of Judah, Josh. 15:55.
  6. 1 Samuel 23:27 Thus the Lord can pull back the bridle of the tyrants and deliver his out of the lion’s mouth.
  7. 1 Samuel 23:28 That is, stone of division, because there they divided themselves one from another.

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