Login Register
6-8Meanwhile, Saul heard that David was in Keilah. "God has let me catch David," Saul said. "David is trapped inside a walled town where the gates can be locked." Saul decided to go there and surround the town, in order to trap David and his men. He sent messengers who told the towns and villages, "Send men to serve in Saul's army!"
By this time, Abiathar had joined David in Keilah and had brought along everything he needed to get answers from God.
9David heard about Saul's plan to capture him, and he told Abiathar, "Let's ask God what we should do."
10David prayed, "LORD God of Israel, I was told that Saul is planning to come here. What should I do? Suppose he threatens to destroy the town because of me. 11Would the leaders of Keilah turn me over to Saul? Or is he really coming? Please tell me, LORD."
"Yes, he will come," the LORD answered.
12David asked, "Would the leaders of Keilah hand me and my soldiers over to Saul?"
"Yes, they would," the LORD answered.
13David and his six hundred men got out of there fast and started moving from place to place. Saul heard that David had left Keilah, and he decided not to go after him.
15One time, David was at Horesh in Ziph Desert. He was afraid because Saul had come to the area to kill him. 16But Jonathan went to see David, and God helped him encourage David. 17"Don't be afraid," Jonathan said. "My father Saul will never get his hands on you. In fact, you're going to be the next king of Israel, and I'll be your highest official. Even my father knows it's true." 18They both promised the LORD that they would always be loyal to each other. Then Jonathan went home, but David stayed at Horesh.
You've done me a big favor, and I pray that the LORD will bless you. 22Now please do just a little more for me. Find out exactly where David is, as well as where he goes, and who has seen him there. I've been told that he's very tricky. 23Find out where all his hiding places are and come back when you're sure. Then I'll go with you. If he is still in the area, or anywhere among the clans of Judah, I'll find him.
24The people from Ziph went back ahead of Saul, and they found out that David and his men were still south of Jeshimon in the Maon Desert. 25Saul and his army set out to find David. But David heard that Saul was coming, and he went to a place called The Rock, one of his hideouts in Maon Desert.
Saul found out where David was and started closing in on him. 26Saul was going around a hill on one side, and David and his men were on the other side, trying to get away. Saul and his soldiers were just about to capture David and his men, 27when a messenger came to Saul and said, "Come quickly! The Philistines are attacking Israel and taking everything."
28Saul stopped going after David and went back to fight the Philistines. That's why the place is called "Escape Rock."
29David left and went to live in the hideouts at En-Gedi.
Back to Top
David and his men were hiding at the back of the cave. 4They whispered to David, "The LORD told you he was going to let you defeat your enemies and do whatever you want with them. This must be the day the LORD was talking about."
David sneaked over and cut off a small piece of Saul's robe, but Saul didn't notice a thing. 5Afterwards, David was sorry that he had even done that, 6-7and he told his men, "Stop talking foolishly. We're not going to attack Saul. He's my king, and I pray that the LORD will keep me from doing anything to harm his chosen king." Saul left the cave and started down the road. 8Soon, David also got up and left the cave. "Your Majesty!" he shouted from a distance.
Saul turned around to look. David bowed down very low 9and said:
Your Majesty, why do you listen to people who say that I'm trying to harm you? 10You can see for yourself that the LORD gave me the chance to catch you in the cave today. Some of my men wanted to kill you, but I wouldn't let them do it. I told them, "I will not harm the LORD's chosen king!" 11Your Majesty, look at what I'm holding. You can see that it's a piece of your robe. If I could cut off a piece of your robe, I could have killed you. But I let you live, and that should prove I'm not trying to harm you or to rebel. I haven't done anything to you, and yet you keep trying to ambush and kill me.
12I'll let the LORD decide which one of us has done right. I pray that the LORD will punish you for what you're doing to me, but I won't do anything to you. 13An old proverb says, "Only evil people do evil things," and so I won't harm you.
14Why should the king of Israel be out chasing me, anyway? I'm as worthless as a dead dog or a flea. 15I pray that the LORD will help me escape and show that I am in the right.
16"David, my son--is that you?" Saul asked. Then he started crying 17and said:
David, you're a better person than I am. You treated me with kindness, even though I've been cruel to you. 18You've told me how you were kind enough not to kill me when the LORD gave you the chance. 19If you really were my enemy, you wouldn't have let me leave here alive. I pray that the LORD will give you a big reward for what you did today.
20I realize now that you will be the next king, and a powerful king at that. 21Promise me with the LORD as your witness, that you won't wipe out my descendants. Let them live to keep my family name alive.
22So David promised, and Saul went home. David and his men returned to their hideout.