17
And he said unto him, Do not fear, for the hand of Saul, my father, shall not find thee, and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and even my father knows this.
18
And the two made a covenant before the LORD, and David abode in the woods, and Jonathan returned to his house.
19
Then those of Ziph came to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Does not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the woods in the hill of Hachilah, which
is on the right hand side of the wilderness?
20
Now, therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down, and our part
shall be to deliver him into the king’s hand.
21
And Saul said, Blessed
are ye of the LORD, for ye have compassion on me.
22
Go, I pray you, prepare yet and know and see his place where he places his foot
and who has seen him there, for it is told me
that he deals with great prudence.
23
See, therefore, and take knowledge of all the hiding places where he hides himself and come again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you; and it shall come to pass, if he is in the land that I will search him out with all the thousands of Judah.
24
And 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 side of the wilderness.
25
Saul also and his men went to seek
him. And they told David, and he came down
from there into a rock and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard
that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.
26
And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain; and David made haste to get away 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 messenger unto Saul, saying, Make haste and come, for the Philistines have invaded the land.