1 Samuel 23:1-15

It was reported to David that the Philistines were raiding Keilah and looting the grain. David went in prayer to GOD: “Should I go after these Philistines and teach them a lesson?” GOD said, “Go. Attack the Philistines and save Keilah.” But David’s men said, “We live in fear of our lives right here in Judah. How can you think of going to Keilah in the thick of the Philistines?” So David went back to GOD in prayer. GOD said, “Get going. Head for Keilah. I’m placing the Philistines in your hands.” David and his men went to Keilah and fought the Philistines. He scattered their cattle, beat them decisively, and saved the people of Keilah. After Abiathar took refuge with David, he joined David in the raid on Keilah, bringing the Ephod with him. Saul learned that David had gone to Keilah and thought immediately, “Good! God has handed him to me on a platter! He’s in a walled city with locked gates, trapped!” Saul mustered his troops for battle and set out for Keilah to lay siege to David and his men. But David got wind of Saul’s strategy to destroy him and said to Abiathar the priest, “Get the Ephod.” Then David prayed to GOD: “God of Israel, I’ve just heard that Saul plans to come to Keilah and destroy the city because of me. Will the city fathers of Keilah turn me over to him? Will Saul come down and do what I’ve heard? O GOD, God of Israel, tell me!” GOD replied, “He’s coming down.” “And will the head men of Keilah turn me and my men over to Saul?” And GOD said, “They’ll turn you over.” So David and his men got out of there. There were about six hundred of them. They left Keilah and kept moving, going here, there, wherever—always on the move. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he called off the raid. David continued to live in desert hideouts and the backcountry wilderness hills of Ziph. Saul was out looking for him day after day, but God never turned David over to him. David kept out of the way in the wilderness of Ziph, secluded at Horesh, since it was plain that Saul was determined to hunt him down.