THEN they told David, saying, Behold, the Pelishtiym fight against Qe'iylah, and they rob the threshingfloors.
Therefore David inquired of Yahuah, saying, Shall I go and smite these Pelishtiym? And Yahuah said unto El-David, Go, and smite the Pelishtiym, and save Qe'iylah.
And David's men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Yahudah: how much more then if we come to Qe'iylah against the armies of the Pelishtiym?
Then David inquired of Yahuah yet again. And Yahuah answered him and said, Arise, go down to Qe'iylah; for I will deliver the Pelishtiym into your hand.
So David and his men went to Qe'iylah, and fought with the Pelishtiym, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter. So David saved את the inhabitants of Qe'iylah.
And it came to pass, when Avyathar the son of Achiymelek fled to El-David to Qe'iylah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand.
And it was told Sha'ul that David was come to Qe'iylah. And Sha'ul said, Elohiym has delivered him into my hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that has gates and bars.
And Sha'ul called all the people together to war, to go down to Qe'iylah, to besiege El-David and his men.
And David knew that Sha'ul secretly practiced mischief against him; and he said to Avyathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod.
Then said David, O Yahuah Elohai of Yashar'el, your servant has certainly heard that Sha'ul seeks to come to Qe'iylah, to destroy the city for my sake.
Will the men of Qe'iylah deliver me up into his hand? will Sha'ul come down, as your servant has heard? O Yahuah Elohai of Yashar'el, I beseech you, tell your servant. And Yahuah said, He will come down.
Then said David, Will the men of Qe'iylah deliver me and my men into the hand of Sha'ul? And Yahuah said, They will deliver you up.
Then David and his men, which were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Qe'iylah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Sha'ul that David was escaped from Qe'iylah; and he forbare to go forth.
And David abode in the wilderness in strongholds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziyph. And Sha'ul sought him every day, but Elohiym delivered him not into his hand.
And David saw that Sha'ul was come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziyph in a wood.
And Yahunathan Sha'ul's son arose, and went to El-David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in Elohiym.
And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Sha'ul my father shall not find you; and you shall be king over Yashar'el, and I shall be next unto you; and that also Sha'ul my father knows.
And they two cut a covenant before Yahuah: and David abode in the wood, and Yahunathan went to his house.
Then came up the Ziyphiym to El-Sha'ul to Giv'ah, saying, Does not David hide himself with us in strongholds in the wood, in the hill of Chakiylah, which is on the south of Yeshiymon?
Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of your soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king's hand.
And Sha'ul said, Blessed be ye of Yahuah; for ye have compassion on me.
Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who has seen him there: for it is told me that he deals very subtilly.
See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hides himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Yahudah.
And they arose, and went to Ziyph before Sha'ul: but David and his men were in the wilderness of Ma'on, in the plain on the south of Yeshiymon.
Sha'ul also and his men went to seek him. And they told David: wherefore he came down into a rock, and abode in the wilderness of Ma'on. And when Sha'ul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Ma'on.
And Sha'ul 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 for fear of Sha'ul; for Sha'ul and his men compassed El-David and his men round about to take them.
But there came a messenger unto El-Sha'ul, saying, Haste you, and come; for the Pelishtiym have invaded the land.
Wherefore Sha'ul returned from pursuing after David, and went against את the Pelishtiym: therefore they called that place Cela Ham-Machleqoth.
And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strongholds at Eyn Gediy.