14 David stayed in various fortresses in the wilderness, and sometimes he stayed in the hill country in the Zif wilderness. Sha’ul (Saul) kept searching for them, but God didn’t allow him to capture them. 15 Once David was staying in the Zif wilderness and he saw that Sha’ul had arrived there to try to kill him. 16 Then Sha’ul’s son Yonatan (Jonathan) went to David at Horesh and encouraged him to keep trusting God, 17 saying, “Don’t be afraid, because my father Sha’ul won’t capture you. As for you, you’ll reign over Yisrael (Israel), and I’ll be your second in command. Even my father knows that.” 18 Again, the two of them made an agreement before Yahweh.[ref] Then David stayed at Horesh and Yonatan returned home.

19 Some men from Zif went to Sha’ul at Giveah, saying, “We’re pretty sure that David’s hiding himself among us in the fortresses in Horesh, on the Hakilah hill south of Yeshimon.[ref] 20 So now, your majesty, come over whenever you want, and we’ll make sure he’s handed over to you.”

21 “May you all be blessed by Yahweh,” Sha’ul responded, “because you’ve had compassion on me. 22 Please go back and double-check and find out who’s seen him there. Learn more and look at the place yourselves, because I’ve been told that he’s very crafty. 23 Find out all the other places where he hides himself. Return to me with definite information, then I’ll go with you all, and if he’s there in that region, then I’ll search for him among the population of Yehudah (Judah).”

24 So they left and returned to Zif ahead of Sha’ul. At that time, David and his men were in the Maeon wilderness south of Yeshimon 25 when Sha’ul and his men came to search for them. When David was told, he went further south to a rocky hill therein that wilderness, but Sha’ul also heard that and followed them. 26 At one point, Sha’ul was on one side of a hill, and David and his men were on the other side. David was hurrying to get away from Sha’ul, but Sha’ul and his men were trying to surround David and his men to capture them. 27 Just then, a messenger arrived for Sha’ul, saying, “Come quickly because the Pelishtim have raided our region.” 28 So Sha’ul had to give up chasing David and went to repel the Pelishtim. 29 David also left that area and stayed in the fortresses around Eyn-Gedi.