And David stayed in the wilderness in strongholds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God did not deliver him into his hand.
But the king commanded Jerahmeel the son of Hammelech, and Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to take Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet: but the LORD hid them.
And it was told Saul that David had come to Keilah. And Saul said, God has delivered him into my hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that has gates and bars.
Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the edge of your robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the edge of your robe, and did not kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in my hand, and I have not sinned against you; yet you hunt my soul to take it.
And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any part of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.