So he took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and began looking for David and his men near the Rocks of the Wild Goats.
He said: “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, my Savior.
“Do you know when the mountain goats give birth? Do you watch when the deer gives birth to her fawn?
The high mountains belong to the wild goats. The rocks are hiding places for the badgers.
Let their leaders be thrown down the cliffs. Then people will know that I have spoken correctly:
The wicked watch for good people so that they may kill them.
Some people set traps to kill me. Those who want to hurt me plan trouble; all day long they think up lies.
Saul chose three thousand men from Israel. Two thousand men stayed with him at Micmash in the mountains of Bethel, and one thousand men stayed with Jonathan at Gibeah in Benjamin. Saul sent the other men in the army back home.
So Saul stopped chasing David and went to challenge the Philistines. That is why people call this place Rock of Parting.
So Saul went down to the Desert of Ziph with three thousand chosen men of Israel to look for David there.