1 Samuel 23: 7-14….On the run.

Now it was told Saul that David had come to Keilah. And Saul said, “God has given him into my hand, for he has shut himself in by entering a town that has gates and bars.” And Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men. David knew that Saul was plotting harm against him. And he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.” Then David said, “O LORD, the God of Israel, your servant has surely heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah, to destroy the city on my account. Will the men of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? O LORD, the God of Israel, please tell your servant.” And the LORD said, “He will come down.” Then David said, “Will the men of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?” And the LORD said, “They will surrender you.” Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed from Keilah, and they went wherever they could go. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up the expedition. And David remained in the strongholds in the wilderness, in the hill country of the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God did not give him into his hand.

Comment: It is important to be convinced that you are doing the right thing. In David’s time, and as I have said before, I don’t know how it worked but the priests consulted God via the ephod. It was obvious that Saul was going to hear about how David and his band had saved the Jewish settlement of Keilah. Then Saul would know where to catch the one whom he unjustifiably hated and wanted to kill.

So David asked God what will happen if I stay here. ‘You’ll be handed over to Saul’, came back the answer. Very wisely David and his group up and ‘wented’, vanishing into the rugged terrain they knew and evaded the ever seeking Saul.!

Prayer: It isn’t always easy to know the way to go ahead, but help me to seek Your path, O God.