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Even Saul knew

1 Samuel 23:13-29 (JDV)

1 Samuel 23:13 So David and his men, numbering about six hundred, left Keilah at once and moved from place to place. When it was reported to Saul that David had escaped from Keilah, he called off the expedition.
1 Samuel 23:14 David then stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph. Saul searched for him every day, but God did not hand David over to him.
1 Samuel 23:15 David was in the Wilderness of Ziph in Horesh when he saw that Saul had come out to take his life.
1 Samuel 23:16 Then Saul’s son Jonathan came to David in Horesh and encouraged him in his faith in God,
1 Samuel 23:17 saying, “Don’t be afraid, because my father Saul will never lay a hand on you. You yourself will be king over Israel, and I’ll be your second-in-command. Even my father Saul knows it is true.”
1 Samuel 23:18 Then the two of them made a covenant in Yahveh’s presence. Afterward, David remained in Horesh, while Jonathan went home.
1 Samuel 23:19 Some Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “David is hiding among us in the strongholds in Horesh on the hill of Hachilah south of Jeshimon.
1 Samuel 23:20 Now, whenever your throat desires to come down, O king, let him come down. Our part will be to hand him over to the king.”
1 Samuel 23:21 “May you be blessed by Yahveh,” replied Saul, “for you have shown concern for me.
1 Samuel 23:22 Go and check again. Investigate where he goes and who has seen him there; they tell me he is extremely cunning.
1 Samuel 23:23 Investigate all the places where he hides. Then come back to me with accurate information, and I’ll go with you. If it turns out he really is in the region, I’ll search for him among all the clans of Judah.”
1 Samuel 23:24 So they went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the wilderness near Maon in the Arabah south of Jeshimon,
1 Samuel 23:25 and Saul and his men went to look for him. When David was told about it, he went down to the boulder and stayed in the Wilderness of Maon. Saul heard of this and chased David there.
1 Samuel 23:26 Saul went along one side of the mountain and David and his men went along the other side. Even though David was hurrying to get away from Saul, Saul, and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them.
1 Samuel 23:27 Then a messenger came to Saul saying, “Come quickly, because the Philistines have raided the land!”
1 Samuel 23:28 So Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to engage the Philistines. Therefore, that place was named the Boulder of Separation.
1 Samuel 23:29 From there David went up and stayed in the strongholds of En-gedi.

Even Saul knew

Even Saul knew that David was the rightful king of Israel, but it did not stop him from relentlessly pursuing his life. God was protecting David because he had a purpose for him. The enemy will pursue us as well, even though he is aware that God’s plan for us will be fulfilled. Evil defies logic. But evil will not have the last say.