16. And Yehonathan, Sha’ul’s son, arose and went to Dawiḏ at Ḥoresh and strengthened his hand in Elohim,
17. and said to him, “Do not fear, for the hand of Sha’ul my father is not going to find you, and you are to reign over Yisra’ĕl, and I am to be next to you. Even my father Sha’ul knows that.”
18. And they made a covenant before יהוה. And Dawiḏ remained at Ḥoresh while Yehonathan went to his own house.
19. And the Ziphites came up to Sha’ul at Giḇ‛ah, saying, “Is Dawiḏ not hiding with us in strongholds Ḥoresh, in the hill of Ḥaḵilah, which is on the south of the wasteland?
20. “And now, O sovereign, by all the desire of your being, come down, come down, and our part is to surrender him into the sovereign’s hand.”
21. And Sha’ul said, “Blessed are you of יהוה, for you have sympathy with me.
22. “Please go, prepare yet further and find out and see the place where his hide-out is, who has seen him there. For I am told that he is very cunning.
23. “So look, and learn all about the hiding places where he hides. And you shall come back to me with certainty, then I shall go with you. And it shall be, if he is in the land, that I shall search for him throughout all the clans of Yehuḏah.”
24. And they rose up and went to Ziph before Sha’ul, while Dawiḏ and his men were in the Wilderness of Ma‛on, in the desert plain on the south of the wasteland.
25. And Sha’ul and his men went to seek him, and they informed Dawiḏ, so he went down to the rock, and remained in the Wilderness of Ma‛on. And when Sha’ul heard this, he pursued Dawiḏ in the Wilderness of Ma‛on.
26. And Sha’ul went on one side of the mountain, and Dawiḏ and his men on the other side of the mountain. And Dawiḏ was hurrying to get away from Sha’ul, for Sha’ul and his men were surrounding Dawiḏ and his men to take them.
27. Then a messenger came to Sha’ul, saying, “Hurry and come, for the Philistines have invaded the land!”
28. So Sha’ul turned back from pursuing Dawiḏ, and went against the Philistines. Therefore they called that place Sela Hammaḥleqoth.