Day after day Saul searched for him, but God did not give David into his hands.

1 Samuel 23:14-29

David stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God did not give David into his hands.

And Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this.” The two of them made a covenant before the Lord. Then Jonathan went home, but David remained at Horesh.

Saul was going along one side of the mountain, and David and his men were on the other side, hurrying to get away from Saul. As Saul and his forces were closing in on David and his men to capture them, a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Come quickly! The Philistines are raiding the land.” Then Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to meet the Philistines. That is why they call this place Sela Hammahlekoth. And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of En Gedi.

Why?

God did not give David into Saul's hands, but let David suffer many difficulties and let David trust in the Lord.

Saul searched for David, but David ran faster, and for the help of the Lord Philistines came at the right time to protect David from being captured by Saul.

Jonathan knew the kingdom of Israel would be in the hands of David, so he made a covenant with David before the Lord. David remembers this covenant to protect the inheritance of Jonathan.

How?

Our God is trustworthy, usually, we easily forget the love and mercy of the Lord when we are safe and in peace.