It happened, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of En Gedi.
"The verb ’cut off’ forms something of a recurring theme, a leit-motiv, in 1 Samuel 20-24." [Note: Baldwin, p. 146. Cf. 15:28; 20:14-17; 24:4.] 