1 Samuel 23

1 David was told, "Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and are robbing the threshing floors."

And they told David, saying: Behold the Philistines fight against Ceila, and they rob the barns.

2 Therefore David inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall I go and strike these Philistines?" The LORD said to David, "Go strike the Philistines, and save Keilah."

Therefore David consulted the Lord, saying: Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the Lord said to David: Go, and thou shalt smite the Philistines, and shalt save Ceila.

3 David's men said to him, "Look, we are afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?"

And the men that were with David, said to him: Behold we are in fear here in Judea, how much more if we go to Ceila against the hands of the Philistines?

4 Then David inquired of the LORD yet again. The LORD answered him, and said, "Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into your hand."

Therefore David consulted the Lord again. And he answered and said to him: Arise, and go to Ceila: for I will deliver the Philistines into thy hand.

5 David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their livestock, and killed them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

David therefore, and his men, went to Ceila, and fought against the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and made a great slaughter of them: and David saved the inhabitants of Ceila.

6 It happened, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David, that he went down with David to Keilah, having an ephod in his hand.

Now at that time, when Abiathar the son of Achimelech fled to David to Ceila, he came down having an ephod with him.

7 Now it was told Saul that David had come to Keilah. So Saul said, "God has sold him into my hand, for he has shut himself in by entering into a town that has gates and bars."

And it was told Saul that David was come to Ceila: and Saul said: The Lord hath delivered him into my hands, and he is shut up, being come into a city, that hath gates and bars.

8 Then Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.

And Saul commanded all the people to go down to fight against Ceila, and to besiege David, and his men.

9 David knew that Saul was devising mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the cohen, "Bring the ephod here."

Now when David understood, that Saul secretly prepared evil against him, he said to Abiathar the priest: Bring hither the ephod.

10 Then David said, "LORD, God of Israel, your servant has surely heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake.

And David said: O Lord God of Israel, thy servant hath heard a report, that Saul designeth to come to Ceila, to destroy the city for my sake:

11 And now, will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? LORD, God of Israel, tell your servant." And the LORD said, "He will come down."

Will the men of Ceila deliver me into his hands? and will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O Lord God of Israel, tell thy servant. And the Lord said: He will come down.

12 Then David said, "Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul?" The LORD said, "They will deliver you up."

And David said: Will the men of Ceila deliver me, and my men, into the hands of Saul? And the Lord said: They will deliver thee up.

13 Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went wherever they could go. And Saul was told that David had escaped Keilah; so he gave up the pursuit.

Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose, and departing from Ceila, wandered up and down uncertain where they should stay: and it was told Saul that David was fled from Ceila, and had escaped: wherefore he forbore to go out.

14 David stayed in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but the LORD did not deliver him into his hand.

But David abode in the desert in strong holds, and he remained in a mountain of the desert of Ziph, in a woody hill. And Saul sought him always: but the Lord delivered him not into his hands.

15 Now David was afraid that Saul had come out to seek his life. And David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh.

And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life. And David was in the desert of Ziph, in a wood.

16 Jonathan, Saul's son, set out and came to David at Horesh and encouraged him in the LORD.

And Jonathan the son of Saul arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hands in God: and he said to him:

17 He said to him, "Do not be afraid; for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you; and you shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you; and that also Saul my father knows."

Fear not: for the hand of my father Saul shall not find thee, and thou shalt reign over Israel, and I shall be next to thee, yea, and my father knoweth this.

18 They both made a covenant before the LORD: and David stayed at Horesh, and Jonathan went to his house.

And the two made a covenant before the Lord: and David abode in the wood: but Jonathan returned to his house.

19 Then the Ziphites came up to Saul to Gibeah, saying, "Doesn't David hide himself with us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hakilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon?

And the Ziphites went up to Saul in Gabaa, saying: Lo, doth not David lie hid with us in the strong holds of the wood, in mount Hachila, which is on the right hand of the desert.

20 Now therefore, O king, come down, according to all the desire of your soul to come down. It will be our responsibility to deliver him up into the king's hand."

Now therefore come down, as thy soul hath desired to come down: and it shall be our business to deliver him into the king’s hands.

21 Saul said, "You are blessed by the LORD; for you have had compassion on me.

And Saul said: Blessed be ye of the Lord, for you have pitied my case.

22 Please go investigate again, and look around and learn the place where his swift foot is, for I am told that he is very clever.

Go therefore, I pray you, and use all diligence, and curiously inquire, and consider the place where his foot is, and who hath seen him there: for he thinketh of me, that I lie craftily in wait for him.

23 See therefore, and find out all the hiding places where he hides himself, and come back to me when you know for certain, and I will go with you. And it shall happen, if he is in the land, that I will search for him among all the thousands of Judah."

Consider and see all his lurking holes, wherein he is bid, and return to me with the certainty of the thing, that I may go with you. And if be should even go down into the earth to hide himself, I will search him out in all the thousands of Juda.

24 They arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah on the south of Jeshimon.

And they arose and went to Ziph before Saul: and David and his men were in the desert of Maon, in the plain at the right hand of Jesimon.

25 Saul and his men went to seek him. When David was told, he went down to the rock, and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. When Saul heard that, he pursued David in the wilderness of Maon.

Then Saul and his men went to seek him: and it was told David, and forthwith he went down to the rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon: and when Saul had heard of it he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.

26 And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain. And David was hurrying to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men surrounded David and his men to take them.

And Saul went on this side of the mountain: and David and his men were on the other side of the mountain: and David despaired of being able to escape from the face of Saul: and Saul and his men encompassed David and his men round about to take them.

27 But a messenger came to Saul, saying, "Hurry and come; for the Philistines have made a raid on the land."

And a messenger came to Saul, saying: Make haste to come, for the Philistines have poured in themselves upon the land.

28 So Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines. Therefore they called that place Rock of Divisions.

Wherefore Saul returned, leaving the pursuit of David, and went to meet the Philistines. For this cause they called that place, the Rock of division.

29 David went up from there, and lived in the strongholds of En Gedi.

Then David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds of Engaddi.