1 Samuel 23

1 Then they tolde Dauid, saying, Beholde, the Philistims fight against Keilah, and spoyle the barnes.

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

2 Therfore Dauid asked counsel of the Lord, saying, Shal I goe and smite these Philistims? And the Lord answered Dauid, Go and smite the Philistims, and saue Keilah.

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."

3 And Dauids men said vnto him, See, we be afrayde here in Iudah, howe much more if we come to Keilah against the hoste of ye Philistims?

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?"

4 Then Dauid asked counsell of the Lord againe. And the Lord answered him, and sayd, Arise, go downe to Keilah: for I wil deliuer the Philistims into thine hand.

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."

5 So Dauid and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistims, and brought away their cattel, and smote them with a great slaughter: thus Dauid saued the inhabitants of Keilah.

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.

6 (And when Abiathar the sonne of Ahimelech fled to Dauid to Keilah, he brought an Ephod with him)

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.

7 And it was tolde Saul that Dauid was come to Keilah, and Saul sayd, God hath deliuered him into mine hand: for he is shut in, seeing he is come into a citie that hath gates and barres.

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."

8 Then Saul called all the people together to warre, for to go downe to Keilah, and to besiege Dauid and his men.

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

9 And Dauid hauing knowledge that Saul imagined mischiefe against him, saide to Abiathar the Priest, Bring the Ephod.

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

10 Then sayde Dauid, O Lord God of Israel, thy seruat hath heard, that Saul is about to come to Keilah to destroy the citie for my sake.

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.

11 Wil the lordes of Keilah deliuer me vp into his hand? and will Saul come downe, as thy seruant hath heard? O Lord God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy seruant. And the Lord sayde, He will come downe.

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."

12 Then said Dauid, Will the lords of Keilah deliuer me vp, and the men that are with me, into the hand of Saul? And the Lord sayde, They will deliuer thee vp.

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."

13 Then Dauid and his men, which were about sixe hundreth, arose, and departed out of Keilah, and went whither they coulde. And it was tolde Saul, that Dauid was fled from Keilah, and he left off his iourney.

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.

14 And Dauid abode in the wildernesse in holdes, and remayned in a mountaine in the wildernes of Ziph. And Saul sought him euery day, but God deliuered him not into his hand.

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.

15 And Dauid sawe that Saul was come out for to seeke his life: and Dauid was in the wildernes of Ziph in the wood.

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

16 And Ionathan Sauls sonne arose and went to Dauid into the wood, and comforted him in God,

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

17 And said vnto him, Feare not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not finde thee, and thou shalt be King ouer Israel, and I shalbe next vnto thee: and also Saul my father knoweth it.

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."

18 So they twaine made a couenant before ye Lord: and Dauid did remaine in the wood: but Ionathan went to his house.

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

19 Then came vp the Ziphims to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doeth not Dauid hide himselfe by vs in holdes, in the wood in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the right side of Ieshimon?

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?

20 Nowe therefore, O King, come downe according to all that thine heart can desire, and our part shall be to deliuer him into the Kinges handes.

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."

21 Then Saul said, Be ye blessed of the Lord: for ye haue had compassion on mee.

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

22 Goe, I pray you, and prepare ye yet better: know and see his place where he haunteth, and who hath seene him there: for it is sayd to me, He is subtile, and craftie.

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.

23 See therefore and know all the secret places where he hideth himselfe, and come ye againe to me with the certaintie, and I will goe with you: and if he be in the lande, I will searche him out throughout all the thousands of Iudah.

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."

24 Then they arose and went to Ziph before Saul, but Dauid and his men were in the wildernesse of Maon, in the playne on the right hande of Ieshimon.

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.

25 Saul also and his men went to seeke him, and they told Dauid: wherefore he came downe vnto a rocke, and abode in the wildernesse of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he folowed after Dauid in the wildernes of Maon.

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.

26 And Saul and his men went on the one side of the mountaine, and Dauid and his men on the other side of the mountaine: and Dauid made haste to get from the presence of Saul: for Saul and his men compassed Dauid and his men round about, to take them.

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.

27 But there came a messenger to Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come: for the Philistims haue inuaded the land.

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

28 Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing Dauid, and went against the Philistims. Therefore they called that place, Sela-hammahlekoth.

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

29 And Dauid went thence, and dwelt in holdes at En-gedi.

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