1 Samuel 23

1 Then told they David, saying, —Lo! the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and they are plundering the threshing-floors.

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

2 So David enquired of Yahweh, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And Yahweh said unto David—Go, and smite 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 But the men of David said unto him, Lo! we, here, in Judah, are afraid, —how much more, then, if we go to Keilah, against the ranks 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 So David yet again enquired if Yahweh, and Yahweh answered him, —and said—Arise, go down to Keilah, for I am about to deliver the Philistines into thy 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 therefore went, with his men, to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and drave forth their cattle, and smote them, with a great smiting, 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 Now it came to pass, when Abiathar, son of Ahimelech, fled unto David to Keilah, that he came down with, 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 And, when it was told Saul that David had entered Keilah, Saul said—God hath given him over into my hand, for he hath shut himself in by entering into a city with folding doors and bar.

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 So 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 And David ascertained that, against him, Saul was contriving mischief, —so he said unto Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod.

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

10 Then said David: O Yahweh, God of Israel, thy servant, hath heard, that Saul is seeking to come unto 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 Will the owners of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O Yahweh, God of Israel, I pray thee, tell thy servant. And Yahweh 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 said David, Will the owners of Keilah surrender me and my men, into the hand of Saul? And Yahweh said—They will surrender.

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 arose David and his men, about six hundred, and went forth out of Keilah, and went to and fro, whithersoever they could, —and, unto Saul, it was told that David had escaped out of Keilah, so he forbare to go forth.

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 Then David abode in the wilderness, in the fortresses, and he abode in the hill country, in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him continually, but God delivered him not 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 Then David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life, David, being in the wilderness of Ziph, in the thicket.

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

16 So Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went unto David in the thicket, —and strengthened his hand in God;

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 and said unto him, —Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee, but, thou, shalt become king over Israel, and, I, shall be, next, unto thee, yea and, Saul my father, knoweth this.

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 And they two solemnised a covenant before Yahweh, —and David remained in the thicket, but, Jonathan, departed to his own house.

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

19 Then came up the Ziphites unto Saul in Gibeah, saying, —Is not David hiding himself with us, in the strongholds in the thicket, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the right 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, according to all the desire of thy soul O king, to come down, come! and, ours, [will it be] to surrender him into the hand of the king.

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 Then said Saul, Blessed, be ye, of Yahweh, —because ye have taken pity upon me.

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

22 Go, I pray you, make ready yet further, and get to know and see his place, where may be his track, who hath seen him there, —for it hath been said unto me, Cunning indeed, is, he!

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, then, and get to know—of all the hiding places, where he hideth himself, and return unto me, for certainty, then will I go with you, —and it shall be, if he is in the land, that I will search him out, through 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 So they arose and departed to Ziph, before Saul, —but, David and his men, were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah, to the right 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 Then Saul and his men departed, to seek [him]; but it had been told David, and he had gone down the cliff, and taken up his abode in the wilderness of Maon, —and when Saul had, heard it, 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, —wherefore David became hurried, to get away from the presence of Saul, but, Saul and his men, were surrounding David and his men, to capture then:

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 when, a messenger, came unto Saul, saying, —Haste thee and come! for the Philistines have spread over the land.

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

28 Then returned Saul from pursuing David, and departed to meet the Philistines, —for which cause, they called that place Sela-hammahlekoth ["the Cliff of Separation"].

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 And David went up from thence, —and abode in the strongholds of En-gedi.

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