1 Samuel 23

1 Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors.

And it was told David, saying, behold, the Philistines war in Keila, and they rob, they trample on the threshing-floors.

2 Therefore David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the LORD said to David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah.

And David enquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go and strike these Philistines? And the Lord said, Go, and you shall strike these Philistines, and shall save Keila.

3 And David’s men said to him, Behold, we are afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?

And the men of David said to him, Behold, we are afraid here in Judea; and how shall it be if we go to Keila? Shall we go after the spoils of the Philistines?

4 Then David enquired of the LORD yet again. And the LORD answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thy hand.

And David enquired yet again of the Lord; and the Lord answered him, and said to him, Arise and go down to Keila, for I will deliver the Philistines into your hands.

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

So David and his men with him went to Keila, and fought with the Philistines; and they fled from before him, and he carried off their cattle, and struck them with a great slaughter, and David rescued the inhabitants of Keila.

6 And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand.

And it came to pass when Abiathar the son of Achimelech fled to David, that he went down with David to Keila, having and ephod in his hand.

7 And it was told to Saul that David had come to Keilah. And Saul said, God hath delivered him into my hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars.

And it was told Saul that David was come to Keila: and Saul said, God has sold him into my hands, for he is shut up, having entered into a city that has gates and bars.

8 And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.

And Saul charged all the people to go down to war to Keila, to besiege David and his men.

9 And David knew that Saul secretly devised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring here the ephod.

And David knew that Saul spoke openly of mischief against him: and David said to Abiathar the priest, Bring the ephod of the Lord.

10 Then said David, O LORD God of Israel, thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake.

And David said, Lord God of Israel, your servant has indeed heard, that Saul seeks to come against Keila to destroy the city on my account.

11 Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O LORD God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And the LORD said, He will come down.

Will [the place] be shut up? And now will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? Lord God of Israel, tell your servant.

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

And the Lord said, It will be shut up.

13 Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed from Keilah, and went wherever they could go. And it was told Saul that David had escaped from Keilah; and he did not go there.

And David arose, and the men with him, in number about four hundred, and they went forth from Keila, and went wherever they could go: and it was told Saul that David had escaped from Keila, and he forbore to come.

14 And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand.

And he lived in Maserem in the wilderness, in the narrow [passes]; and lived in the wilderness in mount Ziph, in the dry country. And Saul sought him continually, but the Lord delivered him not into his hands.

15 And David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.

And David perceived that Saul went forth to seek David; and David was in the dry mountain in the New Ziph.

16 And Jonathan Saul’s son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.

And Jonathan son of Saul rose, and went to David to Caene, and strengthened his hands in the Lord.

17 And he said to him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next to thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.

And he said to him, Fear not, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you; and you shall be king over Israel, and I shall be second to you; and Saul my father knows it.

18 And they two made a covenant before the LORD: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.

So they both made a covenant before the Lord; and David lived in Caene, and Jonathan went to his home.

19 Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon?

And the Ziphites came up out of the dry country to Saul to the hill, saying, Behold, is not David hidden with us in Messara, in the narrows in Caene in the hill of Echela, which is on the right of Jessaemon?

20 Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king’s hand.

And now [according to] all the king's desire to come down, let him come down to us; they have shut him up into the hands of the king.

21 And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have compassion on me.

And Saul said to them, Blessed [be] you of the Lord, for you have been grieved on my account.

22 Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who hath seen him there: for it is told to me that he dealeth very subtilly.

Go, I pray you, and make preparations yet, and notice his place where his foot shall be, quickly, in that place which you spoke of, lest by any means he should deal craftily.

23 See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he is in the land, that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah.

Take notice, then, and learn, and I will go with you; and it shall come to pass that if he is in the land, I will search him out amongst all the thousands of Juda.

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

And the Ziphites arose, and went before Saul: and David and his men [were] in the wilderness of Maon, westward, to the right of Jessaemon.

25 Saul also and his men went to seek him. And they told David: therefore he came down into a rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.

And Saul and his men went to seek him: and they brought word to David, and he went down to the rock that was in the wilderness of Maon: and Saul heard, and followed after David to 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 made haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men surrounded David and his men on all sides to take them.

And Saul and his men go on one side of the mountain, and David and his men are on the other side of the mountain: and David was hiding himself to escape from Saul: and Saul and his men encamped against David and his men, in order to take them.

27 But there came a messenger to Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land.

And there came a messenger to Saul, saying, Haste you, and come here, for the Philistines have invaded the land.

28 Therefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Selahammahlekoth.

So Saul returned from following after David, and went to meet the Philistines: therefore that place was called The divided Rock.

29 Then David went up from there, and dwelt in strong holds at Engedi.

And David rose up from thence, and lived in the narrow passes of Engaddi.