1 Samuel 23

1 And they declare to David, saying, 'Lo, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and they are spoiling the threshing-floors.'

And they reported to David, saying, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and they are plundering the grain stores.”

2 And David asketh at Jehovah, saying, 'Do I go? — and have I smitten among these Philistines?' And Jehovah saith unto David, 'Go, and thou hast smitten among the Philistines, and saved Keilah.'

Therefore, David consulted the Lord, saying, “Shall I go and strike down these Philistines?” And the Lord said to David, “Go, and you shall strike down the Philistines, and you shall save Keilah.”

3 And David's men say unto him, 'Lo, we here in Judah are afraid; and how much more when we go to Keilah, unto the ranks of the Philistines?'

And the men who were with David said to him, “Behold, we continue in fear here in Judea; how much more so, if we go into Keilah against the troops of the Philistines?”

4 And David addeth again to ask at Jehovah, and Jehovah answereth him, and saith, 'Rise, go down to Keilah, for I am giving the Philistines into thy hand.'

Therefore, David consulted the Lord again. And responding, he said to him: “Rise up, and go into Keilah. For I will deliver the Philistines into your hand.”

5 And David goeth, and his men, to Keilah, and fighteth with the Philistines, and leadeth away their cattle, and smiteth among them — a great smiting, and David saveth the inhabitants of Keilah.

Therefore, David and his men went into Keilah. And they fought against the Philistines, and they took away their cattle, and they struck them with a great slaughter. And David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

6 And it cometh to pass, in the fleeing of Abiathar son of Ahimelech unto David, to Keilah, an ephod came down in his hand.

And in that time, when Abiathar, the son of Ahimelech, was in exile with David, he had descended to Keilah, having an ephod with him.

7 And it is declared to Saul that David hath come in to Keilah, and Saul saith, 'God hath made him known for my hand, for he hath been shut in, to enter into a city of doors and bar.'

Then it was reported to Saul that David had gone to Keilah. And Saul said: “The Lord has delivered him into my hands. For he is enclosed, having entered into a city which has gates and bars.”

8 And Saul summoneth the whole of the people to battle, to go down to Keilah, to lay siege unto David and unto his men.

And Saul instructed all the people to descend in order to fight against Keilah, and to besiege David and his men.

9 And David knoweth that against him Saul is devising the evil, and saith unto Abiathar the priest, 'Bring nigh the ephod.'

And when David had realized that Saul had secretly prepared evil against him, he said to Abiathar, the priest, “Bring the ephod.”

10 And David saith, 'Jehovah, God of Israel, Thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul is seeking to come in unto Keilah, to destroy the city on mine account.

And David said: “O Lord God of Israel, your servant has heard a report that Saul is planning to go to Keilah, so that he may overturn the city because of me.

11 Do the possessors of Keilah shut me up into his hand? doth Saul come down as Thy servant hath heard? Jehovah, God of Israel, declare, I pray Thee, to Thy servant.' And Jehovah saith, 'He doth come down.'

Will the men of Keilah deliver me into his hands? And will Saul descend, just as your servant has heard? O Lord God of Israel, reveal to your servant.” And the Lord said, “He will descend.”

12 And David saith, 'Do the possessors of Keilah shut me up, and my men, into the hand of Saul?' And Jehovah saith, 'They shut [thee] up.'

And David said, “Will the men of Keilah deliver me, and the men who are with me, into the hands of Saul?” And the Lord said, “They will deliver you.”

13 And David riseth — and his men — about six hundred men, and they go out from Keilah, and go up and down where they go up and down; and to Saul it hath been declared that David hath escaped from Keilah, and he ceaseth to go out.

Therefore, David, and his men of about six hundred, rose up, and, departing from Keilah, they wandered here and there, aimlessly. And it was reported to Saul that David had fled from Keilah, and was saved. For this reason, he chose not to go out.

14 And David abideth in the wilderness, in fortresses, and abideth in the hill-country, in the wilderness of Ziph; and Saul seeketh him all the days, and God hath not given him into his hand.

Then David stayed in the desert, in very strong places. And he stayed on a mount in the wilderness of Ziph, on a shady mount. Nevertheless, Saul was seeking him every day. But the Lord did not deliver him into his hands.

15 And David seeth that Saul hath come out to seek his life, and David [is] in the wilderness of Ziph, in a forest.

And David saw that Saul had gone out, so that he might seek his life. Now David was in the desert of Ziph, in the woods.

16 And Jonathan son of Saul riseth, and goeth unto David to the forest, and strengtheneth his hand in God,

And Jonathan, the son of Saul, rose up and went to David in the woods, and he strengthened his hands in God. And he said to him:

17 and saith unto him, 'Fear not, for the hand of Saul my father doth not find thee, and thou dost reign over Israel, and I am to thee for second, and also so knoweth Saul my father.'

“Do not be afraid. For the hand of my father, Saul, will not find you. And you shall reign over Israel. And I will be second to you. And even my father knows this.”

18 And they make a covenant both of them before Jehovah; and David abideth in the forest, and Jonathan hath gone to his house.

Therefore, they both struck a pact before the Lord. And David stayed in the woods. But Jonathan returned to his house.

19 And the Ziphites go up unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, 'Is not David hiding himself with us in fortresses, in the forest, in the height of Hachilah, which [is] on the south of the desolate place?

Then the Ziphites ascended to Saul at Gibeah, saying: “Behold, is not David hidden with us in very secure places in the woods on the hill of Hachilah, which is to the right of the desert?

20 And, now, by all the desire of thy soul, O king, to come down, come down, and ours [is] to shut him up into the hand of the king.'

Now therefore, if your soul has desired to descend, then descend. Then it will be for us to deliver him into the hands of the king.”

21 And Saul saith, 'Blessed [are] ye of Jehovah, for ye have pity on me;

And Saul said: “You have been blessed by the Lord. For you have grieved for my situation.

22 go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his foot is; who hath seen him there? for [one] hath said unto me, He is very subtile.

Therefore, I beg you, go forth, and prepare diligently, and act carefully. And consider the place where his foot may be, and who may have seen him there. For he thinks, concerning me, that I craftily plan treachery against him.

23 And see and know of all the hiding-places where he hideth himself, and ye have turned back unto me prepared, and I have gone with you, and it hath been, if he is in the land, that I have searched him out through all the thousands of Judah.'

Consider and seek out all his hiding places, in which he may be concealed. And return to me with certainty about the matter, so that I may go with you. But if he would even press himself into the earth, I will search him out, amid all the thousands of Judah.”

24 And they rise and go to Ziph before Saul, and David and his men [are] in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain, at the south of the desolate place.

And rising up, they went to Ziph before Saul. But David and his men were in the desert of Maon, in the plain to the right of Jeshimon.

25 And Saul and his men go to seek, and they declare to David, and he goeth down the rock, and abideth in the wilderness of Maon; and Saul heareth, and pursueth after David [to] the wilderness of Maon.

Then Saul and his allies went to seek him. And this was reported to David. And immediately, he descended to the rock, and he moved about in the desert of Maon. And when Saul had heard of it, he pursued David in the desert of Maon.

26 And Saul goeth on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain, and David is hastened to go from the face of Saul, and Saul and his men are compassing David and his men, to catch them.

And Saul went to one side of the mountain. But David and his men were on the other side of the mountain. Then David was despairing that he would be able to escape from the face of Saul. And Saul and his men enclosed David and his men in the manner of a crown, so that they might capture them.

27 And a messenger hath come in unto Saul, saying, 'Haste, and come, for the Philistines have pushed against the land.'

And a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, because the Philistines have poured themselves out upon the land.”

28 And Saul turneth back from pursuing after David, and goeth to meet the Philistines, therefore they have called that place 'The Rock of Divisions.'

Therefore, Saul turned back, ceasing in the pursuit of David, and he traveled to meet the Philistines. For this reason, they called that place, the Rock of Division.

29 And David goeth up thence, and abideth in fortresses [at] En-gedi.

Then David ascended from there, and he lived in very secure places in Engedi.