1 Samuel 23

1 Nihcae mah David khaeah, Khenah, Philistinnawk mah Keilah vangpui to tuk o moe, cang atithaih ahmuen doeh lomh pae o, tiah thuih pae o.

Now it was reported to David, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and looting the threshing floors.”

2 To pongah David mah Angraeng khaeah, Hae Philistin kaminawk hae caeh moe, ka tuk han maw? tiah lokdueng. Angraeng mah David khaeah, Caeh ah, Philistin kaminawk to tuh loe, Keilah vangpui to pahlong ah, tiah a naa.

So David inquired of the LORD, “Should I go and attack these Philistines?” And the LORD said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah.”

3 Toe David ih kaminawk mah anih khaeah, Khenah aicae loe Judah prae ah mataeng doeh zithaih hoiah ka oh o; Keilah vangpui ah caeh moe, Philistin misatuh kaminawk to a tuk o nahaeloe, kawkruk maw zii o tih, tiah a naa o.

But David’s men said to him, “Look, we are afraid here in Judah; how much more if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?”

4 To pacoengah David mah Angraeng to lokdueng let bae; Angraeng mah anih khaeah, Angthawk loe, Keilah ah caeh tathuk ah; Philistin kaminawk to na ban ah kang paek han, tiah a naa.

Once again, David inquired of the LORD, and the LORD answered him: “Go at once to Keilah, for I will deliver the Philistines into your hand.”

5 To pongah David hoi anih ih kaminawk loe Keilah ah caeh o moe, Philistinnawk to tuk o pacoengah, im ah pacah ih moinawk to lomh pae o. Philistin kami paroeai hum o moe, Keilah ah kaom kaminawk to pahlong o.

Then David and his men went to Keilah, fought against the Philistines, and carried off their livestock, striking them with a mighty blow. So David saved the people of Keilah.

6 Ahimelek capa Abiathar loe David khaeah Keilah ah cawnh naah, angmah ih khukbuen maeto hoiah ni angzoh.

(Now Abiathar son of Ahimelech had brought the ephod with him when he fled to David at Keilah.)

7 David Keilah vangpui ah angzoh, tiah Saul mah thaih. To naah Saul mah, Sithaw mah anih to ka ban ah paek boeh, khongkha hoi takraenghaih thing kaom vangpui thungah akun boeh pongah, athung ah pa-ung caeng tih boeh, tiah a poek.

When Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, he said, “God has delivered him into my hand, for he has trapped himself by entering a town with gates and bars.”

8 To pongah Saul mah Keilah ah caeh tathuk moe, David hoi anih ih kaminawk to takui khoep hanah, angmah ih misatuh kaminawk boih to kawk.

Then Saul summoned all his troops to go to war at Keilah and besiege David and his men.

9 Saul mah hum han pacaeng, tiah David mah panoek naah, qaima Abiathar khaeah, khukbuen to hae ah na sin ah, tiah a naa.

When David learned that Saul was plotting evil against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod.”

10 David mah, Aw Israel Angraeng Sithaw, kai pongah Saul mah Keilah vangpui phraek hanah angzoh boeh, tiah na tamna mah kahoih ah ka thaih.

And David said, “O LORD, God of Israel, Your servant has heard that Saul intends to come to Keilah and destroy the city on my account.

11 Keilah vangpui ih kaminawk mah kai hae anih ban ah na paek o tih maw? To tih ai boeh loe na tamna mah thaih ih lok baktih toengah, Saul to angzo tathuk tih maw? Aw Israel Angraeng Sithaw, na tamna khaeah tahmenhaih hoiah na thui ah, tiah a naa. To naah Angraeng mah, Anih loe angzo tathuk tih, tiah a naa.

Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as Your servant has heard? O LORD, God of Israel, please tell Your servant.” “He will,” said the LORD.

12 To naah David mah, Keilah ih kaminawk mah kai hoi kaimah ih kaminawk hae Saul ban ah paek o tih maw? tiah a dueng let bae. To naah Angraeng mah, nihcae mah nang to paek o tih, tiah a naa.

So David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?” “They will,” said the LORD.

13 To pongah David hoi angmah ih kami cumvai taruktonawk loe angthawk o moe, Keilah vangpui to tacawt o taak; nihcae loe a caeh o thaih karoek to caeh o; David loe Keilah vangpui hoiah loih ving boeh, tiah Saul mah thaih naah, angmah to loe caeh ai.

Then David and his men, about six hundred strong, set out and departed from Keilah, moving from place to place. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he declined to go forth.

14 David loe praezaek ih thlungkhaw thungah anghawk moe, Ziph praezaek mae thungah oh. Saul mah anih to ni thokkruek pakrong, toe Sithaw mah anih to Saul ban ah paek ai.

And David stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God would not deliver David into his hand.

15 David Ziph praezaek taw thungah oh naah, Saul loe anih hinghaih lak hanah angzoh, tiah David mah panoek.

While David was in Horesh in the Wilderness of Ziph, he saw that Saul had come out to take his life.

16 Saul capa Jonathan loe taw thungah David khaeah caeh, Sithaw mah anih ih ban thacaksak.

And Saul’s son Jonathan came to David in Horesh and strengthened his hand in God,

17 Anih khaeah, Zii hmah; kam pa Saul mah nang to hnu mak ai; nang loe Israel kaminawk nuiah siangpahrang ah na om ueloe, kai loe nang pacoengah hnetto haih ah ni ka om tih; hae hae kam pa Saul mah doeh panoek, tiah a naa.

saying, “Do not be afraid, for my father Saul will never lay a hand on you. And you will be king over Israel, and I will be your second-in-command. Even my father Saul knows this is true.”

18 Nihnik loe Angraeng hmaa ah lokkamhaih sak hoi; to pacoengah Jonathan loe angmah im ah amlaem, David loe taw thungah oh poe.

So the two of them made a covenant before the LORD. And David remained in Horesh, while Jonathan went home.

19 Ziph kaminawk loe Saul khaeah Gibeah ah caeh o moe, anih khaeah, David loe kaicae ohhaih Jeshimon vangpui aloih bangah kaom, Hakilah mae, taw thung ih thlungkhaw thungah na ai maw anghawk?

Then the Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah south of Jeshimon?

20 To pongah Aw siangpahrang, na koeh nahaeloe vaihi angzo tathuk ah, anih to siangpahrang ban ah paek thai hanah kang bomh o han, tiah a naa o.

Now, O king, come down whenever your soul desires, and we will be responsible for delivering him into your hand.”

21 Saul mah, Kai nang tahmen o pongah, Angraeng mah tahamhoihaih na paek o nasoe.

“May you be blessed by the LORD,” replied Saul, “for you have had compassion on me.

22 Caeh oh loe, toksak hanah amsak oh; David loe naa ah maw anghawk, to ah anih hnu kami oh maw, tiah panoek hanah khen oh; anih loe aling kop parai, tiah ang thuih o.

Please go and prepare further. Investigate and watch carefully where he goes and who has seen him there, for I am told that he is extremely cunning.

23 To pongah anih anghawkhaih ahmuen to kahoih ah khet bit pacoengah, kai khaeah angzo o let ah, to naah nangcae hoi nawnto kang zoh han; anih prae thungah om nahaeloe, Judah acaengnawk thungah ka pakrong boih han, tiah a naa.

Observe and find out all the places where he hides. Then come back to me with certainty, and I will go with you. If he is in the land, I will search him out among all the clans of Judah.”

24 To pongah nihcae loe angthawk o moe, Saul hmaa ah Ziph taw ah caeh o; toe David loe Jeshimon aloih bang ih azawn ah kaom Moan, praezaek ah angmah ih kaminawk hoi nawnto oh o.

So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the Wilderness of Maon in the Arabah south of Jeshimon,

25 Saul hoi a taengah kaom kaminawk mah anih to pakrong o. To kawng to David khaeah thuih pae o; to naah anih loe lungsong ohhaih ahmuen ah caeh tathuk moe, Moan praezaek ah oh. Saul mah to lok to thaih naah, David patom hanah Moan praezaek ah a caeh.

and Saul and his men went to seek him. When David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard of this, he pursued David there.

26 Saul mae maeto bangah caeh naah, David hoi a taengah kaom kaminawk loe Saul khae hoiah karangah cawnh o moe, mae kalah maeto bangah oh o; Saul hoi anih ih misatuh kaminawk mah, David hoi a taengah kaom kaminawk to naeh hanah takui o khoep, to pongah David mah karangah amsak moe, Saul to cawnhtaak ving.

Saul was proceeding along one side of the mountain, and David and his men along the other side. Even though David was hurrying to get away, Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them.

27 Toe Saul khaeah laicaeh maeto angzoh, Philistinnawk mah prae to tuk o boeh pongah, karangah angzo ah, tiah a naa.

Then a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Come quickly, for the Philistines have raided the land!”

28 To naah Saul mah David to patom ai ah, Philistinnawk tuk hanah patom lat. To pongah to ahmuen to Sela-Hammahlekoth, tiah kawk o.

So Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to meet the Philistines. That is why that place is called Sela-hammahlekoth.

29 David loe to ahmuen hoiah caeh moe, En-Gedi misa abuephaih ahmuen ah khosak.

And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of En-gedi.