1 Samuel 23
1 Kane owach ne Daudi niya, “Ne jo-Filistia kedo gi jo-Keila kendo giyako gik man e laru mar dino cham,”
One day someone told David, “You need to know that the Philistia army is attacking Keilah [town] and they are stealing grain from where men are threshing it.”
2 nopenjo Jehova Nyasaye niya, “Bende owinjore adhi kendo amonj jo-Filistia-gi?” Jehova Nyasaye nodwoke niya, “Dhiyo, mondo imonj jo-Filistia kendo ires Keila.”
David asked Yahweh, “Should my men and I go to fight against those men from the Philistia people-group?” Yahweh answered, “Yes, go. Attack them, and rescue the people of Keilah.”
3 To jo-Daudi nowachone niya, “Ka Juda ka ema waluorie. Dobednwa machalo nade ka wadhi Keila mondo waked gi jolweny mag Filistia!”
But David’s men said to him, “We are afraid [that Saul will attack us] here in Judah. We will be more afraid if we go to Keilah where the Philistia army is!”
4 Daudi nopenjo Jehova Nyasaye kendo mi Jehova Nyasaye nodwoke ne, “Lor idhi Keila nimar adhi chiwo jo-Filistia e lweti.”
So David asked Yahweh again [if they should go to Keilah]. Yahweh answered, “Yes, go down to Keilah. I will help you to defeat the men of the Philistia people-group.”
5 Omiyo Daudi gi joge nodhi Keila, mokedo gi jo-Filistia kendo opeyo jambgi. Nonego jo-Filistia mangʼeny mine oreso jo-Keila.
So David and his men went to Keilah. They fought against the men of the Philistia people-group and captured many of their cattle. David and his men killed many of the Philistia men and rescued the people of Keilah.
6 Koro Abiathar wuod Ahimelek nosebiro gi law mayom mar dolo miluongo ni efod e kinde mane oringo kodhi ir Daudi Keila.
Abiathar, the son of Ahimelech, fled to be with David at Keilah, and he brought the sacred vest with him [to use it to determine what God wanted to be done].
7 Nowach ne Saulo ni Daudi nosedhi Keila, omiyo nowacho niya, “Nyasaye osechiwe e lweta, nimar Daudi osetwere owuon ka odonjo e dala man-gi rangeye kod lodi.”
Soon Saul found out that David was at Keilah. So he said, “That is good! God is enabling me to capture him! He has trapped himself in that town, because it has high walls with gates around it.”
8 Omiyo Saulo noluongo joge duto makedo ne lweny, mondo gilor gidhi Keila kendo gigengʼ ne Daudi gi joge.
So Saul summoned his army, and they prepared to go down to Keilah to attack David and his men.
9 Kane Daudi owinjo ni Saulo chano yor yude nowachone Abiathar jadolo niya, “Kel law akor mar law mayom mar dolo miluongo ni efod.”
But David found out that Saul was planning [for his army] to attack him. So he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring [here] the sacred vest.”
10 Daudi nowacho niya, “Yaye Jehova Nyasaye ma Nyasach Israel, jatichni osewinjo gadiera ni Saulo chano biro Keila mondo oketh dala nikech an.
[So when Abiathar brought it, ] David prayed, “Yahweh, God of us Israelis, I have heard that Saul is planning to come here [with his army] and destroy Keilah because I am here.
11 Bende jo-Keila nochiwane? To bende Saulo biro biro ka kaka jatichni osewinjo? Yaye Jehova Nyasaye ma Nyasach Israel, nyis jatichni.” Eka Jehova Nyasaye nodwoko niya, “Obiro biro.”
Will Saul come down [here to Keilah], as people reported to me? Will the leaders of Keilah enable Saul to capture me? Yahweh, God of us Israelis, please tell me!” Yahweh answered, “Yes, Saul will come down.”
12 Daudi nopenjo kendo niya, “Jo-Keila biro chiwa kaachiel gi joga ne Saulo.” To Jehova Nyasaye nowacho niya, “Gibiro timo kamano.”
Then David asked, “Will the leaders of Keilah enable Saul’s army to capture me and my men [if we stay here]?” [By means of the stones in the sacred vest], Yahweh replied, “Yes, they will.”
13 Omiyo Daudi gi joge maromo mia auchiel, nowuok Keila mine giwuotho koni gi kocha ka gisiko gidar. Kane Saulo owinjo ni Daudi nosetony mowuok Keila ne ok odhi kuno.
So David and his 600 men left Keilah. They continued to move from one place to another, [wherever they thought that Saul would not find them]. And when Saul found out that David had escaped from Keilah, he did not go there.
14 Daudi nodak e kuonde mag pondo manie thim kendo e gode mag Thim Zif; odiechiengʼ ka odiechiengʼ Saulo ne osiko ka dware, to Nyasaye ne ok oketo Daudi e lwete.
David and his men stayed in hiding places in the desert and in the hills of Ziph Desert. Every day Saul [sent men to] search for David, but Yahweh did not allow them to capture David.
15 Kane Daudi ni Horesh man e thim Zif noyudo wach ni Saulo nosewuok mondo otiek ngimane.
While David and his men were at [a place named] Horesh in Ziph desert, he found out that Saul was coming there to kill him.
16 To Jonathan wuod Saulo nodhi Horesh ir Daudi mokonye koduogo chunye mondo oyud teko moa kuom Nyasaye.
But Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh, and encouraged him to continue to trust [God].
17 Nowacho niya, “Kik iluor. Saulo wuora ok bi timi gimoro. Ibiro bedo ruodh Israel, to an abiro bedo jalupni. Kata Saulo wuora ongʼeyo mano.”
Jonathan told him, “Do not be afraid, because my father will not be able to harm [IDM] you. [Some day] you will be the king of Israel, and I will be the second [most important man in Israel]. My father Saul also knows that.”
18 Kargi ji ariyogi negisingore e nyim Jehova Nyasaye. Eka Jonathan nodhi dala to Daudi to nodongʼ Horesh.
Then the two of them repeated their solemn promise that Yahweh [had heard them make previously, that they would always be loyal to each other]. Then Jonathan went home, but David stayed at Horesh.
19 Jo-Zif nodhi Gibea ir Saulo mi giwachone ne, “Donge Daudi opondo kuomwa e kuonde pondo Horesh ewi got Hakila, mantie yo milambo mar Jeshimon?
Some people from Ziph went to Saul when he was at Gibeah, and they told him, “David [and his men] are hiding in our land [RHQ]! They are hiding in places at Horesh on Hakilah Hill, south of [a place named] Jeshimon.
20 Koroni, yaye Ruoth, inyalo biro sa moro amora midwaro biroe, to obiro bedo wachwa mondo wachiwe ne ruoth.”
So, O king, come down there any time that you want to. It is our duty to capture him and turn him over to you.”
21 Saulo nodwoko niya, “Jehova Nyasaye mondo ogwedhu kuom timona maber.
Saul replied, “I hope/desire that Yahweh will bless you [for telling that to me].
22 Dhiuru kendo umed ikoru. Nonuru mondo ungʼe kuma Daudi jadhiyoe kod ngʼat mosenene kuno. Gisenyisa ni en ngʼama yoreyore ahinya.
Go back and find out more about him. Find out exactly where he is staying, and find out who has seen him there. People tell me that he is very clever, [so we need to be clever also to be able to capture him].
23 Nonuru konde duto mopondoe gi kuonde duto motiyogo, eka uduogna wach mobidhore. Bangʼe anadhi kodu; ka dipo ni en kanyo, to abiro dware e dhoudi duto mag Juda.”
Find out all the places where he and his men hide. Then come back and tell me everything that you have found out. Then I will [take my army and] go there with you. If David is in any of the clans/caves of Judah, we will search for him [and find him]!”
24 Kuom mano ne giwuok mi gidhi Zif motelone Saulo. Daudi gi joge to ne ni e Thim Maon man Araba yo milambo mar Jeshimon.
So those people went back to Ziph before Saul went there. At that time David and his men were in Maon Desert, south of Jeshimon.
25 Saulo gi joge nochako dwero, ka nowach ne Daudi wachno, nolor mwalo e lwanda mi nobet e Thim man Maon. Kane Saulo owinjo ma, nodhi e Thim man Maon kolawo Daudi.
Saul and his soldiers went to search for David, but David heard about that. So he and his men went further [south] to a rocky hill/peak in the Maon Desert. When Saul heard about that, he and his men followed David and his men to the Maon Desert.
26 Saulo ne dhi e bath got konchiel to Daudi gi joge ne ni e bathe kumachielo, ka giringo mondo gi yomb Saulo. Ka Saulo gi jolwenje ne chiegni juko Daudi gi joge mondo gimakgi,
Saul and his soldiers were walking along one side of the hill/peak, and David and his men were on the other side. David and his men were hurrying to escape from Saul’s soldiers, because Saul and his soldiers were coming much closer.
27 jaote nobiro ir Saulo, mowacho niya, “Bi piyo! Jo-Filistia osebiro monjo piny.”
But then a messenger came to Saul and said to him, “Come quickly! The Philistia army is attacking the people in our land!”
28 Eka Saulo noweyo lawo Daudi mi odhi rado gi jo-Filistia. Mano emomiyo iluongo kanyo ni Sela Hamalekoth.
So Saul stopped pursuing David, and he [and his soldiers] went to fight against the Philistia army. That is the reason that people call that place ‘Escape Rock’.
29 To Daudi nodhi malo koa kanyo modak e kuonde pondo mag En Gedi.
David and his men also left the Maon Desert and went to places to hide safely at En-Gedi.
