1 Samuel 23

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

And they declare to David, saying, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and they are spoiling the threshing-floors.”

2 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.”

And David inquires of YHWH, saying, “Do I go? And have I struck among these Philistines?” And YHWH says to David, “Go, and you have struck among the Philistines, and saved Keilah.”

3 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?”

And David’s men say to him, “Behold, we here in Judah are afraid; and how much more when we go to Keilah, to the ranks of the Philistines?”

4 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.”

And David adds again to inquire of YHWH, and YHWH answers him and says, “Rise, go down to Keilah, for I am giving the Philistines into your hand.”

5 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.

And David goes, and his men, to Keilah, and fights with the Philistines, and leads away their livestock, and strikes among them [with] a great striking, and David saves the inhabitants of Keilah.

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

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

7 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.”

And it is declared to Saul that David has come to Keilah, and Saul says, “God has made him known for my hand, for he has been shut in, to enter into a city of doors and bar.”

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

And Saul summons all the people to the battle, to go down to Keilah, to lay siege to David and to his men.

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

And David knows that Saul is devising the evil against him and says to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod near.”

10 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.

And David says, “YHWH, God of Israel, Your servant has certainly heard that Saul is seeking to come to Keilah, to destroy the city on my account.

11 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.

Do the possessors of Keilah shut me up into his hand? Does Saul come down as Your servant has heard? YHWH, God of Israel, please declare [it] to Your servant.” And YHWH says, “He comes down.”

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

And David says, “Do the possessors of Keilah shut up me and my men into the hand of Saul?” And YHWH says, “They shut [you] up.”

13 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.

And David rises—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 it has been declared to Saul that David has escaped from Keilah, and he ceases to go out.

14 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.

And David abides in the wilderness, in fortresses, and abides in the hill-country, in the wilderness of Ziph; and Saul seeks him [for] all the days, and God has not given him into his hand.

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

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

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

And Jonathan son of Saul rises, and goes to David [in the] forest, and strengthens his hand in God,

17 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.”

and says to him, “Do not fear, for the hand of my father Saul does not find you, and you reign over Israel, and I am to you for second, and also so knows my father Saul.”

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

And both of them make a covenant before YHWH; and David abides in the forest, and Jonathan has gone to his house.

19 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?

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

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

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

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

And Saul says, “Blessed [are] you of YHWH, for you have pity on me;

22 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.

now go prepare yet, and know and see his place where his foot is; who has seen him there? For [one] has said to me, He is very cunning.

23 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.”

And see and know of all the hiding places where he hides himself, and you have turned back prepared to me, and I have gone with you, and it has been, if he is in the land, that I have searched him out through all the thousands of Judah.”

24 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,

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.

25 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.

And Saul and his men go to seek, and they declare [it] to David, and he goes down the rock, and abides in the wilderness of Maon; and Saul hears, and pursues after David [to] the wilderness of Maon.

26 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.

And Saul goes on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain, and David is hurried to go from the face of Saul, and Saul and his men are surrounding David and his men, to catch them.

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

And a messenger has come to Saul, saying, “Hurry, and come, for the Philistines have pushed against the land.”

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

And Saul turns back from pursuing after David, and goes to meet the Philistines, therefore they have called that place “The Rock of Divisions.”

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

And David goes up there, and abides in fortresses [at] En-gedi.