1 Samuel 23

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

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

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.”

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.

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 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?

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.”

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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 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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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

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

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

And Jonathan Saul’s son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened 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 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.

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

And they two made a covenant before the LORD: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went 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?

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?

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.”

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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

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

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

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

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