1 Samuel 23

1 Then they tolde Dauid, saying, Beholde, the Philistims fight against Keilah, and spoyle the barnes.

They told David, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are robbing the threshing floors.”

2 Therfore Dauid asked counsel of the Lord, saying, Shal I goe and smite these Philistims? And the Lord answered Dauid, Go and smite the Philistims, and saue Keilah.

So David prayed to Yahweh for help and asked him, “Should I go and attack these Philistines?” Yahweh said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah.”

3 And Dauids men said vnto him, See, we be afrayde here in Iudah, howe much more if we come to Keilah against the hoste of ye Philistims?

David's men said to him, “See, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?”

4 Then Dauid asked counsell of the Lord againe. And the Lord answered him, and sayd, Arise, go downe to Keilah: for I wil deliuer the Philistims into thine hand.

Then David prayed to Yahweh for help yet again. Yahweh answered him, “Arise, go down to Keilah. For I will give you victory over the Philistines.”

5 So Dauid and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistims, and brought away their cattel, and smote them with a great slaughter: thus Dauid saued the inhabitants of Keilah.

David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines. He led away their cattle and struck them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

6 (And when Abiathar the sonne of Ahimelech fled to Dauid to Keilah, he brought an Ephod with him)

When Abiathar son of Ahimelech had fled to David at Keilah, he came down with an ephod in his hand.

7 And it was tolde Saul that Dauid was come to Keilah, and Saul sayd, God hath deliuered him into mine hand: for he is shut in, seeing he is come into a citie that hath gates and barres.

Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah. Saul said, “God has given him into my hand. For he is shut in because he has entered a city that has gates and bars.”

8 Then Saul called all the people together to warre, for to go downe to Keilah, and to besiege Dauid and his men.

Saul summoned all his forces for battle, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.

9 And Dauid hauing knowledge that Saul imagined mischiefe against him, saide to Abiathar the Priest, Bring the Ephod.

David knew that Saul was plotting harm against him. He said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.”

10 Then sayde Dauid, O Lord God of Israel, thy seruat hath heard, that Saul is about to come to Keilah to destroy the citie for my sake.

Then David said, “Yahweh, the God of Israel, your servant has indeed heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake.

11 Wil the lordes of Keilah deliuer me vp into his hand? and will Saul come downe, as thy seruant hath heard? O Lord God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy seruant. And the Lord sayde, He will come downe.

Will the men of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? Yahweh, the God of Israel, I beg you, please tell your servant.” Yahweh said, “He will come down.”

12 Then said Dauid, Will the lords of Keilah deliuer me vp, and the men that are with me, into the hand of Saul? And the Lord sayde, They will deliuer thee vp.

Then David said, “Will the men of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?” Yahweh said, “They will surrender you.”

13 Then Dauid and his men, which were about sixe hundreth, arose, and departed out of Keilah, and went whither they coulde. And it was tolde Saul, that Dauid was fled from Keilah, and he left off his iourney.

Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, got up and went away from Keilah, and they went from place to place. It was told Saul that David had escaped from Keilah, and he stopped the pursuit.

14 And Dauid abode in the wildernesse in holdes, and remayned in a mountaine in the wildernes of Ziph. And Saul sought him euery day, but God deliuered him not into his hand.

David stayed in the strongholds in the wilderness, in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. Saul looked for him every day, but God did not give him into his hand.

15 And Dauid sawe that Saul was come out for to seeke his life: and Dauid was in the wildernes of Ziph in the wood.

David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life; now David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh.

16 And Ionathan Sauls sonne arose and went to Dauid into the wood, and comforted him in God,

Then Jonathan, Saul's son, got up and went to David at Horesh, and strengthened his hand in God.

17 And said vnto him, Feare not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not finde thee, and thou shalt be King ouer Israel, and I shalbe next vnto thee: and also Saul my father knoweth it.

He said to him, “Do not be afraid. For the hand of Saul my father will not find you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be next to you. Saul my father also knows this.”

18 So they twaine made a couenant before ye Lord: and Dauid did remaine in the wood: but Ionathan went to his house.

They made a covenant before Yahweh. David remained at Horesh, and Jonathan went home.

19 Then came vp the Ziphims to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doeth not Dauid hide himselfe by vs in holdes, in the wood in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the right side of Ieshimon?

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

20 Nowe therefore, O King, come downe according to all that thine heart can desire, and our part shall be to deliuer him into the Kinges handes.

Now come down, king! According to your desire, come down! Our part will be to surrender him into the king's hand.”

21 Then Saul said, Be ye blessed of the Lord: for ye haue had compassion on mee.

Saul said, “May you be blessed by Yahweh. For you have had compassion on me.

22 Goe, I pray you, and prepare ye yet better: know and see his place where he haunteth, and who hath seene him there: for it is sayd to me, He is subtile, and craftie.

Go, make even more sure. Learn and find out where his hiding place is and who has seen him there. It is told to me that he is very crafty.

23 See therefore and know all the secret places where he hideth himselfe, and come ye againe to me with the certaintie, and I will goe with you: and if he be in the lande, I will searche him out throughout all the thousands of Iudah.

So look, and learn all of the places where he hides himself. Come back to me with sure information, and then I will return with you. If he is in the land, I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.”

24 Then they arose and went to Ziph before Saul, but Dauid and his men were in the wildernesse of Maon, in the playne on the right hande of Ieshimon.

Then they rose up and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah to the south of Jeshimon.

25 Saul also and his men went to seeke him, and they told Dauid: wherefore he came downe vnto a rocke, and abode in the wildernesse of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he folowed after Dauid in the wildernes of Maon.

Saul and his men went to seek him. But David was told of it, so he went down to a rocky hill and lived in the wilderness of Maon. When Saul heard it, he chased David in the wilderness of Maon.

26 And Saul and his men went on the one side of the mountaine, and Dauid and his men on the other side of the mountaine: and Dauid made haste to get from the presence of Saul: for Saul and his men compassed Dauid and his men round about, to take them.

Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men were going on the other side of the mountain. David hurried to get away from Saul. As Saul and his men were surrounding David and his men to take them,

27 But there came a messenger to Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come: for the Philistims haue inuaded the land.

a messenger came to Saul and said, “Hurry and come, for the Philistines have made a raid against the land.”

28 Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing Dauid, and went against the Philistims. Therefore they called that place, Sela-hammahlekoth.

So Saul returned from pursuing David and went against the Philistines. Therefore that place was called the Rock of Escape.

29 And Dauid went thence, and dwelt in holdes at En-gedi.

David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of Engedi.