1 Samuel 23

1 Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshing floors.

One day David heard the news, “The Philistines are attacking Keilah and stealing the grain from the threshing floors.”

2 Therefore David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go and strike these Philistines? And the LORD said unto David, Go, and strike the Philistines, and save Keilah.

So he asked advice from the Lord, “Should I go and attack these Philistines?” The Lord told David, “Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah.”

3 And David's men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?

But David's men told him, “Even here in Judah we feel afraid. If we went to Keilah to fight the Philistine armies we'd be absolutely terrified!”

4 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 your hand.

So David asked advice from the Lord again, and the Lord told him, “Go immediately to Keilah, for I will give you victory over the Philistines.”

5 So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and stroke them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

Then David and his men went to Keilah and fought the Philistines. They slaughtered them and drove off their livestock. By doing this David saved the people of Keilah.

6 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.

(When Abiathar, son of Ahimelech, ran away to David at Keilah he brought the ephod with him.)

7 And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said, God has delivered him into mine hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that has gates and bars.

When Saul found out that David had gone to Keilah, he said, “God has handed him over to me, because he has locked himself inside a town with gates that can be barred shut.”

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

So Saul called up his whole army to go and attack Keilah and to besiege David and his men.

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

When David learned that Saul was plotting to attack him, he asked Abiathar the priest, “Please bring the ephod.”

10 Then said David, O LORD God of Israel, your servant has certainly heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake.

David prayed, “Lord, God of Israel, I your servant have been clearly told that Saul plans to come to Keilah and destroy the town because of me.

11 Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? O LORD God of Israel, I plead to you, tell your servant. And the LORD said, He will come down.

Are the town leaders of Keilah going to hand me over to him? Is Saul going to come, as I have heard? Lord, God of Israel, please tell me.” “Yes, he'll come,” the Lord replied.

12 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 you up.

“And will the town leaders of Keilah hand me and my men over to Saul?” David asked. “Yes, they will,” the Lord replied.

13 Then David and his men, which were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went anywhere they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he ceased to go forth.

So David and his men, who numbered around six hundred, left Keilah and moved around from place to place. When Saul discovered that David had escaped from Keilah, he didn't bother going there.

14 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.

David set up camp in the wilderness strongholds, staying in the mountains of the Desert of Ziph. Saul searched for him continually, but God did not let David be captured.

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

While David was staying at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he found out that Saul was on his way to murder him.

16 And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.

Saul's son Jonathan went to see David in Horesh and encouraged him to go on trusting in God, telling him,

17 And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you; and you shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto you; and that also Saul my father knows.

“Don't worry, because my father Saul is never going to find you. You're going to be king of Israel, and I'll be your deputy. Even my father Saul knows this.”

18 And they two made a covenant before the LORD: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.

The two of them made an agreement before the Lord. David stayed in Horesh and Jonathan went home.

19 Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Does not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon?

Then the people of Ziph went to Saul at Gibeah and told him, “David is hiding in our area, in the strongholds in Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah, in the southern wastelands.

20 Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of your soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king's hand.

So, Your Majesty, please come whenever you want, and we'll make sure to hand him over to you.”

21 And Saul said, Blessed be all of you of the LORD; for all of you have compassion on me.

“The Lord bless you for thinking about me,” Saul replied.

22 Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who has seen him there: for it is told me that he deals very subtlely.

“Please go and make absolutely sure you know exactly where he is—where he stays and who has seen him there—because people tell me that he's very devious.

23 See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hides himself, and come all of you again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah.

Look for and mark down all his hiding places. Then come back to me when you're sure, and I'll go back with you. If he's here in the country, I will hunt him down among all the people of Judah.”

24 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.

So the people of Ziph set off, returning to Ziph ahead of Saul. David and his men were in the Desert of Maon in the Arabah Valley in the southern wastelands.

25 Saul also and his men went to seek him. And they told David; wherefore 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.

Saul and his men started hunting for him. When David found out, he went down to the rock, and stayed in the Desert of Maon. When Saul heard this, he chased after David in the Desert of Maon.

26 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 compassed David and his men round about to take them.

Saul was traveling along one side of the mountain, while David and his men were on the other side, rushing to get away. But just as Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men, about to capture them,

27 But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste you, and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land.

a messenger arrived to tell Saul, “Come at once! The Philistines have invaded the country!”

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

So Saul had to stop chasing David and went to confront the Philistines. That's why the place is called the “Rock of Escape.”

29 And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at Engedi.

Then David left and went to live in the strongholds of En-gedi.