1 Samuel 23

1 David was told, "Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and are robbing the threshing floors."

And it was told David, saying, behold, the Philistines war in Keila, and they rob, they trample on the threshing-floors.

2 Therefore David inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall I go and strike these Philistines?" Then the LORD replied, "Go strike the Philistines, and save Keilah."

And David enquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go and strike these Philistines? And the Lord said, Go, and you shall strike these Philistines, and shall save Keila.

3 David's men said to him, "Look, we are afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?"

And the men of David said to him, Behold, we are afraid here in Judea; and how shall it be if we go to Keila? Shall we go after the spoils of the Philistines?

4 Then David inquired of the LORD yet again. The LORD answered him, and said, "Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into your hand."

And David enquired yet again of the Lord; and the Lord answered him, and said to him, Arise and go down to Keila, for I will deliver the Philistines into your hands.

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

So David and his men with him went to Keila, and fought with the Philistines; and they fled from before him, and he carried off their cattle, and struck them with a great slaughter, and David rescued the inhabitants of Keila.

6 It happened, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David, that he went down with David to Keilah, having an ephod in his hand.

And it came to pass when Abiathar the son of Achimelech fled to David, that he went down with David to Keila, having and ephod in his hand.

7 Now it was told Saul that David had come to Keilah. So Saul said, "God has sold him into my hand, for he has shut himself in by entering into a town that has gates and bars."

And it was told Saul that David was come to Keila: and Saul said, God has sold him into my hands, for he is shut up, having entered into a city that has gates and bars.

8 Then Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.

And Saul charged all the people to go down to war to Keila, to besiege David and his men.

9 David knew that Saul was devising mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, "Bring the ephod here."

And David knew that Saul spoke openly of mischief against him: and David said to Abiathar the priest, Bring the ephod of the Lord.

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

And David said, Lord God of Israel, your servant has indeed heard, that Saul seeks to come against Keila to destroy the city on my account.

11 And now, will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? LORD, God of Israel, tell your servant." And the LORD said, "He will come down."

Will [the place] be shut up? And now will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? Lord God of Israel, tell your servant.

12 Then David said, "Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul?" The LORD said, "They will deliver you up."

And the Lord said, It will be shut up.

13 Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went wherever they could go. And Saul was told that David had escaped Keilah; so he gave up the pursuit.

And David arose, and the men with him, in number about four hundred, and they went forth from Keila, and went wherever they could go: and it was told Saul that David had escaped from Keila, and he forbore to come.

14 David stayed in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but the LORD did not deliver him into his hand.

And he lived in Maserem in the wilderness, in the narrow [passes]; and lived in the wilderness in mount Ziph, in the dry country. And Saul sought him continually, but the Lord delivered him not into his hands.

15 Now David was afraid that Saul had come out to seek his life. And David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh.

And David perceived that Saul went forth to seek David; and David was in the dry mountain in the New Ziph.

16 Jonathan, Saul's son, set out and came to David at Horesh and encouraged him in the LORD.

And Jonathan son of Saul rose, and went to David to Caene, and strengthened his hands in the Lord.

17 He said to him, "Do not be afraid; for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you; and you shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you; and that also Saul my father knows."

And he said to 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 second to you; and Saul my father knows it.

18 They both made a covenant before the LORD: and David stayed at Horesh, and Jonathan went to his house.

So they both made a covenant before the Lord; and David lived in Caene, and Jonathan went to his home.

19 Then the Ziphites came up to Saul to Gibeah, saying, "Doesn't David hide himself with us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hakilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon?

And the Ziphites came up out of the dry country to Saul to the hill, saying, Behold, is not David hidden with us in Messara, in the narrows in Caene in the hill of Echela, which is on the right of Jessaemon?

20 Now therefore, O king, come down, according to all the desire of your soul to come down. It will be our responsibility to deliver him up into the king's hand."

And now [according to] all the king's desire to come down, let him come down to us; they have shut him up into the hands of the king.

21 Saul said, "You are blessed by the LORD; for you have had compassion on me.

And Saul said to them, Blessed [be] you of the Lord, for you have been grieved on my account.

22 Please go investigate again, and look around and learn the place where his swift foot is, for I am told that he is very clever.

Go, I pray you, and make preparations yet, and notice his place where his foot shall be, quickly, in that place which you spoke of, lest by any means he should deal craftily.

23 See therefore, and find out all the hiding places where he hides himself, and come back to me when you know for certain, and I will go with you. And it shall happen, if he is in the land, that I will search for him among all the thousands of Judah."

Take notice, then, and learn, and I will go with you; and it shall come to pass that if he is in the land, I will search him out amongst all the thousands of Juda.

24 They arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah on the south of Jeshimon.

And the Ziphites arose, and went before Saul: and David and his men [were] in the wilderness of Maon, westward, to the right of Jessaemon.

25 Saul and his men went to seek him. When David was told, he went down to the rock, and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. When Saul heard that, he pursued David in the wilderness of Maon.

And Saul and his men went to seek him: and they brought word to David, and he went down to the rock that was in the wilderness of Maon: and Saul heard, and followed after David to the wilderness 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 was hurrying to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men surrounded David and his men to take them.

And Saul and his men go on one side of the mountain, and David and his men are on the other side of the mountain: and David was hiding himself to escape from Saul: and Saul and his men encamped against David and his men, in order to take them.

27 But a messenger came to Saul, saying, "Hurry and come; for the Philistines have made a raid on the land."

And there came a messenger to Saul, saying, Haste you, and come here, for the Philistines have invaded the land.

28 So Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines. Therefore they called that place Rock of Divisions.

So Saul returned from following after David, and went to meet the Philistines: therefore that place was called The divided Rock.

29 David went up from there, and lived in the strongholds of En Gedi.

And David rose up from thence, and lived in the narrow passes of Engaddi.