1 Samuel 23

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

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

2 Therefore David inquired of YHWH, saying, "Shall I go and strike these Philistines?" Then YHWH replied, "Go strike 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 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 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 Then David inquired of YHWH yet again. YHWH answered him, and said, "Arise, go down 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 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.

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 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 comes to pass, in the fleeing of Abiathar son of Ahimelech to David, to Keilah, an ephod came down 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 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 the people to war, to go down to Keilah, to 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 David knew that Saul was devising mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, "Bring the ephod here."

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

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

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

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

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, 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 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 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 YHWH did not deliver him 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 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 sees that Saul has come out to seek his life, and David [is] in the wilderness of Ziph, in a forest.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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 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."

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

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

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

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 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.