1 Samuel 23

1 And people told to David saying there! [the] Philistines [are] fighting against Keilah and they [are] plundering the threshing floors.

And they reported to David, saying, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and they are plundering the grain stores.”

2 And he enquired David by Yahweh saying ¿ will I go and will I strike? the Philistines these. And he said Yahweh to David go and you will strike the Philistines and you will deliver Keilah.

Therefore, David consulted the Lord, saying, “Shall I go and strike down these Philistines?” And the Lord said to David, “Go, and you shall strike down the Philistines, and you shall save Keilah.”

3 And they said [the] men of David to him here! we here in Judah [are] fearful and indeed? if we will go Keilah against [the] battle lines of [the] Philistines.

And the men who were with David said to him, “Behold, we continue in fear here in Judea; how much more so, if we go into Keilah against the troops of the Philistines?”

4 And he repeated again David to enquire by Yahweh. And he answered him Yahweh and he said arise go down Keilah for I [am] about to give [the] Philistines in hand your.

Therefore, David consulted the Lord again. And responding, he said to him: “Rise up, and go into Keilah. For I will deliver the Philistines into your hand.”

5 And he went David (and men his *Q(K)*) Keilah and he fought against the Philistines and he drove away livestock their and he defeated them a defeat great and he delivered David [the] inhabitants of Keilah.

Therefore, David and his men went into Keilah. And they fought against the Philistines, and they took away their cattle, and they struck them with a great slaughter. And David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

6 And it was when fled Abiathar [the] son of Ahimelech to David Keilah an ephod it came down in hand his.

And in that time, when Abiathar, the son of Ahimelech, was in exile with David, he had descended to Keilah, having an ephod with him.

7 And it was told to Saul that he had gone David Keilah and he said Saul he has alienated him God in hand my for he has shut himself up by going in a city of doors and bar[s].

Then it was reported to Saul that David had gone to Keilah. And Saul said: “The Lord has delivered him into my hands. For he is enclosed, having entered into a city which has gates and bars.”

8 And he summoned Saul all the people for battle to go down Keilah to lay siege against David and against men his.

And Saul instructed all the people to descend in order to fight against Keilah, and to besiege David and his men.

9 And he knew David that on him Saul [was] plotting evil and he said to Abiathar the priest bring near! the ephod.

And when David had realized that Saul had secretly prepared evil against him, he said to Abiathar, the priest, “Bring the ephod.”

10 And he said David O Yahweh [the] God of Israel certainly he has heard servant your that [is] seeking Saul to come to Keilah to destroy the city because of me.

And David said: “O Lord God of Israel, your servant has heard a report that Saul is planning to go to Keilah, so that he may overturn the city because of me.

11 ¿ Will they deliver up me [the] citizens of Keilah in hand his ¿ will he come down Saul just as he has heard servant your O Yahweh [the] God of Israel tell please to servant your. And he said Yahweh he will come down.

Will the men of Keilah deliver me into his hands? And will Saul descend, just as your servant has heard? O Lord God of Israel, reveal to your servant.” And the Lord said, “He will descend.”

12 And he said David ¿ will they deliver up [the] citizens of Keilah me and men my in [the] hand of Saul and he said Yahweh they will deliver [you] up.

And David said, “Will the men of Keilah deliver me, and the men who are with me, into the hands of Saul?” And the Lord said, “They will deliver you.”

13 And he arose David and men his about six hundred man and they went out from Keilah and they went about at where they went about and to Saul it was told that he had escaped David from Keilah and he ceased to go forth.

Therefore, David, and his men of about six hundred, rose up, and, departing from Keilah, they wandered here and there, aimlessly. And it was reported to Saul that David had fled from Keilah, and was saved. For this reason, he chose not to go out.

14 And he dwelt David in the wilderness in the strongholds and he dwelt in the hill country in [the] wilderness of Ziph and he sought him Saul all the days and not he gave him God in hand his.

Then David stayed in the desert, in very strong places. And he stayed on a mount in the wilderness of Ziph, on a shady mount. Nevertheless, Saul was seeking him every day. But the Lord did not deliver him into his hands.

15 And he saw David that he had come forth Saul to seek life his and David [was] in [the] wilderness of Ziph at Horesh.

And David saw that Saul had gone out, so that he might seek his life. Now David was in the desert of Ziph, in the woods.

16 And he arose Jonathan [the] son of Saul and he went to David Horesh and he strengthened hand his in God.

And Jonathan, the son of Saul, rose up and went to David in the woods, and he strengthened his hands in God. And he said to him:

17 And he said to him may not you be afraid for not it will find you [the] hand of Saul father my and you you will reign over Israel and I I will become to you second in rank and also Saul father my [is] knowing [it is] thus.

“Do not be afraid. For the hand of my father, Saul, will not find you. And you shall reign over Israel. And I will be second to you. And even my father knows this.”

18 And they made [the] two of them a covenant before Yahweh and he remained David at Horesh and Jonathan he went to house his.

Therefore, they both struck a pact before the Lord. And David stayed in the woods. But Jonathan returned to his house.

19 And they went up Ziphites to Saul Gibeah towards saying ¿ not [is] David hiding himself with us in the strongholds at Horesh on [the] hill of Hakilah which [is] from [the] south of Jeshimon.

Then the Ziphites ascended to Saul at Gibeah, saying: “Behold, is not David hidden with us in very secure places in the woods on the hill of Hachilah, which is to the right of the desert?

20 And now to all [the] desire of self your O king to come down come down and [belongs] to us to deliver up him in [the] hand of the king.

Now therefore, if your soul has desired to descend, then descend. Then it will be for us to deliver him into the hands of the king.”

21 And he said Saul [be] blessed you by Yahweh for you have had compassion on me.

And Saul said: “You have been blessed by the Lord. For you have grieved for my situation.

22 Go please prepare still and know and see place his where it is foot his who? has he seen him there for someone has said to me certainly he is crafty he.

Therefore, I beg you, go forth, and prepare diligently, and act carefully. And consider the place where his foot may be, and who may have seen him there. For he thinks, concerning me, that I craftily plan treachery against him.

23 And see and know from all the hiding places where he hides himself there and you will return to me to a certain [thing] and I will go with you and it will be if there he [is] in the land and I will search out him among all [the] thousands of Judah.

Consider and seek out all his hiding places, in which he may be concealed. And return to me with certainty about the matter, so that I may go with you. But if he would even press himself into the earth, I will search him out, amid all the thousands of Judah.”

24 And they arose and they went Ziph towards before Saul and David and men his [were] in [the] wilderness of Maon in the Arabah to [the] south of Jeshimon.

And rising up, they went to Ziph before Saul. But David and his men were in the desert of Maon, in the plain to the right of Jeshimon.

25 And he went Saul and men his to seek [him] and people told to David and he went down the rock and he remained in [the] wilderness of Maon and he heard Saul and he pursued after David [the] wilderness of Maon.

Then Saul and his allies went to seek him. And this was reported to David. And immediately, he descended to the rock, and he moved about in the desert of Maon. And when Saul had heard of it, he pursued David in the desert of Maon.

26 And he went Saul from [the] side of the mountain from this and David and men his [were] from [the] side of the mountain from this and he was David hurrying away to go from before Saul and Saul and men his [were] surrounding David and men his to catch them.

And Saul went to one side of the mountain. But David and his men were on the other side of the mountain. Then David was despairing that he would be able to escape from the face of Saul. And Saul and his men enclosed David and his men in the manner of a crown, so that they might capture them.

27 And a messenger he came to Saul saying make haste! and come! for they have made a raid [the] Philistines on the land.

And a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, because the Philistines have poured themselves out upon the land.”

28 And he turned back Saul from pursuing after David and he went to meet [the] Philistines there-fore people called the place that Sela Hammahlekoth.

Therefore, Saul turned back, ceasing in the pursuit of David, and he traveled to meet the Philistines. For this reason, they called that place, the Rock of Division.

29 And he went up David from there and he dwelt in [the] strongholds of En Gedi.

Then David ascended from there, and he lived in very secure places in Engedi.