1 Samuel 23

1 Otu ụbọchị, ozi rutere Devid ntị na ndị Filistia na-ebuso ndị obodo Keila agha na-apụnara ha ihe niile ha nwere nke dị nʼebe ịzọcha ọka ha niile.

Now it was reported to David, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and looting the threshing floors.”

2 Devid jụrụ Onyenwe anyị ase sị, “Ọ bụ m jee buso ndị Filistia a agha?” Onyenwe anyị zara ya, “Gaa, buso ndị Filistia agha, zọpụta Keila.”

So David inquired of the LORD, “Should I go and attack these Philistines?” And the LORD said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah.”

3 Ma ndị agha Devid sịrị ya, “Lee, anyị onwe anyị na-atụ egwu ihe a ga-eme anyị, ọ bụladị nʼime Juda, oleekwanụ otu anyị ga-esi jee buso ndị Filistia niile agha na Keila?”

But David’s men said to him, “Look, we are afraid here in Judah; how much more if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?”

4 Devid jụrụ Onyenwe anyị ọzọ, ma Onyenwe anyị zara ya nke ugboro abụọ sị, “Jee, rịdaruo Keila, nʼihi na aga m anọnyere gị; ị ga-emerikwa ndị Filistia.”

Once again, David inquired of the LORD, and the LORD answered him: “Go at once to Keilah, for I will deliver the Philistines into your hand.”

5 Ya mere, Devid na ndị agha ya gara Keila buso ndị Filistia agha. Ndị agha Devid gburu ọtụtụ ndị Filistia kpokọrọ igwe anụ ụlọ ha. Ha zọpụtakwara ndị Keila.

Then David and his men went to Keilah, fought against the Philistines, and carried off their livestock, striking them with a mighty blow. So David saved the people of Keilah.

6 (Ugbu a, Abịata nwa Ahimelek chịkwa efọọd nʼaka gbadaa, mgbe ọ gbakwujere Devid na Keila).

(Now Abiathar son of Ahimelech had brought the ephod with him when he fled to David at Keilah.)

7 Mgbe a gwara Sọl na Devid nọ na Keila, o kwuru sị, “Ahaa! Chineke enyefeela ya nʼaka m, nʼihi na Devid e jirila aka ya kee onwe ya agbụ site nʼịbanye nʼobodo nwere ibo ọnụ ụzọ na mkpọrọ e ji akpọchi ha.”

When Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, he said, “God has delivered him into my hand, for he has trapped himself by entering a town with gates and bars.”

8 Sọl chịkọtara ndị agha ya ịga Keila ịnọchibido Devid na ndị ikom ya.

Then Saul summoned all his troops to go to war at Keilah and besiege David and his men.

9 Mgbe Devid nụrụ ihe Sọl na-achọ ime, ọ gwara Abịata onye nchụaja sị ya, “Chịta efọọd ahụ.”

When David learned that Saul was plotting evil against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod.”

10 Devid sịrị, “O! Onyenwe anyị, Chineke Izrel, anụla m na Sọl na-achọ ịbịa laa Keila na obodo a nʼiyi nʼihi m nọ nʼebe a.

And David said, “O LORD, God of Israel, Your servant has heard that Saul intends to come to Keilah and destroy the city on my account.

11 Ndị nwe Keila ha ga-arara m nye nʼaka Sọl? Ọ bụ ezie na Sọl na-abịa dịka m nụrụ? O! Onyenwe anyị, Chineke Izrel, biko gwa ohu gị.” Ma Onyenwe anyị sịrị, “Ọ ga-abịa.”

Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as Your servant has heard? O LORD, God of Israel, please tell Your servant.” “He will,” said the LORD.

12 Ọzọkwa, Devid jụrụ sị, “Ndị nwe Keila ha ga-arara m na ndị ikom m nye nʼaka Sọl?” Onyenwe anyị sịrị, “Ha ga-eme otu a.”

So David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?” “They will,” said the LORD.

13 Nʼihi ya, Devid na ndị ikom ya ọnụọgụgụ ha dị narị ndị ikom isii, hapụrụ Keila pụọ na-awagharị site nʼotu ebe gaa nʼebe ọzọ. Mgbe Sọl nụrụ na Devid esitela na Keila pụọ, o jekwaghị ebe ahụ ọzọ.

Then David and his men, about six hundred strong, set out and departed from Keilah, moving from place to place. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he declined to go forth.

14 Nʼoge a, Devid nọgidere nʼebe e wusiri ike dị nʼọzara, na nʼala ugwu ugwu nke ọzara Zif. Ụbọchị niile, Sọl chọgharịrị ya ma Chineke enyefeghị Devid nʼaka ya.

And David stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God would not deliver David into his hand.

15 Mgbe Devid nọ na Horesh, nke dị nʼọzara Zif, ọ natara ozi na Sọl na-abịa igbu ya.

While David was in Horesh in the Wilderness of Ziph, he saw that Saul had come out to take his life.

16 Jonatan, nwa Sọl pụrụ ịchọ Devid. Mgbe ọ hụrụ ya na Horesh, ọ gbara ya ume, nyere ya aka iguzosi ike nʼime Chineke.

And Saul’s son Jonathan came to David in Horesh and strengthened his hand in God,

17 Jonatan sịrị ya, “Atụla egwu, nna m Sọl apụghị ịchọta gị. Ị ga-abụ eze Izrel. Aga m abụkwa onye na-eso gị dịka Sọl nna m maara nke ọma.”

saying, “Do not be afraid, for my father Saul will never lay a hand on you. And you will be king over Israel, and I will be your second-in-command. Even my father Saul knows this is true.”

18 Ha abụọ gbara ndụ nʼihu Onyenwe anyị. Devid nọgidere na Horesh, ma Jonatan laghachiri nʼụlọ ya.

So the two of them made a covenant before the LORD. And David remained in Horesh, while Jonathan went home.

19 Ma ndị Zif biliri jekwuru Sọl na Gibea sị ya, “Devid o zoghị onwe ya nʼetiti anyị nʼọgba nkume dị nʼọhịa Horesh, nʼugwu Hakila, na ndịda Jeshimọn?

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

20 Ugbu a, eze anyị, bịa mgbe ọbụla ị chọrọ, ka anyị gaa jidere gị ya. Ị ga-emekwa ya dịka obi gị sị chọọ.”

Now, O king, come down whenever your soul desires, and we will be responsible for delivering him into your hand.”

21 Sọl zara ha sị, “Onyenwe anyị gọzie unu nʼihi mmetụta ọnọdụ m na-emetụta unu nʼobi.

“May you be blessed by the LORD,” replied Saul, “for you have had compassion on me.

22 Gaanụ chọpụta nke ọma ebe ọ na-ezo onwe ya, na onye hụrụ ya, nʼihi na agwara m na ọ bụ onye aghụghọ.

Please go and prepare further. Investigate and watch carefully where he goes and who has seen him there, for I am told that he is extremely cunning.

23 Chọpụtanụ ebe ọ na-ezo onwe ya ma lọghachikwanụ bịa gwa m ihe unu chọpụtara. Mgbe ahụ, aga m eso unu jee. Ọ bụrụ na ọ nọ nʼala ahụ, aga m achọpụta ya; e, aga m enyobanye anya chọọ ya nʼikwu niile nke Juda.”

Observe and find out all the places where he hides. Then come back to me with certainty, and I will go with you. If he is in the land, I will search him out among all the clans of Judah.”

24 Ha biliri buru Sọl ụzọ gawa Zif. Nʼoge a, Devid na ndị agha ya nọ nʼọzara Maon, nʼime Araba, na ndịda Jeshimọn.

So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the Wilderness of Maon in the Arabah south of Jeshimon,

25 Sọl na ndị agha ya bịarutere ebe ahụ malite chọwa Devid. Mgbe a gwara Devid na Sọl na-achọ ya, o duuru ndị agha ya gbada gaa nʼoke nkume ahụ ma nọgide nʼọzara Maon. Mgbe Sọl nụrụ nke a, ọ chụgidekwara Devid ọsọ gaa nʼebe ahụ.

and Saul and his men went to seek him. When David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard of this, he pursued David there.

26 Mgbe ha ruru nʼebe ahụ, Sọl na ndị agha ya nọ nʼotu akụkụ ugwu ahụ, Devid na ndị agha ya nọkwa nʼakụkụ nke ọzọ, na-eme ngwa ka ha gbanarị Sọl. Ma Sọl na ndị agha ya na-abịa nnọọ nso ijide Devid.

Saul was proceeding along one side of the mountain, and David and his men along the other side. Even though David was hurrying to get away, Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them.

27 Ma nʼotu mgbe ahụ, onyeozi bịakwutere Sọl sị ya, “Mee ngwangwa, lọta, nʼihi na ndị Filistia apụtala ibuso Izrel agha.”

Then a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Come quickly, for the Philistines have raided the land!”

28 Ngwangwa, Sọl sitere nʼịchụ Devid chigharịa azụ, lọta ibuso ndị Filistia agha. Site nʼoge ahụ, a kpọrọ ebe ahụ Devid nọ, Sela Hamahlekot, nke pụtara, Nkume Nkewa.

So Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to meet the Philistines. That is why that place is called Sela-hammahlekoth.

29 Devid si nʼebe ahụ pụọ gaa biri nʼebe e wusiri ike nke En-Gedi, ebe o zoro onwe ya.

And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of En-gedi.