I Samuelis 23

1 Et annunciaverunt David, dicentes: Ecce Philisthiim oppugnant Ceilam, et diripiunt areas.

Then told they David, saying, —Lo! the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and they are plundering the threshing-floors.

2 Consuluit ergo David Dominum, dicens: Num vadam, et percutiam Philisthæos istos? Et ait Dominus ad David: Vade, et percuties Philisthæos, et Ceilam salvabis.

So David enquired of Yahweh, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And Yahweh said unto David—Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah.

3 Et dixerunt viri, qui erant cum David, ad eum: Ecce nos hic in Iudæa consistentes timemus: quanto magis si ierimus in Ceilam adversum agmina Philisthinorum?

But the men of David said unto him, Lo! we, here, in Judah, are afraid, —how much more, then, if we go to Keilah, against the ranks of the Philistines?

4 Rursum ergo David consuluit Dominum. Qui respondens, ait ei: Surge, et vade in Ceilam: ego enim tradam Philisthæos in manu tua.

So David yet again enquired if Yahweh, and Yahweh answered him, —and said—Arise, go down to Keilah, for I am about to deliver the Philistines into thy hand.

5 Abiit ergo David, et viri eius in Ceilam, et pugnavit adversum Philisthæos, et abegit iumenta eorum, et percussit eos plaga magna: et salvavit David habitatores Ceilæ.

David therefore went, with his men, to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and drave forth their cattle, and smote them, with a great smiting, so David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

6 Porro eo tempore, quo fugiebat Abiathar filius Achimelech ad David, in Ceilam ephod secum habens descenderat.

Now it came to pass, when Abiathar, son of Ahimelech, fled unto David to Keilah, that he came down with, an ephod, in his hand.

7 Nunciatum est autem Sauli quod venisset David in Ceilam: et ait Saul: Tradidit eum Deus in manus meas, conclususque est introgressus urbem, in qua portæ et seræ sunt.

And, when it was told Saul that David had entered Keilah, Saul said—God hath given him over into my hand, for he hath shut himself in by entering into a city with folding doors and bar.

8 Et præcepit Saul omni populo ut ad pugnam descenderet in Ceilam: et obsideret David, et viros eius.

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

9 Quod cum David rescisset quia præpararet ei Saul clam malum, dixit ad Abiathar sacerdotem: Applica ephod.

And David ascertained that, against him, Saul was contriving mischief, —so he said unto Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod.

10 Et ait David: Domine Deus Israel, audivit famam servus tuus, quod disponat Saul venire in Ceilam, ut evertat urbem propter me:

Then said David: O Yahweh, God of Israel, thy servant, hath heard, that Saul is seeking to come unto Keilah, —to destroy the city, for my sake:

11 Si tradent me viri Ceilæ in manus eius? Et si descendet Saul, sicut audivit servus tuus? Domine Deus Israel indica servo tuo. Et ait Dominus: Descendet.

Will the owners of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O Yahweh, God of Israel, I pray thee, tell thy servant. And Yahweh said—He will come down.

12 Dixitque David: Si tradent me viri Ceilæ, et viros qui sunt mecum, in manus Saul? Et dixit Dominus: Tradent.

Then said David, Will the owners of Keilah surrender me and my men, into the hand of Saul? And Yahweh said—They will surrender.

13 Surrexit ergo David et viri eius quasi sexcenti, et egressi de Ceila, huc atque illuc vagabantur incerti: nunciatumque est Sauli quod fugisset David de Ceila, et salvatus esset: quam ob rem dissimulavit exire.

Then arose David and his men, about six hundred, and went forth out of Keilah, and went to and fro, whithersoever they could, —and, unto Saul, it was told that David had escaped out of Keilah, so he forbare to go forth.

14 Morabatur autem David in deserto in locis firmissimis, mansitque in monte solitudinis Ziph, in monte opaco: quærebat eum tamen Saul cunctis diebus: et non tradidit eum Deus in manus eius.

Then David abode in the wilderness, in the fortresses, and he abode in the hill country, in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him continually, but God delivered him not into his hand.

15 Et vidit David quod egressus esset Saul ut quæreret animam eius. Porro David erat in deserto Ziph in silva.

Then David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life, David, being in the wilderness of Ziph, in the thicket.

16 Et surrexit Ionathas filius Saul, et abiit ad David in silvam, et confortavit manus eius in Deo: dixitque ei:

So Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went unto David in the thicket, —and strengthened his hand in God;

17 Ne timeas: neque enim inveniet te manus Saul patris mei, et tu regnabis super Israel, et ego ero tibi secundus, sed et Saul pater meus scit hoc.

and said unto him, —Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee, but, thou, shalt become king over Israel, and, I, shall be, next, unto thee, yea and, Saul my father, knoweth this.

18 Percussit ergo uterque fœdus coram Domino: mansitque David in silva: Ionathas autem reversus est in domum suam.

And they two solemnised a covenant before Yahweh, —and David remained in the thicket, but, Jonathan, departed to his own house.

19 Ascenderunt autem Ziphæi ad Saul in Gabaa, dicentes: Nonne ecce David latitat apud nos in locis tutissimis silvæ, in Colle Hachila, quæ est ad dexteram deserti?

Then came up the Ziphites unto Saul in Gibeah, saying, —Is not David hiding himself with us, in the strongholds in the thicket, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the right of Jeshimon?

20 Nunc ergo, sicut desideravit anima tua ut descenderes, descende: nostrum autem erit ut tradamus eum in manus regis.

Now, therefore, according to all the desire of thy soul O king, to come down, come! and, ours, [will it be] to surrender him into the hand of the king.

21 Dixitque Saul: Benedicti vos a Domino, quia doluistis vicem meam.

Then said Saul, Blessed, be ye, of Yahweh, —because ye have taken pity upon me.

22 Abite ergo, oro, et diligentius præparate, et curiosius agite, et considerate locum ubi sit pes eius, vel quis viderit eum ibi, recogitat enim de me, quod callide insidier ei.

Go, I pray you, make ready yet further, and get to know and see his place, where may be his track, who hath seen him there, —for it hath been said unto me, Cunning indeed, is, he!

23 Considerate et videte omnia latibula eius, in quibus absconditur: et revertimini ad me ad rem certam, ut vadam vobiscum. Quod si etiam in terram se abstruserit, perscrutabor eum in cunctis millibus Iuda.

See, then, and get to know—of all the hiding places, where he hideth himself, and return unto me, for certainty, then will I go with you, —and it shall be, if he is in the land, that I will search him out, through all the thousands of Judah.

24 At illi surgentes abierunt in Ziph ante Saul: David autem et viri eius erant in deserto Maon, in campestribus ad dexteram Iesimon.

So they arose and departed to Ziph, before Saul, —but, David and his men, were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah, to the right of Jeshimon.

25 Ivit ergo Saul et socii eius ad quærendum eum: et nunciatum est David, statimque descendit ad petram, et versabatur in deserto Maon. Quod cum audisset Saul, persecutus est David in deserto Maon.

Then Saul and his men departed, to seek [him]; but it had been told David, and he had gone down the cliff, and taken up his abode in the wilderness of Maon, —and when Saul had, heard it, he pursued David in the wilderness of Maon.

26 Et ibat Saul ad latus montis ex parte una: David autem et viri eius erant in latere montis ex parte altera: porro David desperabat se posse evadere a facie Saul: itaque Saul, et viri eius in modum coronæ cingebant David, et viros eius, ut caperent eos.

And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and, David and his men, on that side of the mountain, —wherefore David became hurried, to get away from the presence of Saul, but, Saul and his men, were surrounding David and his men, to capture then:

27 Et nuncius venit ad Saul, dicens: Festina, et veni, quoniam infuderunt se Philisthiim super terram.

when, a messenger, came unto Saul, saying, —Haste thee and come! for the Philistines have spread over the land.

28 Reversus est ergo Saul desistens persequi David, et perrexit in occursum Philisthinorum. Propter hoc vocaverunt locum illum, Petram Dividentem.

Then returned Saul from pursuing David, and departed to meet the Philistines, —for which cause, they called that place Sela-hammahlekoth ["the Cliff of Separation"].

29 Ascendit ergo David inde: et habitavit in locis tutissimis Engaddi.

And David went up from thence, —and abode in the strongholds of En-gedi.