I Samuelis 23
1 Et annunciaverunt David, dicentes: Ecce Philisthiim oppugnant Ceilam, et diripiunt areas.
One day David heard the news, “The Philistines are attacking Keilah and stealing the grain from the threshing floors.”
2 Consuluit ergo David Dominum, dicens: Num vadam, et percutiam Philisthaeos istos? Et ait Dominus ad David: Vade, et percuties Philisthaeos, et Ceilam salvabis.
So he asked advice from the Lord, “Should I go and attack these Philistines?” The Lord told David, “Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah.”
3 Et dixerunt viri, qui erant cum David, ad eum: Ecce nos hic in Iudaea consistentes timemus: quanto magis si ierimus in Ceilam adversum agmina Philisthinorum?
But David's men told him, “Even here in Judah we feel afraid. If we went to Keilah to fight the Philistine armies we'd be absolutely terrified!”
4 Rursum ergo David consuluit Dominum. Qui respondens, ait ei: Surge, et vade in Ceilam: ego enim tradam Philisthaeos in manu tua.
So David asked advice from the Lord again, and the Lord told him, “Go immediately to Keilah, for I will give you victory over the Philistines.”
5 Abiit ergo David, et viri eius in Ceilam, et pugnavit adversum Philisthaeos, et abegit iumenta eorum, et percussit eos plaga magna: et salvavit David habitatores Ceilae.
Then David and his men went to Keilah and fought the Philistines. They slaughtered them and drove off their livestock. By doing this David saved the people of Keilah.
6 Porro eo tempore, quo fugiebat Abiathar filius Achimelech ad David in Ceilam, ephod secum habens descenderat.
(When Abiathar, son of Ahimelech, ran away to David at Keilah he brought the ephod with him.)
7 Nunciatum est autem Sauli quod venisset David in Ceilam: et ait Saul: Tradidit eum Dominus in manus meas, conclususque est introgressus urbem, in qua portae et serae sunt.
When Saul found out that David had gone to Keilah, he said, “God has handed him over to me, because he has locked himself inside a town with gates that can be barred shut.”
8 Et praecepit Saul omni populo ut ad pugnam descenderet in Ceilam: et obsideret David, et viros eius.
So Saul called up his whole army to go and attack Keilah and to besiege David and his men.
9 Quod cum David rescisset quia praepararet ei Saul clam malum, dixit ad Abiathar sacerdotem: Applica ephod.
When David learned that Saul was plotting to attack him, he asked Abiathar the priest, “Please bring the ephod.”
10 Et ait David: Domine Deus Israel, audivit famam servus tuus, quod disponat Saul venire in Ceilam, ut evertat urbem propter me:
David prayed, “Lord, God of Israel, I your servant have been clearly told that Saul plans to come to Keilah and destroy the town because of me.
11 Si tradent me viri Ceilae in manus eius? et si descendet Saul, sicut audivit servus tuus? Domine Deus Israel indica servo tuo. Et ait Dominus: Descendet.
Are the town leaders of Keilah going to hand me over to him? Is Saul going to come, as I have heard? Lord, God of Israel, please tell me.” “Yes, he'll come,” the Lord replied.
12 Dixitque David: Si tradent me viri Ceilae, et viros qui sunt mecum, in manus Saul? et dixit Dominus: Tradent.
“And will the town leaders of Keilah hand me and my men over to Saul?” David asked. “Yes, they will,” the Lord replied.
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.
So David and his men, who numbered around six hundred, left Keilah and moved around from place to place. When Saul discovered that David had escaped from Keilah, he didn't bother going there.
14 Morabatur autem David in deserto in locis firmissimis, mansitque in monte solitudinis Ziph, in monte opaco: quaerebat eum tamen Saul cunctis diebus: et non tradidit eum Dominus in manus eius.
David set up camp in the wilderness strongholds, staying in the mountains of the Desert of Ziph. Saul searched for him continually, but God did not let David be captured.
15 Et vidit David quod egressus esset Saul ut quaereret animam eius. Porro David erat in deserto Ziph in silva.
While David was staying at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he found out that Saul was on his way to murder him.
16 Et surrexit Ionathas filius Saul, et abiit ad David in silvam, et confortavit manus eius in Deo: dixitque ei:
Saul's son Jonathan went to see David in Horesh and encouraged him to go on trusting in God, telling him,
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.
“Don't worry, because my father Saul is never going to find you. You're going to be king of Israel, and I'll be your deputy. Even my father Saul knows this.”
18 Percussit ergo uterque foedus coram Domino: mansitque David in silva: Ionathas autem reversus est in domum suam.
The two of them made an agreement before the Lord. David stayed in Horesh and Jonathan went home.
19 Ascenderunt autem Ziphaei ad Saul in Gabaa, dicentes: Nonne ecce David latitat apud nos in locis tutissimis silvae, in Colle Hachila, quae est ad dexteram deserti?
Then the people of Ziph went to Saul at Gibeah and told him, “David is hiding in our area, in the strongholds in Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah, in the southern wastelands.
20 Nunc ergo, sicut desideravit anima tua ut descenderes, descende: nostrum autem erit ut tradamus eum in manus regis.
So, Your Majesty, please come whenever you want, and we'll make sure to hand him over to you.”
21 Dixitque Saul: Benedicti vos a Domino, quia doluistis vicem meam.
“The Lord bless you for thinking about me,” Saul replied.
22 Abite ergo, oro, et diligentius praeparate, et curiosius agite, et considerate locum ubi sit pes eius, vel quis viderit eum ibi, recogitat enim de me, quod callide insidier ei.
“Please go and make absolutely sure you know exactly where he is—where he stays and who has seen him there—because people tell me that he's very devious.
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 obstruxerit, perscrutabor eum in cunctis millibus Iuda.
Look for and mark down all his hiding places. Then come back to me when you're sure, and I'll go back with you. If he's here in the country, I will hunt him down among all the people 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 the people of Ziph set off, returning to Ziph ahead of Saul. David and his men were in the Desert of Maon in the Arabah Valley in the southern wastelands.
25 Ivit ergo Saul et socii eius ad quaerendum eum: et nunciatum est David, statimque descendit ad petram, et versabatur in deserto Maon. quod cum audisset Saul, persecutus est David in deserto Maon.
Saul and his men started hunting for him. When David found out, he went down to the rock, and stayed in the Desert of Maon. When Saul heard this, he chased after David in the Desert 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 coronae cingebant David, et viros eius, ut caperent eos.
Saul was traveling along one side of the mountain, while David and his men were on the other side, rushing to get away. But just as Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men, about to capture them,
27 Et nuncius venit ad Saul, dicens: Festina, et veni, quoniam infuderunt se Philisthiim super terram.
a messenger arrived to tell Saul, “Come at once! The Philistines have invaded the country!”
28 Reversus est ergo Saul desistens persequi David, et perrexit in occursum Philisthinorum. propter hoc vocaverunt locum illum, Petram dividentem.
So Saul had to stop chasing David and went to confront the Philistines. That's why the place is called the “Rock of Escape.”
29 Ascendit ergo David inde: et habitavit in locis tutissimis Engaddi.
Then David left and went to live in the strongholds of En-gedi.
