1 Samuela 23

1 Pea naʻa nau fakahā kia Tevita ʻo pehē, “Vakai, ʻoku tauʻi ʻe he kakai Filisitia ʻa Kiʻila, ʻonau kaihaʻa mei he ngaahi hahaʻanga.”

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

2 Pea naʻe fehuʻi ai ʻe Tevita kia Sihova, ʻo pehē, “Te u ʻalu ʻo taaʻi ʻae kakai Filisitia? Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Sihova kia Tevita, ʻAlu, pea taaʻi ʻae kau Filisitia, pea fakamoʻui ʻa Kiʻila.”

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 Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he kau tangata ʻo Tevita kiate ia, “Vakai, ʻoku mau manavahē ni ʻi Siuta: pea ʻe fēfē hono lahi hake, ʻo kapau te tau hoko ki Kiʻila ke tauʻi ʻae ngaahi tau ʻae kakai Filisitia.”

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 Pea naʻe toe fehuʻi ʻe Tevita kia Sihova. Pea naʻe talia ia ʻe Sihova ʻo ne pehē, “Tuʻu ʻo ʻalu hifo ki Kiʻila; he te u tukuange ʻae kakai Filisitia ki ho nima.”

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 Pea naʻe ʻalu ai ʻa Tevita mo hono kau tangata ki Kiʻila, pea naʻe tauʻi ʻae kau Filisitia, pea fetuku mei ai ʻenau ngaahi fanga manu lalahi, ʻo ne taaʻi ʻakinautolu ʻi he tāmateʻi lahi. Pea naʻe fakamoʻui ʻe Tevita ʻae kakai ʻo Kiʻila

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 Pea ʻi he hola ʻa ʻApiata ko e foha ʻo ʻAhimeleki ki Kiʻila, naʻa ne ʻalu hifo mo e ʻefoti ʻi hono nima.

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

7 Pea naʻe tala kia Saula kuo hoko ʻa Tevita ki Kiʻila. Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Saula, “Kuo tuku mai ia ʻe he ʻOtua ki hoku nima; he kuo tāpuni ia ki loto, ʻi heʻene hū ki ha kolo ʻoku ai hano ngaahi matapā mo e ngaahi songo.”

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 Pea naʻe fekau ʻe Saula ke kātoa fakataha ʻae kakai kotoa pē ke tau, ke ʻalu hifo ki Kiʻila ke tauʻi ʻa Tevita mo hono kau tangata.

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

9 Pea naʻe ʻilo ʻe Tevita ʻoku faʻa fai kovi fakafufū ʻe Saula kiate ia; pea naʻe pehē ʻe ia kia ʻApiata ko e taulaʻeiki, “ʻOmi ki heni ʻae ʻefoti.”

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

10 Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Tevita, “ʻE Sihova ko e ʻOtua ʻo ʻIsileli, ko e moʻoni kuo fanongo ʻe hoʻo tamaioʻeiki ʻoku tokanga ʻa Saula ke haʻu ki Kiʻila, ke fakaʻauha ʻae kolo koeʻuhi ko au.

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 ‌ʻE tukuange au ʻe he kakai ʻo Kiʻila ki hono nima? ʻE ʻalu hifo ʻa Saula ʻo hangē ko ia kuo ongoʻi ʻe hoʻo tamaioʻeiki? ʻE Sihova ko e ʻOtua ʻo ʻIsileli, ʻoku ou kole kiate koe, ke ke tala ki hoʻo tamaioʻeiki.” Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Sihova, “ʻE ʻalu hifo ia.”

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 Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Tevita, “ʻE tukuange au mo hoku kakai ʻe he kakai ʻo Kiʻila ki he nima ʻo Saula?” Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Sihova, “Tenau tukuange koe.”

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

13 Pea naʻe tuʻu hake ʻa Tevita mo hono kau tangata ko e toko onongeau nai, ʻonau hiki mei Kiʻila, ʻonau ʻalu pē ʻi he ngaahi potu ne nau faʻa lava ki ai. Pea naʻe tala kia Saula kuo hola ʻa Tevita mei Kiʻila; pea ne tuku ai ʻene ʻalu ki ai.

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 Pea nofo ʻa Tevita ʻi he toafa ʻi he ngaahi toitoiʻanga mālohi, ʻo nofo ʻi he moʻunga ʻi he toafa ʻo Sifi. Pea naʻe kumi ia ʻe Saula ʻi he ʻaho kotoa pē, ka naʻe fakamoʻui ia ʻe he ʻOtua mei hono nima.

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 Pea naʻe mamata ʻa Tevita kuo haʻu kituʻa ʻa Saula ke kumi ʻene moʻui: pea naʻe ʻi he toafa ʻo Sifi ʻa Tevita ʻi he vaoʻakau.

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

16 Pea naʻe tuʻu hake ʻa Sonatane ko e foha ʻo Saula ʻo ʻalu kia Tevita ki he loto vaoʻakau, ʻo ne fakamālohi hono nima ʻi he ʻOtua.

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

17 Pea ne pehē kiate ia, “ʻOua naʻa ke manavahē: he ko e nima ʻo Saula ko ʻeku tamai ʻe ʻikai te ne ʻilo koe; pea te ke hoko ko e tuʻi ʻi ʻIsileli, pea ko au te u hoko kiate koe; pea ʻoku ʻilo foki ia ʻe heʻeku tamai ko Saula.”

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 Pea ne na fefuakava ʻaki ʻakinaua ʻi he ʻao ʻo Sihova: pea naʻe nofo ʻa Tevita ʻi he vaoʻakau, kae ʻalu ʻa Sonatane ki hono fale.

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

19 Pea naʻe toki ʻalu hake ʻae kakai Sifi kia Saula ki Kipea, ʻo pehē, “ʻIkai ʻoku toitoi ʻa Tevita ʻiate kimautolu ʻi he ngaahi toitoiʻanga mālohi ʻi he loto vaoʻakau, ʻi he moʻunga ʻo Hakila, ʻaia ʻoku ʻi he potu tonga ʻo Sesimoni?

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 Pea ko eni, ʻE tuʻi, ke ke ʻalu hifo ʻo fakatatau ki he holi kotoa pē ʻa ho loto: pea ko ʻemau ngāue ia ke tukuange ia ki he nima ʻoe tuʻi.”

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

21 Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Saula, “Ke monūʻia ʻakimoutolu ʻia Sihova; he ʻoku mou angaʻofa mai kiate au.

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

22 Pea ko eni, ʻoku ou kole kiate kimoutolu, mou tokonaki, pea ʻilo mo mamata ki he potu ʻaia ʻoku ʻi ai hono vaʻe, pea ko hai naʻa ne mamata kiate ia ʻi ai: he kuo tala kiate au ʻoku ne fai fakapotopoto ʻaupito.

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 Ko ia mou vakai, pea ʻilo lelei ʻa hono ngaahi toitoiʻanga kotoa pē, ʻaia ʻoku ne fufū ai ia, pea mou toe haʻu kiate au, ʻo fakapapau, pea te tau ō mo au: pea ʻe hoko ʻo pehē, kapau ʻoku ʻi he fonua ia, te u fakatotolo ia ʻi he ngaahi toko afe ʻo Siuta.”

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 Pea naʻa nau tuʻu hake ʻo ʻalu ki Sifi, ʻo muʻomuʻa ʻia Saula: ka naʻe ʻi he toafa ʻo Maoni ʻa Tevita mo hono kau tangata, ʻi he tafangafanga ʻi he potu tonga ʻo Sesimoni.

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 Pea naʻe ʻalu foki ʻa Saula mo hono kau tangata ko hono kumi. Pea naʻa nau tala kia Tevita: ko ia naʻe ʻalu hifo ai ia mei he maka, pea nofo ʻi he toafa ʻo Maoni. Pea naʻe fanongo ʻa Saula ki ai, pea kumi ʻe ia kia Tevita ʻi he toafa ʻo Maoni.

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 Pea naʻe ʻalu ʻa Saula ʻi he potu ʻe taha ʻoe moʻunga, pea ko Tevita mo hono tau tangata naʻa nau ʻalu ʻi hono potu ʻe taha ʻoe moʻunga: pea naʻe fakatoʻotoʻo ʻa Tevita ke ʻalu mamaʻo ko ʻene manavahē kia Saula; ka naʻe ʻākilotoa mo kāpui ʻa Tevita mo hono kakai ʻe Saula mo hono kakai ke maʻu ʻakinautolu.

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 Ka naʻe haʻu ʻae tangata fekau kia Saula, ʻo pehē, “Ke ke fakatoʻotoʻo, pea haʻu, he kuo hoko ʻae tau ʻae kau Filisitia, ki he fonua.”

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

28 Ko ia naʻe foki ai ʻa Saula mei heʻene tuli ʻa Tevita, ʻo ne ʻalu ke tuli ʻae kau Filisitia: ko ia naʻe ui ai ʻae potu ko ia ko Sela-Hamalikoti.

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

29 Pea naʻe ʻalu hake mei ai ʻa Tevita, ʻo nofo ʻi he ngaahi potu toitoiʻanga mālohi ʻi Eni-Keti.

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