1 Samuel 23

1 Ɛda koro bi, Dawid tee sɛ Filistifoɔ no aba Keila, na wɔrewia wɔn ayuo wɔ wɔn ayuporobea.

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

2 Dawid bisaa Awurade sɛ, “Menkɔto nhyɛ wɔn so anaa?” Awurade buaa sɛ, “Aane, kɔ na kɔgye 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 Nanso, Dawid mmarima no kaa sɛ, “Yuda ha mpo yɛsuro. Yɛmpɛ sɛ yɛbɛkɔ Keila akɔko atia Filistifoɔ akodɔm no nyinaa.”

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 Enti Dawid bisaa Awurade bio maa Awurade buaa no sɛ, “Kɔ Keila na mɛboa wo ama woadi Filistifoɔ no so nkonim.”

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 Enti, Dawid ne ne mmarima kɔɔ Keila. Wɔkunkumm Filistifoɔ no nyinaa, faa wɔn nyɛmmoa, gyee Keilafoɔ no.

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 Ahimelek ba Ɔsɔfoɔ Abiatar redwane akɔ Dawid nkyɛn wɔ Keila no, ɔfaa asɔfotadeɛ sɛ ɔrekɔgye mmuaeɛ afiri Awurade nkyɛn ama Dawid.

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

7 Ankyɛre, Saulo tee sɛ Dawid wɔ Keila. Ɔteaam sɛ, “Ɛyɛ. Afei, yɛn nsa aka no. Afei, Onyankopɔn de no ama me. Ɔno ara ama kuro yi ho afasuo ayi no!”

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 Enti, Saulo boaboaa nʼakodɔm nyinaa ano sɛ ɔde wɔn rekɔ Keila akɔtua Dawid ne ne mmarima.

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

9 Nanso Dawid hunuu Saulo nhyehyɛeɛ, na ɔka kyerɛɛ ɔsɔfoɔ Abiatar sɛ, ɔmfa asɔfotadeɛ no mmra, na ɔmmisa Awurade deɛ ɛsɛ sɛ ɔyɛ.

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

10 Na Dawid bɔɔ mpaeɛ sɛ, “Ao, Awurade, Israel Onyankopɔn, mate sɛ Saulo ayɛ nhyehyɛeɛ sɛ ɔbɛba abɛsɛe Keila, ɛfiri sɛ, mewɔ ha.

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 Merebisa sɛ, enti Keila mmarima bɛyi me ama no anaa? Na Saulo bɛba ampa ara sɛdeɛ mete no? Ao, Awurade, Israel Onyankopɔn, ka kyerɛ me.” Na Awurade buaa no sɛ, “Ɔbɛba.”

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 Bio, Dawid bisaa sɛ, “Enti, Keila mmarima bɛyi me ne me mmarima ama Saulo anaa?” Na Awurade buaa sɛ, “Aane, wɔbɛyi mo ama.”

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

13 Na Dawid ne ne mmarima bɛyɛ sɛ ahansia firii Keila, na wɔkyinkyinii baabiara a wɔbɛtumi akɔ. Na Saulo tee sɛ Dawid afiri Keila no, ɔgyaee nʼakyi die.

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 Afei, Dawid tenaa nʼabanbɔeɛ hɔ wɔ ɛserɛ so ne Sif mmepɔ asase no so. Saulo hwehwɛɛ no adekyeɛ ne adesaeɛ biara, nanso Awurade amma no anhunu no.

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 Dabi a Dawid wɔ Hores wɔ Sif ɛserɛ so no, ɔtee sɛ Saulo nam ɛkwan so reba hɔ abɛhwehwɛ no akum no.

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

16 Na Yonatan kɔɔ Dawid nkyɛn wɔ Hores kɔhyɛɛ no den wɔ Onyankopɔn ho gyidie mu.

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

17 Yonatan hyɛɛ no den sɛ, “Nsuro! Mʼagya Saulo renhunu wo da. Wobɛyɛ ɔhene wɔ Israel, na mayɛ wʼabadiakyire, sɛdeɛ mʼagya Saulo nim no.”

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 Wɔn baanu no hyɛɛ wɔn ayɔnkofa apam mu den wɔ Awurade anim. Afei, Yonatan kɔɔ efie na Dawid deɛ, ɔtenaa Hores hɔ.

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

19 Ɛnna Sififoɔ no kɔɔ Saulo nkyɛn wɔ Gibea kɔyii Dawid maeɛ sɛ, “Yɛnim baabi a Dawid akɔhinta. Ɔwɔ banbɔeɛ mu, wɔ Hores a ɛwɔ Hakila mmepɔ mu, wɔ Yesimon anafoɔ fam ha yi.

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 Ɔhene, ɛberɛ biara a wobɛnya kwan no, bra na yɛbɛkyere no ama wo.”

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

21 Saulo kaa sɛ, “Awurade nhyira mo! Afei, mahunu sɛ, mʼasɛm fa obi ho.

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

22 Monkɔ mu bio, nkɔhwehwɛ, nhunu baabi a ɔte ne obi a wahunu no wɔ hɔ, ɛfiri sɛ, menim sɛ ɔyɛ oniferefoɔ.

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 Monhwehwɛ nʼahintaeɛm, na monsane mmra mmɛka biribi pɔtee nkyerɛ me. Na me ne mo bɛkɔ. Na sɛ ɔwɔ ɛpɔ mu hɔ nko ara deɛ a, mɛnya no, na mpo, sɛ ɛsɛ sɛ mehwehwɛ ahintaeɛ biara a ɛwɔ Yuda a, mɛyɛ!”

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 Na Sif mmarima dii Saulo ɛkan kɔɔ wɔn kurom. Saa ɛberɛ no mu na Dawid ne ne mmarima kɔ Maon ɛserɛ a ɛwɔ Araba bɔnhwa a ɛwɔ Yesimon anafoɔ fam no so.

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 Ɛberɛ a Dawid tee sɛ Saulo ne ne mmarima rehwehwɛ no no, ɔdɔɔ mu kɔɔ ɛserɛ so akyirikyiri, kɔsii ɔbotan kɛseɛ no ho, tenaa Maon ɛserɛ so hɔ. Nanso Saulo kɔɔ so pɛɛ no.

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 Afei Saulo ne Dawid kɔdii afa ne afa wɔ bepɔ no so. Ɛbaa sɛ Saulo ne ne mmarima hyɛɛ aseɛ sɛ wɔrebɛn Dawid no,

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 Saulo nyaa nkra bi a emu yɛ den sɛ, Filistifoɔ abɛto ahyɛ Israel so refom wɔn nneɛma bio.

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

28 Ɛno enti, Saulo gyaee Dawid akyidie, na ɔsane nʼakyi sɛ ɔne Filistifoɔ no rekɔko. Ɛfiri saa ɛberɛ no, baabi a Dawid tenaeɛ hɔ no, wɔtoo no edin Dwaneeɛ Botan.

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

29 Enti, Dawid kɔtenaa En-Gedi banbɔeɛ.

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