1 Samuel, 23

1. News was then brought to David, 'The Philistines are besieging Keilah and plundering the threshing-floors'.

1. Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors.

2. David consulted Yahweh, 'Shall I go and fight these Philistines?' Yahweh replied to David, 'Go and fight the Philistines and save Keilah.'

2. Therefore David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the LORD said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah.

3. But David's men said to him, 'We are already afraid here in Judah; how much more, then, if we go to Keilah to fight the Philistine troops!'

3. And David's men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?

4. So David consulted Yahweh again and Yahweh replied, 'Be on your way; go down to Keilah, since I shall give the Philistines into your power.'

4. Then David enquired of the LORD yet again. And the LORD answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand.

5. So David and his men went to Keilah and fought the Philistines and carried off their cattle and inflicted a great defeat on them. Thus David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

5. So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

6. When Abiathar son of Ahimelech took refuge with David, he went down to Keilah with the ephod in his hand.

6. And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, [that] he came down [with] an ephod in his hand.

7. When word was brought to Saul that David had gone to Keilah he said, 'God has delivered him into my power: he has trapped himself by going into a town with gates and bars.'

7. And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said, God hath delivered him into mine hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars.

8. Saul called all the people to arms, to go down to Keilah and besiege David and his men.

8. And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.

9. David, however, was aware that Saul was plotting evil against him, and said to Abiathar the priest, 'Bring the ephod.'

9. And David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod.

10. David said, 'Yahweh, God of Israel, your servant has heard that Saul is preparing to come to Keilah and destroy the town because of me.

10. Then said David, O LORD God of Israel, thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake.

11. Will Saul come down as your servant has heard? Yahweh, God of Israel, I beg you, let your servant know.' Yahweh replied, 'He will come down.'

11. Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O LORD God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And the LORD said, He will come down.

12. David then went on to ask, 'Will the notables of Keilah hand me and my men over to Saul?' Yahweh replied, 'They will hand you over.'

12. Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the LORD said, They will deliver [thee] up.

13. At this, David made off with his men, about six hundred in number; they left Keilah and went where they could. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he abandoned the expedition.

13. Then David and his men, [which were] about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbare to go forth.

14. David stayed in the desert, in the strongholds; he stayed in the mountains, in the desert of Ziph; Saul kept looking for him day after day, but God did not deliver him into his power.

14. And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand.

15. David was aware that Saul had mounted an expedition to take his life. David was then at Horesh in the desert of Ziph.

15. And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David [was] in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.

16. Jonathan son of Saul set off and went to David at Horesh and encouraged him in the name of God.

16. And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.

17. 'Do not be afraid,' he said, 'for my father Saul's hand will not reach you. You are to reign over Israel, and I shall be second to you. Saul my father is himself aware of this.'

17. And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.

18. And the two made a pact before Yahweh. David stayed at Horesh and Jonathan went home.

18. And they two made a covenant before the LORD: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.

19. Some men from Ziph then went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, 'Look, David is hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the Hill of Hachilah to the south of the wastelands.

19. Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which [is] on the south of Jeshimon?

20. Now whenever you wish to go down, my lord king, do so; we shall make it our task to hand him over to the king.'

20. Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and our part [shall be] to deliver him into the king's hand.

21. Saul replied, 'May you be blessed by Yahweh for sympathising with me.

21. And Saul said, Blessed [be] ye of the LORD; for ye have compassion on me.

22. Go and make doubly sure, find out exactly what place he frequents, for I have been told that he is very cunning.

22. Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt is, [and] who hath seen him there: for it is told me [that] he dealeth very subtilly.

23. Take careful note of all the hiding places where he lurks, and come back to me when you are certain. I shall then come with you and, if he is in the country, I shall track him down through every clan in Judah!'

23. See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah.

24. Setting off they went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Meanwhile, David and his men were in the desert of Maon, in the plain to the south of the wastelands.

24. And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men [were] in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the south of Jeshimon.

25. When Saul and his men set out in search, David was told and went down to the gorge running through the desert of Maon.

25. Saul also and his men went to seek [him]. And they told David: wherefore he came down into a rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard [that], he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.

26. Saul and his men proceeded along one side of the mountain, David and his men along the other. David was hurrying to escape from Saul, while Saul and his men were trying to cross over to David and his men's side, to capture them,

26. And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them.

27. when a messenger came to Saul and said, 'Come at once, the Philistines have invaded the country.'

27. But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land.

28. So Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to oppose the Philistines. That is why the place is called the Gorge of Separations.

28. Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Selahammahlekoth.

29.

29. And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at Engedi.