1 Samuel, 23

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

1. David received a report that the Philistines were attacking Keilah and plundering the threshing floors.

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.

2. He, therefore, consulted Yahweh and asked, "Shall I go and fight with these Philistines?" The answer was, "Go and attack the Philistines and rescue Keilah."

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?

3. But David's men protested and said, "Look, here in Judah we are in danger and afraid. What then if we go to Keilah and face the Philistines?"

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.

4. So David consulted Yahweh again and got this answer, "Go down to Keilah for I will deliver the Philistines into your hands."

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.

5. David went with his men to Keilah and fought with the Philistines, seizing their cattle and causing a great slaughter among them; and he rescued the inhabitants of the place.

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.

6. When Abiathar, son of Ahimelech, fled to David at Keilah, he took along the ephod.

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.

7. When Saul was told that David had come to Keilah he said, "God has delivered him into my hands for he has shut himself in by entering a city with gates and bars."

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

8. He then called on all the people to go down to Keilah and engage David and his men in battle.

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

9. When David found out that Saul meant to harm him, he told the priest Abiathar to bring the ephod.

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.

10. Then he consulted Yahweh, "O Yahweh, God of Israel, listen to your servant for I have heard that Saul plans to come to Keilah and destroy the city on my account.

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.

11. Will Saul come down as I heard? O Yahweh, God of Israel, speak to your servant." Yahweh answered, "He will come down."

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.

12. Then David asked, "Will the lords of Keilah hand me and my men over to Saul?" Yahweh answered, "They will hand you over to him."

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.

13. So David set out with his six hundred men. He left Keilah and wandered from one place to another. When Saul was informed that David had escaped from Keilah, he abandoned the expedition.

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.

14. Meanwhile David stayed in the strongholds in the hill country of the desert of Ziph. Saul, however, kept on searching for him but God did not deliver David into his hands.

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

15. David knew that Saul had come out to kill him. And he remained at Horesh in the desert of Ziph.

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

16. Saul's son, Jonathan, went to him and encouraged him in God's name with these words,

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.

17. "Have no fear, for my father Saul will not harm you. Even my father Saul knows that you shall be king over Israel and that I shall be second to you."

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

18. The two made an agreement before Yahweh in Horesh, after which David remained there while Jonathan returned home.

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?

19. Some of the Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah and told him, "David is hiding among us in the refuges of Horesh on the hill of Hachilah, south of Jeshimon.

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.

20. Come down, therefore, O king, whenever it may please you and we shall deliver him into your hands."

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

21. Saul replied, "May Yahweh bless you for you have had mercy on me.

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.

22. Go and make sure where he has been and who has seen him there for I am told that he is very cunning.

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.

23. Check all the places where he may be hiding and come back to me, and I will go with you. If he is in the region, I will search him out among all the clans of Judah."

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.

24. So they went off to Ziph ahead of Saul. At this time, David and his men were in the desert of Maon, in the valley south of Jeshimon.

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.

25. When David learned that Saul and his men were looking for him, he went down to a ravine in the desert of Maon. Saul heard of this and pursued David into the desert of Maon.

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.

26. Saul moved along one side of the mountain, and David along the other. David was hurrying to escape from Saul who with his forces was closing in on him and his men.

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

27. It was then that a messenger came to Saul and said, "Come quickly because the Philistines have invaded the land!"

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

28. Saul then left off pursuing David and went to face the Philistines. This is how that place came to be called the Ravine of Parting.

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

29.