1 Samuel 23
23
David Saves the People of Keilah
1David was told, “The Philistines are fighting against the town of Keilah. They are stealing grain from the threshing floors.” 2So he asked the Lord for advice. He said, “Should I go and attack those Philistines?”
The Lord answered him, “Go and attack them. Save Keilah.”
3But David’s men said to him, “We’re afraid here in Judah. Suppose we go to Keilah and fight against the Philistine army. Then we’ll be even more afraid.”
4Once again David asked the Lord what he should do. The Lord answered him, “Go down to Keilah. I am going to hand the Philistines over to you.” 5So David and his men went to Keilah. They fought against the Philistines and carried off their livestock. David wounded and killed large numbers of Philistines. And he saved the people of Keilah. 6Abiathar, the son of Ahimelek, had brought down the sacred linen apron with him from Nob. He did it when he ran away to David at Keilah.
Saul Chases David
7Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah. He said, “God has handed him over to me. David has trapped himself by entering a town that has gates with metal bars.” 8So Saul brought together all his soldiers to go to battle. He ordered them to go down to Keilah. He told them to surround David and his men. He told them to get ready to attack them.
9David learned that Saul was planning to attack him. So he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the linen apron.” 10Then David said, “Lord, you are the God of Israel. I know for sure that Saul plans to come to Keilah. He plans to destroy the town because of me. 11Will the citizens of Keilah hand me over to him? Will Saul come down here, as I’ve heard he would? Lord, you are the God of Israel. Please answer me.”
The Lord said, “He will come down.”
12Again David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah hand me and my men over to Saul?”
And the Lord said, “They will.”
13So David and his men left Keilah. The total number of them was about 600. They kept moving from place to place. Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah. So he didn’t go there.
14Sometimes David stayed in places of safety in the desert. At other times he stayed in the hills of the Desert of Ziph. Day after day Saul looked for him. But God didn’t hand David over to him.
15David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph. There he learned that Saul had come out to kill him. 16Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh. He told David that God would make him strong. 17“Don’t be afraid,” he said. “My father Saul won’t harm you. You will be king over Israel. And I will be next in command. Even my father Saul knows this.” 18The two of them made a covenant of friendship in front of the Lord. Then Jonathan went home. But David remained at Horesh.
19The people of Ziph went up to Saul at Gibeah. They said, “David is hiding among us. He’s hiding in places of safety at Horesh. Horesh is south of Jeshimon on the hill of Hakilah. 20Your Majesty, come down when it pleases you to come. It will be our duty to hand David over to you.”
21Saul replied, “May the Lord bless you because you were concerned about me. 22Make sure you are right. Go and check things out again. Find out where David usually goes. Find out who has seen him there. People tell me he’s very tricky. 23Find out about all the hiding places he uses. Come back to me with all the facts. I’ll go with you. Suppose he’s in the area. Then I’ll track him down among all the family groups of Judah.”
24So they started out. They went to Ziph ahead of Saul. David and his men were in the Desert of Maon. Maon is south of Jeshimon in the Arabah Valley. 25Saul and his men started out to look for David. David was told about it. So he went down to a rock in the Desert of Maon to hide. Saul heard he was there. So he went into the Desert of Maon to chase David.
26Saul was going along one side of the mountain. David and his men were on the other side. They were hurrying to get away from Saul. Saul and his army were closing in on David and his men. They were about to capture them. 27Just then a messenger came to Saul. He said, “Come quickly! The Philistines are attacking the land.” 28So Saul stopped chasing David. He went to fight against the Philistines. That’s why they call that place Sela Hammahlekoth. 29David left that place. He went and lived in places of safety near En Gedi.
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Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
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1 Samuel 23
23
Deliverance at Keilah
1It was reported to David: “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah # Jos 15:44; Neh 3:17-18 and raiding the threshing floors.”
2So David inquired of the Lord: # 1Sm 23:4,6,9-12; 2Sm 5:19,23 “Should I launch an attack against these Philistines? ”
The Lord answered David, “Launch an attack against the Philistines and rescue Keilah.”
3But David’s men said to him, “Look, we’re afraid here in Judah; how much more if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces! ”
4Once again, David inquired of the Lord, and the Lord answered him: “Go at once to Keilah, for I will hand the Philistines over to you.” # Jos 8:7; Jdg 7:7 5Then David and his men went to Keilah, fought against the Philistines, drove their livestock away, and inflicted heavy losses on them. So David rescued the inhabitants of Keilah. 6Abiathar son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, and he brought an ephod with him.
7When it was reported to Saul that David had gone to Keilah, he said, “God has handed him over to me, for he has trapped himself by entering a town with barred gates.” 8Then Saul summoned all the troops to go to war at Keilah and besiege David and his men.
9When David learned that Saul was plotting evil against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, # 1Sm 22:20 “Bring the ephod.” # 1Sm 23:6; 30:7
10Then David said, “Lord God of Israel, Your servant has heard that Saul intends to come to Keilah and destroy the town because of me. 11Will the citizens of Keilah hand me over to him? Will Saul come down as Your servant has heard? Lord God of Israel, please tell Your servant.”
The Lord answered, “He will come down.”
12Then David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah hand me and my men over to Saul? ”
“They will,” # Jdg 15:10-13; 1Sm 23:20 the Lord responded.
13So David and his men, numbering about 600, # 1Sm 22:2; 25:13 left Keilah at once and moved from place to place. # 2Sm 15:20 When it was reported to Saul that David had escaped from Keilah, he called off the expedition. 14David then stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph. # Jos 15:55; 2Ch 11:8 Saul searched for him every day, but God did not hand David over to him. # Ps 32:7
A Renewed Covenant
15David was in the Wilderness of Ziph in Horesh when he saw that Saul had come out to take his life. 16Then Saul’s son Jonathan came to David in Horesh and encouraged him in his faith in God, # 1Sm 30:6 17saying, “Don’t be afraid, for my father Saul will never lay a hand on you. You yourself will be king over Israel, # 1Sm 16:1-13; 24:20-22 and I’ll be your second-in-command. Even my father Saul knows it is true.” # 1Sm 20:31 18Then the two of them made a covenant in the Lord’s presence. # 1Sm 18:3; 20:12-17; 20:42 Afterward, David remained in Horesh, while Jonathan went home.
David’s Narrow Escape
19Some Ziphites # 1Sm 26:1; Ps 54 title came up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “David is # Lit Is David not . . . Jeshimon? hiding among us in the strongholds in Horesh on the hill of Hachilah south of Jeshimon. 20Now, whenever the king wants to come down, let him come down. Our part will be to hand him over to the king.” # 1Sm 23:12
21“May you be blessed by the Lord,” replied Saul, “for you have taken pity on me. # 1Sm 22:8 22Go and check again. Investigate and watch carefully where he goes # Lit watch his place where his foot will be and who has seen him there; they tell me he is extremely cunning. 23Look and find out all the places where he hides. Then come back to me with accurate information, and I’ll go with you. If it turns out he really is in the region, I’ll search for him among all the clans # Or thousands of Judah.” 24So they went to Ziph ahead of Saul.
Now David and his men were in the wilderness near Maon # Jos 15:55; 1Sm 25:2 in the Arabah south of Jeshimon, 25and Saul and his men went to look for him. When David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Wilderness of Maon. Saul heard of this and pursued David there.
26Saul went along one side of the mountain and David and his men went along the other side. Even though David was hurrying to get away from Saul, Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them. # Ps 17:9 27Then a messenger came to Saul saying, “Come quickly, because the Philistines have raided the land! ” 28So Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to engage the Philistines. Therefore, that place was named the Rock of Separation. 29 # 1Sm 24:1 in HbFrom there David went up and stayed in the strongholds of En-gedi. # Jos 15:62; 2Ch 20:2
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