1 Samuel 23
23
David Hides and Saul Seeks
1Then they reported to David saying, “Look, the Philistines are raiding Keilah and they are plundering the threshing floors.”
2So David inquired of Adonai saying, “Shall I go and attack those Philistines?” Adonai said to David, “Go, attack the Philistines and deliver Keilah.”
3But David’s fellow men said to him, “Look, we’re afraid here in Judah; how much more so if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces?”
4Once again David inquired of Adonai, and Adonai answered him saying, “Arise! Go to Keilah, for I am going to deliver the Philistines into your hand.”
5So David and his fellow men went to Keilah and fought against the Philistines, drove off their livestock and inflicted a great slaughter on them. Thus David rescued the inhabitants of Keilah.
6It came about, when Abiathar son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, he came down with an ephod in his hand.
7Now when Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, Saul said, “God has delivered him into my hand! For he shut himself in by entering a town with barred gates.”
8So Saul summoned all the troops for battle, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his fellow men.
9Now David knew that Saul was plotting evil against him, so he said to Abiathar the kohen, “Bring the ephod.”
10Then David said, “Adonai, God of Israel, Your servant has heard for certain that Saul intends to come to Keilah to destroy the town because of me.
11Will the men of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as Your servant has heard? Adonai God of Israel, I pray, tell Your servant.” “He will come down,” Adonai said.
12Then David asked, “Will the men of Keilah surrender me and my fellow men into the hand of Saul?” “They will surrender,” Adonai said.
13Then David and his fellow men, about 600, got up and left Keilah, and went wherever they could go. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he stopped the pursuit.
14So David stayed in the strongholds of the wilderness, remaining in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. Saul searched for him every day, but God did not give him into his hand.
15By now David was aware that Saul would come out to seek his life while David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Choresh.
16Then Saul’s son Jonathan arose and went to David at Choresh and strengthened him in God.
17“Don’t be afraid,” he said to him, “because my father Saul will never find you. You will be king over Israel and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul recognizes that.”
18Again they cut a covenant before Adonai. David remained at Choresh, but Jonathan went home.
19Then some of the Ziphites went up to Saul in Gibeah, saying, “Isn’t David hiding with us in the strongholds at Choresh, in the hill of Hachilah which is south of Jeshimon?
20Now therefore, O king, come down whenever it is a desire of your soul to come down—our part will be to deliver him into the king’s hand.”
21“May you be blessed of Adonai,” Saul said, “for you have taken pity on me.
22Go now, make more sure, investigate and scout out his place where he usually goes and who has seen him there. For I have been told that he is very cunning.
23Look around and see in which of all the hiding places he has been hiding, and return to me with certainty, and I will go with you. If he is in the area, I will search him out among all the clans of Judah.”
24Then they got up and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. But David and his men were then in the wilderness of Maon in the Arabah, to the south of Jeshimon.
25So when Saul and his men began the search, David was informed. Then he went down to the rocky area and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. On hearing this, Saul pursued David in the wilderness of Maon.
26Then, while Saul was advancing on one side of the mountain, David and his men were on the other side of the mountain. David was hurrying to elude Saul. Meanwhile Saul and his men were closing-in on David and his men to seize them.
27But a messenger came to Saul saying, “Hurry and come, for the Philistines have invaded the land!”
28So Saul had to return from chasing after David, and go to engage the Philistines. Therefore they called that place the Rock of Separation.
29From there David went up and stayed in the strongholds of En-gedi.
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Copyright © 2014 - Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
1 Samuel 23
23
1And they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshing-floors. 2And David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And Jehovah said to David, Go and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah. 3But David's men said to him, Behold, we are afraid here in Judah; how much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines? 4And David inquired of Jehovah yet again. And Jehovah answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will give the Philistines into thy hand. 5And David and his men went to Keilah, and fought against the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah. 6And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, he came down with an ephod in his hand.
7And it was told Saul that David had come to Keilah. Then Saul said, God#GodHebrew: Elohim has cast him off into my hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a city that has gates and bars. 8And Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men. 9And when David knew that Saul devised mischief against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring the ephod. 10Then said David, Jehovah, God#GodHebrew: Elohim of Israel, thy servant hath heard for certain that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake. 11Will the citizens of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? Jehovah, God#GodHebrew: Elohim of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And Jehovah said, He will come down. 12And David said, Will the citizens of Keilah deliver up me and my men into the hand of Saul? And Jehovah said, They will deliver thee up. 13Then David and his men, about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David had escaped from Keilah, and he forbore to go forth.
14And David abode in the wilderness in strongholds, and abode in the mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God#GodHebrew: Elohim did not give him into his hand. 15And David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life; and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood. 16And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God#GodHebrew: Elohim 17And he said to him, Fear not; for the hand of Saul my father will not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next to thee; and that also Saul my father knows. 18And they two made a covenant before Jehovah; and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.
19And the Ziphites came up to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Does not David hide himself with us in strongholds in the wood, on the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of the waste? 20And now, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and it will be for us to deliver him up into the king's hand. 21And Saul said, Blessed be ye of Jehovah; for ye have compassion upon me. 22Go, I pray you, make yet more sure, and know and see his place where his track is, who has seen him there; for it is told me that he deals very subtilly. 23And see, and ascertain all the lurking-places where he hides himself, and come ye again to me with sure information, that I may go with you; and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout the thousands of Judah. 24And 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 the waste. 25And Saul and his men went to seek him. And they told David; and he came down from the rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And Saul heard that, and he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon. 26And 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 from Saul; and Saul and his men sought to surround David and his men to take them. 27But there came a messenger to Saul, saying, Haste thee and come; for the Philistines have made a raid against the land. 28And Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines; therefore they called that place Sela-hammahlekoth. 29And David went up from thence, and abode in the strongholds of Engedi.
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First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.