1 Samuel 23
23
David Saves the Town of Keilah
1David heard that the Philistines were attacking the town of Keilah and were stealing the newly harvested corn. 2So he asked the LORD, “Shall I go and attack the Philistines?”
“Yes,” the LORD answered. “Attack them and save Keilah.”
3But David's men said to him, “We have enough to be afraid of here in Judah; it will be much worse if we go to Keilah and attack the Philistine forces!” 4So David consulted the LORD again, and the LORD said to him, “Go and attack Keilah, because I will give you victory over the Philistines.” 5So David and his men went to Keilah and attacked the Philistines; they killed many of them and took their livestock. And that was how David saved the town.
6When Abiathar son of Ahimelech escaped and joined David in Keilah, he took the ephod with him.
7Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, and he said, “God has put him in my power. David has trapped himself by going into a walled town with fortified gates.” 8So Saul called his troops to war, to march against Keilah and besiege David and his men.
9When David heard that Saul was planning to attack him, he said to the priest Abiathar, “Bring the ephod here.” 10Then David said, “LORD, God of Israel, I have heard that Saul is planning to come to Keilah and destroy it on account of me, your servant. 11Will the citizens of Keilah hand me over to Saul? Will Saul really come, as I have heard? LORD, God of Israel, I beg you to answer me!”
The LORD answered, “Saul will come.”
12“And will the citizens of Keilah hand my men and me over to Saul?” David asked again.
“They will,” the LORD answered.
13So David and his men — about 600 in all — left Keilah at once and kept on the move. When Saul heard that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up his plan.
David in the Hill Country
14David stayed in hiding in the hill country, in the wilderness near Ziph. Saul was always trying to find him, but God did not hand David over to him. 15David saw that Saul was out to kill him.
David was at Horesh, in the wilderness near Ziph. 16Jonathan went to him there and encouraged him with assurances of God's protection, 17saying to him, “Don't be afraid. My father Saul won't be able to harm you. He knows very well that you are the one who will be the king of Israel and that I will be next in rank to you.” 18#1 Sam 18.3The two of them made a sacred promise of friendship to each other. David stayed at Horesh, and Jonathan went home.
19 #
Ps 54 (Title) Some people from Ziph went to Saul at Gibeah and said, “David is hiding in our territory at Horesh on Mount Hachilah, in the southern part of the Judean wilderness. 20We know, Your Majesty, how much you want to capture him; so come to our territory, and we will make sure that you catch him.”
21Saul answered, “May the LORD bless you for being so kind to me! 22Go and make sure once more; find out for certain where he is and who has seen him there. I hear that he is very cunning. 23Find out exactly the places where he hides, and be sure to bring back a report to me straight away. Then I will go with you, and if he is still in the region, I will hunt him down, even if I have to search the whole land of Judah.”
24So they left and returned to Ziph ahead of Saul. David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in a desolate valley in the southern part of the Judean wilderness. 25Saul and his men set out to look for David, but he heard about it and went to a rocky hill in the wilderness of Maon and stayed there. When Saul heard about this, he went after David. 26Saul and his men were on one side of the hill, separated from David and his men, who were on the other side. They were hurrying to get away from Saul and his men, who were closing in on them and were about to capture them. 27Just then a messenger arrived and said to Saul, “Come back at once! The Philistines are invading the country!” 28So Saul stopped pursuing David and went to fight the Philistines. That is why that place is called Separation Hill. 29David left and went to the region of Engedi, where he stayed in hiding.
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Good News Bible with Deuterocanonicals/Apocrypha. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.
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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