1 Kings 23
23
1And they told David, saying: Behold, the Philistines fight against Ceila, and they rob the barns.
2Therefore David consulted the Lord, saying: Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the Lord said to David: Go. And thou shalt smite the Philistines, and shalt save Ceila.
3And the men that were with David said to him: Behold, we are in fear here in Judea. How much more if we go to Ceila against the bands of the Philistines?
4Therefore David consulted the Lord again. And he answered and said to him: Arise, and go to Ceila: for I will deliver the Philistines into thy hand.
5David therefore, and his men, went to Ceila, and fought against the Philistines; and brought away their cattle; and made a great slaughter of them. And David saved the inhabitants of Ceila.
6Now at that time, when Abiathar the son of Achimelech fled to David to Ceila, he came down having an ephod with him.
7And it was told Saul that David was come to Ceila. And Saul said: The Lord hath delivered him into my hands; and he is shut up, being come into a city, that hath gates and bars.
8And Saul commanded all the people to go down to fight against Ceila, and to besiege David, and his men.
9Now when David understood, that Saul secretly prepared evil against him, he said to Abiathar the priest: Bring hither the ephod.
10And David said: O Lord God of Israel, thy servant hath heard a report, that Saul designeth to come to Ceila, to destroy the city for my sake.
11Will the men of Ceila deliver me into his hands? And will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O Lord God of Israel, tell thy servant. And the Lord said: He will come down.
12And David said: Will the men of Ceila deliver me, and my men, into the hands of Saul? And the Lord said: They will deliver thee up.
13Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose, and departing from Ceila, wandered up and down uncertain where they should stay. And it was told Saul that David was fled from Ceila, and had escaped: wherefore he forbore to go out.
14But David abode in the desert in strongholds; and he remained in a mountain of the desert of Ziph, in a woody hill. And Saul sought him always: but the Lord delivered him not into his hands.
15And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life. And David was in the desert of Ziph, in a wood.
16And Jonathan the son of Saul arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hands in God. And he said to him:
17Fear not. For the hand of my father Saul shall not find thee: and thou shalt reign over Israel: and I shall be next to thee. Yea, and my father knoweth this.
18And the two made a covenant before the Lord. And David abode in the wood: but Jonathan returned to his house.
19And the Ziphites went up to Saul in Gabaa, saying: Lo, doth not David lie hid with us in the strongholds of the wood, in mount Hachila, which is on the right hand of the desert?
20Now therefore come down, as thy soul hath desired to come down: and it shall be our business to deliver him into the king's hands.
21And Saul said: Blessed be ye of the Lord; for you have pitied my case.
22Go therefore, I pray you, and use all diligence, and curiously inquire, and consider the place where his foot is, and who hath seen him there. For he thinketh of me, that I lie craftily in wait for him.
23Consider and see all his lurking holes, wherein he is hid; and return to me with the certainty of the thing, that I may go with you. And if be should even go down into the earth to hide himself, I will search him out in all the thousands of Juda.
24And they arose and went to Ziph before Saul. And David and his men were in the desert of Maon, in the plain at the right hand of Jesimon.
25Then Saul and his men went to seek him. And it was told David: and forthwith he went down to the rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul had heard of it he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.
26And Saul went on this side of the mountain: and David and his men were on the other side of the mountain: and David despaired of being able to escape from the face of Sau. And Saul and his men encompassed David and his men round about to take them.
27And a messenger came to Saul, saying: Make haste to come, for the Philistines have poured in themselves upon the land.
28Wherefore Saul returned, leaving the pursuit of David, and went to meet the Philistines. For this cause they called that place, the Rock of Division.
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1 Samuel 23
23
1And they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and they rob the threshing-floors. 2Therefore David inquired 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. 3And David's men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines? 4Then David inquired 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. 5And David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and slew therewith 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, that he came down with an ephod in his hand.
7And 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. 8And Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men. 9And David knew that Saul devised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod. 10Then said David, O LORD, the God of Israel, thy servant hath surely heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake. 11Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O LORD, the God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And the LORD said, He will come down. 12Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver up me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the LORD said, They will deliver thee up. 13Then 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.
14And David abode in the wilderness in the strong holds, and remained in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand. 15And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in the wood. 16And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God. 17And 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. 18And they two made a covenant before the LORD: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.
19Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in the strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of the desert? 20Now therefore, O king, come down, according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and our part shall be to deriver him up into the king's hand. 21And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have had compassion on me. 22Go, I pray you, make yet more sure, 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. 23See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me of a 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 among all 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 Arabah on the south of the desert. 25And Saul and his men went to seek him. And they told David: wherefore he came down to the rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, 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 for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them. 27But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have made a raid upon the land. 28So 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 dwelt in the strong holds of En-gedi.
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