1 Samuel 23
23
1And they declare to David, saying, ‘Lo, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and they are spoiling the threshing-floors.’
2And David asketh at Jehovah, saying, ‘Do I go? — and have I smitten among these Philistines?’ And Jehovah saith unto David, ‘Go, and thou hast smitten among the Philistines, and saved Keilah.’
3And David's men say unto him, ‘Lo, we here in Judah are afraid; and how much more when we go to Keilah, unto the ranks of the Philistines?’
4And David addeth again to ask at Jehovah, and Jehovah answereth him, and saith, ‘Rise, go down to Keilah, for I am giving the Philistines into thy hand.’
5And David goeth, and his men, to Keilah, and fighteth with the Philistines, and leadeth away their cattle, and smiteth among them — a great smiting, and David saveth the inhabitants of Keilah.
6And it cometh to pass, in the fleeing of Abiathar son of Ahimelech unto David, to Keilah, an ephod came down in his hand.
7And it is declared to Saul that David hath come in to Keilah, and Saul saith, ‘God hath made him known for my hand, for he hath been shut in, to enter into a city of doors and bar.’
8And Saul summoneth the whole of the people to battle, to go down to Keilah, to lay siege unto David and unto his men.
9And David knoweth that against him Saul is devising the evil, and saith unto Abiathar the priest, ‘Bring nigh the ephod.’
10And David saith, ‘Jehovah, God of Israel, Thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul is seeking to come in unto Keilah, to destroy the city on mine account.
11Do the possessors of Keilah shut me up into his hand? doth Saul come down as Thy servant hath heard? Jehovah, God of Israel, declare, I pray Thee, to Thy servant.’ And Jehovah saith, ‘He doth come down.’
12And David saith, ‘Do the possessors of Keilah shut me up, and my men, into the hand of Saul?’ And Jehovah saith, ‘They shut [thee] up.’
13And David riseth — and his men — about six hundred men, and they go out from Keilah, and go up and down where they go up and down; and to Saul it hath been declared that David hath escaped from Keilah, and he ceaseth to go out.
14And David abideth in the wilderness, in fortresses, and abideth in the hill-country, in the wilderness of Ziph; and Saul seeketh him all the days, and God hath not given him into his hand.
15And David seeth that Saul hath come out to seek his life, and David [is] in the wilderness of Ziph, in a forest.
16And Jonathan son of Saul riseth, and goeth unto David to the forest, and strengtheneth his hand in God,
17and saith unto him, ‘Fear not, for the hand of Saul my father doth not find thee, and thou dost reign over Israel, and I am to thee for second, and also so knoweth Saul my father.’
18And they make a covenant both of them before Jehovah; and David abideth in the forest, and Jonathan hath gone to his house.
19And the Ziphites go up unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, ‘Is not David hiding himself with us in fortresses, in the forest, in the height of Hachilah, which [is] on the south of the desolate place?
20And, now, by all the desire of thy soul, O king, to come down, come down, and ours [is] to shut him up into the hand of the king.’
21And Saul saith, ‘Blessed [are] ye of Jehovah, for ye have pity on me;
22go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his foot is; who hath seen him there? for [one] hath said unto me, He is very subtile.
23And see and know of all the hiding-places where he hideth himself, and ye have turned back unto me prepared, and I have gone with you, and it hath been, if he is in the land, that I have searched him out through all the thousands of Judah.’
24And they rise and go to Ziph before Saul, and David and his men [are] in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain, at the south of the desolate place.
25And Saul and his men go to seek, and they declare to David, and he goeth down the rock, and abideth in the wilderness of Maon; and Saul heareth, and pursueth after David [to] the wilderness of Maon.
26And Saul goeth on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain, and David is hastened to go from the face of Saul, and Saul and his men are compassing David and his men, to catch them.
27And a messenger hath come in unto Saul, saying, ‘Haste, and come, for the Philistines have pushed against the land.’
28And Saul turneth back from pursuing after David, and goeth to meet the Philistines, therefore they have called that place ‘The Rock of Divisions.’
29And David goeth up thence, and abideth in fortresses [at] En-gedi.
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1 Samuel 23: YLT98
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maintained by the British and Foreign 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.