1 Samuel 23
23
David Defeats the Philistines at Keilah
1Now they told David, “Look, the Philistines are fighting in Keilah and they are raiding the threshing floors.” 2So David inquired of Yahweh, saying, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” And Yahweh said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and save#Or “deliver” or “rescue” Keilah.” 3But David’s men said to him, “Look, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more#Literally “also for” if we go to Keilah to the battle lines of the Philistines?” 4So David again inquired of Yahweh, and Yahweh answered him and said, “Get up, go down to Keilah, for I am giving the Philistines into your hand.” 5So David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines. They drove off their livestock and dealt them a heavy blow.#Literally “he struck them with a great smiting” So David saved#Or “delivered” or “rescued” the inhabitants of Keilah.
David Flees from Saul at Keilah
6Now when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled#Literally “And it happened that at the fleeing of Abiathar son of Ahimelech” to David at Keilah, he went down with an ephod in his hand. 7When it was told to Saul that David had gone to Keilah, Saul said, “God has given him#Literally “has made him a stranger” into my hand, because he has shut himself in by going into a city with two barred gates.#Literally “two gates and a bar” 8Saul then summoned all of the army for the battle, to go down to Keilah to lay a siege against David and his men. 9When David learned that Saul was plotting evil against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.” 10And David said, “O Yahweh, God of Israel, your servant has clearly heard that Saul is seeking to come to Keilah to destroy the city because of me. 11Will the rulers of Keilah deliver me into his hand? Will Saul come down as your servant has heard? O Yahweh, God of Israel, please tell your servant!” And Yahweh said, “He will come down.” 12Then David said, “Will the rulers of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul?” And Yahweh said, “They will deliver you.” 13So David and his men got up, about six hundred men, and went out from Keilah and wandered wherever they could go. When it was told to Saul that David had escaped from Keilah, he stopped his pursuit.#Literally “he ceased to go out”
David Eludes Saul’s Pursuit
14David remained in the wilderness, in the strongholds, and in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him continually,#Literally “all the days” but God did not give him into his hand. 15When David realized that Saul had gone out to seek his life, David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh. 16So Jonathan the son of Saul got up and went to David at Horesh, and encouraged him#Literally “he strengthened his hand” through God. 17He said to him, “Do not be afraid, for the hand of my father Saul will not find you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you.#Literally “I shall be for you as second” My father Saul knows this also.” 18Then the two of them made#Literally “cut” a covenant before Yahweh. David remained at Horesh, and Jonathan went to his house.
19Then the Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh on the hill of Hakilah, which is south of Jeshimon? 20So then, O king, whenever you want#Literally “for all the wanting of your soul” to come down, come down, and it will be for us to deliver him into the hand of the king.” 21And Saul said to them, “May you be blessed by Yahweh, for you have shown me compassion! 22Go, please, make certain again! Find out and see exactly where he is#Literally “his place where his foot is” and who has seen him there! For they have said to me, ‘He is very cunning.’ 23Look, find out all of the hiding places where he hides. Then return to me with dependable information,#Literally “to being established” and I will go with you. And then if he is there in the land, then I will seek him among all the thousands of Judah.” 24Then they got up and went to Ziph before Saul.
Now David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon in the Arabah, to the south of Jeshimon. 25And Saul and his men went to seek him, and they told David, so he went down to the rock and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. When Saul heard this, he pursued David into the wilderness of Maon. 26Saul went on one side of the mountain,#Literally “from the side of the mountain from this” and David and his men went on the other side of the mountain.#Literally “from the side of the mountain from this” David was hurrying to get away from Saul, while Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them. 27But a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, because the Philistines have made a raid on the land!” 28So Saul returned from pursuing David, and he went to confront#Hebrew “to meet” the Philistines. Therefore, they called that place the Rock of Division.#Hebrew “Sela’ Hammahlekot” 29#1 Sam 23:29–24:22 in the English Bible is 24:1–23 in the Hebrew Bible David went up from there and stayed in the strongholds of En Gedi.
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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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An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.