1 Samuel

Chapter 23

1 Then they told5046 David,1732 saying,559 Behold,2009 the Philistines6430 fight3898 against Keilah,7084 and they rob8154 the threshing floors.1637

2 Therefore David1732 inquired7592 of the LORD,3068 saying,559 Shall I go3212 and smite5221 these428 Philistines?6430 And the LORD3068 said559 to David,1732 Go,3212 and smite5221 the Philistines,6430 and save3467 Keilah.7084

3 And David's1732 men582 said559 to him, Behold,2009 we be afraid3373 here6311 in Judah:3063 how637 much637 more then3588 if3588 we come3212 to Keilah7084 against413 the armies4634 of the Philistines?6430

4 Then David1732 inquired7592 of the LORD3068 yet5750 again.3254 And the LORD3068 answered6030 him and said,559 Arise,6965 go3381 down3381 to Keilah;7084 for I will deliver5414 the Philistines6430 into your hand.3027

5 So David1732 and his men582 went3212 to Keilah,7084 and fought3898 with the Philistines,6430 and brought5090 away their cattle,4735 and smote5221 them with a great1419 slaughter.4347 So David1732 saved3467 the inhabitants3427 of Keilah.7084

6 And it came1961 to pass, when Abiathar54 the son1121 of Ahimelech288 fled1272 to David1732 to Keilah,7084 that he came3381 down3381 with an ephod646 in his hand.3027

7 And it was told5046 Saul7586 that David1732 was come935 to Keilah.7084 And Saul7586 said,559 God430 has delivered5234 him into my hand;3027 for he is shut5462 in, by entering935 into a town5892 that has gates1817 and bars.1280

8 And Saul7586 called8085 all3605 the people5971 together3162 to war,4421 to go3381 down3381 to Keilah,7084 to besiege6696 David1732 and his men.582

9 And David1732 knew3045 that Saul7586 secretly2790 practiced2790 mischief7451 against5921 him; and he said559 to Abiathar54 the priest,3548 Bring5066 here5066 the ephod.646

10 Then said559 David,1732 O LORD3068 God430 of Israel,3478 your servant5650 has certainly heard8085 that Saul7586 seeks1245 to come935 to Keilah,7084 to destroy7843 the city5892 for my sake.5668

11 Will the men1167 of Keilah7084 deliver5462 me up into his hand?3027 will Saul7586 come3381 down,3381 as your servant5650 has heard?8085 O LORD3068 God430 of Israel,3478 I beseech4994 you, tell5046 your servant.5650 And the LORD3068 said,559 He will come3381 down.3381

12 Then said559 David,1732 Will the men1167 of Keilah7084 deliver5462 me and my men582 into the hand3027 of Saul?7586 And the LORD3068 said,559 They will deliver5462 you up.

13 Then David1732 and his men,582 which were about six8337 hundred,3967 arose6965 and departed3318 out of Keilah,7084 and went1980 wherever834 they could go.1980 And it was told5046 Saul7586 that David1732 was escaped4422 from Keilah;7084 and he declined2308 to go3318 forth.3318

14 And David1732 stayed3427 in the wilderness4057 in strong4679 holds,4679 and remained3427 in a mountain2022 in the wilderness4057 of Ziph.2128 And Saul7586 sought1245 him every3605 day,3117 but God430 delivered5414 him not into his hand.3027

15 And David1732 saw7200 that Saul7586 was come3318 out to seek1245 his life:5315 and David1732 was in the wilderness4057 of Ziph2128 in a wood.2793

16 And Jonathan3083 Saul's7586 son1121 arose,6965 and went3212 to David1732 into the wood,2793 and strengthened2388 his hand3027 in God.430

17 And he said559 to him, Fear3372 not: for the hand3027 of Saul7586 my father1 shall not find4672 you; and you shall be king4427 over5921 Israel,3478 and I shall be next4932 to you; and that also1571 Saul7586 my father1 knows.3045

18 And they two8147 made3772 a covenant1285 before6440 the LORD:3068 and David1732 stayed3427 in the wood,2793 and Jonathan3083 went1980 to his house.1004

19 Then came5927 up the Ziphites2130 to Saul7586 to Gibeah,1390 saying,559 Does not David1732 hide5641 himself with us in strong4679 holds4679 in the wood,2793 in the hill1389 of Hachilah,2444 which834 is on the south3225 of Jeshimon?3452

20 Now6258 therefore, O king,4428 come3381 down3381 according to all3605 the desire183 of your soul5315 to come3381 down;3381 and our part shall be to deliver5462 him into the king's4428 hand.3027

21 And Saul7586 said,559 Blessed1288 be you of the LORD;3068 for you have compassion2550 on me.

22 Go,3212 I pray4994 you, prepare3559 yet, and know3045 and see7200 his place4725 where834 his haunt7272 is, and who4310 has seen7200 him there:8033 for it is told559 me that he deals very subtly.6191

23 See7200 therefore, and take knowledge3045 of all3605 the lurking4224 places where834 8033 he hides2244 himself, and come7725 you again7725 to me with the certainty,3559 and I will go1980 with you: and it shall come1961 to pass, if518 he be in the land,776 that I will search2664 him out throughout all3605 the thousands505 of Judah.3063

24 And they arose,6965 and went3212 to Ziph2128 before6440 Saul:7586 but David1732 and his men582 were in the wilderness4057 of Maon,4584 in the plain6160 on413 the south3225 of Jeshimon.3452

25 Saul7586 also and his men582 went3212 to seek1245 him. And they told5046 David;1732 why he came3381 down3381 into a rock,5553 and stayed3427 in the wilderness4057 of Maon.4584 And when Saul7586 heard8085 that, he pursued7291 after310 David1732 in the wilderness4057 of Maon.4584

26 And Saul7586 went3212 on this2088 side6654 of the mountain,2022 and David1732 and his men582 on that side6654 of the mountain:2022 and David1732 made haste2648 to get3212 away3212 for fear6440 of Saul;7586 for Saul7586 and his men582 compassed5849 David1732 and his men582 round about to take8610 them.

27 But there came935 a messenger4397 to Saul,7586 saying,559 Haste4116 you, and come;3212 for the Philistines6430 have invaded6584 the land.776

28 Why Saul7586 returned7725 from pursuing7291 after310 David,1732 and went3212 against7125 the Philistines:6430 therefore5921 3651 they called that place4725 Selahammahlekoth.5555

29 And David1732 went5927 up from there,8033 and dwelled3427 in strong4679 holds4679 at413 Engedi.5872