1 Samuel 23

1Now it was reportedH5046 to DavidH1732H559, “LookH2009, the PhilistinesH6430 are fightingH3898 against KeilahH7084H1992 and lootingH8154 the threshing floorsH1637.”

2So DavidH1732 inquiredH7592 of the LORDH3068, “Should I goH1980 and attackH5221 theseH428 PhilistinesH6430?”

And the LORDH3068 saidH559 toH413 DavidH1732, “GoH1980 and attackH5221 the PhilistinesH6430 and saveH3467 KeilahH7084.”

3But David’sH1732 menH582 saidH559 to himH413, “LookH2009, weH587 are afraidH3373 hereH6311 in JudahH3063; how much moreH637 ifH3588 we goH1980 to KeilahH7084 againstH413 the armies ofH4634 the PhilistinesH6430?”

4Once againH3254H5750, DavidH1732 inquiredH7592 of the LORDH3068, and the LORDH3068H559 answered himH6030: “GoH3381 at onceH6965 to KeilahH7084, forH3588 IH589 will deliverH5414 the PhilistinesH6430 into your handH3027.”

5Then DavidH1732 and his menH582 wentH1980 to KeilahH7084, foughtH3898 against the PhilistinesH6430, and carried offH5090 their livestockH4735, strikingH5221 them with a mightyH1419 blowH4347. So DavidH1732 savedH3467 the peopleH3427 of KeilahH7084.

6(NowH1961 AbiatharH54 sonH1121 of AhimelechH288 had broughtH3381 the ephodH646 with himH3027 when he fledH1272 toH413 DavidH1732 at KeilahH7084.)

Saul Pursues David

(Psalm 54:1–7)

7When SaulH7586 was toldH5046 thatH3588 DavidH1732 had goneH935 to KeilahH7084, heH7586 saidH559, “GodH430 has deliveredH5234 himH853 into my handH3027, forH3588 he has trapped himselfH5462 by enteringH935 a townH5892 with gatesH1817 and barsH1280.”

8Then SaulH7586 summonedH8085 allH3605 his troopsH5971 to goH3381 to warH4421 at KeilahH7084 and besiegeH6696H413 DavidH1732H413 and his menH582.

9When DavidH1732 learnedH3045 thatH3588 SaulH7586 was plottingH2790 evilH7451 against himH5921, he saidH559 toH413 AbiatharH54 the priestH3548, “BringH5066 the ephodH646.”

10And DavidH1732 saidH559, “O LORDH3068, GodH430 of IsraelH3478, Your servantH5650 has heardH8085 thatH3588 SaulH7586 intendsH1245 to comeH935 toH413 KeilahH7084 and destroyH7843 the cityH5892 on my accountH5668. 11Will the citizensH1167 of KeilahH7084 surrender meH5462 into his handH3027?1 Will SaulH7586 come downH3381, asH834 Your servantH5650 has heardH8085? O LORDH3068, GodH430 of IsraelH3478, pleaseH4994 tellH5046 Your servantH5650.”

“He willH3381,” saidH559 the LORDH3068.

12So DavidH1732 askedH559, “Will the citizensH1167 of KeilahH7084 surrenderH5462 meH853 andH853 my menH582 into the handH3027 of SaulH7586?”

“They willH5462,” saidH559 the LORDH3068.

13Then DavidH1732 and his menH582, about sixH8337 hundredH3967 strong, set outH6965 and departedH3318 from KeilahH7084, moving from place to placeH1980. When SaulH7586 was toldH5046 thatH3588 DavidH1732 had escapedH4422 from KeilahH7084, he declinedH2308 to go forthH3318.

14And DavidH1732 stayedH3427 in the wildernessH4057 strongholdsH4679H3427 and in the hill countryH2022 of the WildernessH4057 of ZiphH2128. DayH3605 after dayH3117 SaulH7586 searched for himH1245, but GodH430 would notH3808 deliverH5414 David into his handH3027.

15While DavidH1732 was in HoreshH2793 in the WildernessH4057 of ZiphH2128, heH1732 sawH7200 thatH3588 SaulH7586 had come outH3318 to takeH1245 his lifeH5315. 16AndH6965 Saul’sH7586 sonH1121 JonathanH3083 cameH1980 toH413 DavidH1732 in HoreshH2793 and strengthenedH2388 his handH3027 in GodH430, 17sayingH559H413, “Do notH408 be afraidH3372, forH3588 my fatherH1 SaulH7586 will neverH3808 lay a hand onH4672 youH3027. And youH859 will be kingH4427 overH5921 IsraelH3478, and I willH595 beH1961 your second-in-commandH4932. EvenH1571 my fatherH1 SaulH7586 knowsH3045 this is trueH3651.”

18So the twoH8147 of them madeH3772 a covenantH1285 beforeH6440 the LORDH3068. And DavidH1732 remainedH3427 in HoreshH2793, while JonathanH3083 wentH1980 homeH1004.

19Then the ZiphitesH2130 came upH5927 toH413 SaulH7586 at GibeahH1390 and saidH559, “Is notH3808 DavidH1732 hidingH5641 among usH5973 in the strongholdsH4679 at HoreshH2793, on the hillH1389 of HachilahH2444 southH3225 of JeshimonH3452? 20NowH6258, O kingH4428, come downH3381 wheneverH3605 your soulH5315 desiresH185, and we will be responsible for delivering himH5462 into your handH3027H4428.”

21“May youH859 be blessedH1288 by the LORDH3068,” repliedH559 SaulH7586, “forH3588 you have had compassionH2550 on meH5921. 22PleaseH4994 goH1980 and prepareH3559 furtherH5750. InvestigateH3045 and watchH7200 carefully whereH834 he goesH1961H7272 and whoH4310 has seen himH7200 thereH8033, forH3588 I am told thatH559 heH1931 is extremely cunningH6191. 23ObserveH7200 and find outH3045 allH3605 the placesH4224 whereH834 he hidesH2244H8033. Then come backH7725 to meH413 withH413 certaintyH3559, and I will goH1980 with youH854H1961. IfH518 he isH3426 in the landH776, I will search him outH2664 among allH3605 the clansH505 of JudahH3063.”

24So they set outH6965 and wentH1980 to ZiphH2128 ahead ofH6440 SaulH7586. Now DavidH1732 and his menH582 were in the WildernessH4057 of MaonH4584 in the ArabahH6160H413 southH3225 of JeshimonH3452, 25and SaulH7586 and his menH582 wentH1980 to seekH1245 him. When DavidH1732 was told about itH5046, he went downH3381 to the rockH5553 and stayedH3427 in the WildernessH4057 of MaonH4584. And when SaulH7586 heard of thisH8085, he pursuedH7291H310 DavidH1732 thereH4057H4584.

26SaulH7586 was proceeding alongH1980 oneH2088 sideH6654 of the mountainH2022, and DavidH1732 and his menH582 along the otherH2088H1961 sideH6654H2022. Even though DavidH1732 was hurryingH2648 to get awayH1980, SaulH7586 and his menH582 were closingH5849 in onH413 DavidH1732H413 and his menH582 to capture themH8610.

27Then a messengerH4397 cameH935 toH413 SaulH7586, sayingH559, “ComeH1980 quicklyH4116, forH3588 the PhilistinesH6430H5921 have raidedH6584 the landH776!” 28So SaulH7586 broke offH7725 his pursuitH7291H310 of DavidH1732 and wentH1980 to meetH7122 the PhilistinesH6430. That is whyH5921H3651 thatH1931 placeH4725 is calledH7121 Sela-hammahlekothH5555.2 29And DavidH1732 went upH5927 from thereH8033 and livedH3427 in the strongholdsH4679 of En-gediH5872.