1 Samuel 23

David Saves Keilah

1Then they informedH5046 DavidH1732, sayingH559, “BeholdH2009, the PhilistinesH6430 are fightingH3898 against 1KeilahH7084 and are plunderingH8154 the threshingH1637 floorsH1637.” 2So DavidH1732 2inquiredH7592 of the LordH3068, sayingH559, “Shall I goH1980 and 3attackH5221 theseH428 PhilistinesH6430?” And the LordH3068 saidH559 to DavidH1732, “GoH1980 and 4attackH5221 the PhilistinesH6430 and saveH3467 KeilahH7084.” 3But David’sH1732 menH376 saidH559 to him, “BeholdH2009, we areH3372 fearfulH3372 hereH6311 in JudahH3063. HowH637 muchH637H3588 moreH637H3588 then ifH3588 we goH1980 to KeilahH7084 againstH413 the ranksH4634 of the PhilistinesH6430?” 4So DavidH1732 inquiredH7592 of the LordH3068 onceH3254H5750 moreH5750. And the LordH3068 answeredH6030 him and saidH559, “AriseH6965, goH3381 downH3381 to KeilahH7084, for 5I am going to handH5414H3027 the PhilistinesH6430 overH5414 to you.” 5Then DavidH1732 and his menH376 wentH1980 to KeilahH7084 and foughtH3898 the PhilistinesH6430; and he droveH5090 awayH5090 their livestockH4735 and struckH5221 them with a greatH1419 slaughterH4347. So DavidH1732 savedH3467 the inhabitantsH3427 of KeilahH7084.

6Now it cameH1961 aboutH1961, when AbiatharH54 the sonH1121 of AhimelechH288 6fledH1272 to DavidH1732 at KeilahH7084, that he cameH3381 downH3381 with an ephodH646 in his handH3027. 7When it was reportedH5046 to SaulH7586 that DavidH1732 had comeH935 to KeilahH7084, SaulH7586 saidH559, “GodH430 has handedH5235H3027 him overH5235 to me, for he shutH5462 himself inH5462 by enteringH935 a cityH5892 with double gatesH1817 and barsH1280.” 8So SaulH7586 summonedH8085 allH3605 the peopleH5971 for warH4421, to goH3381 downH3381 to KeilahH7084 to besiegeH6696 DavidH1732 and his menH376. 9But DavidH1732 knewH3045 that SaulH7586 was plottingH2790 evilH7463 againstH5921 him; so he saidH559 to 7AbiatharH54 the priestH3548, “8BringH5066 the ephodH646 hereH5066.” 10Then DavidH1732 saidH559, “LordH3068 GodH430 of IsraelH3478, Your servantH5650 has heardH8085 forH8085 certainH8085 that SaulH7586 is seekingH1245 to comeH935 to KeilahH7084 to destroyH7843 the cityH5892 on my accountH5668. 11Will the citizensH1167 of KeilahH7084 handH5462 me overH5462 to him? Will SaulH7586 comeH3381 downH3381 justH3512 asH3512 Your servantH5650 has heardH8085? LordH3068 GodH430 of IsraelH3478, pleaseH4994, tellH5046 Your servantH5650.” And the LordH3068 saidH559, “He will comeH3381 downH3381.” 12Then DavidH1732 saidH559, “Will the citizensH1167 of KeilahH7084 handH5462 me and my menH376 overH5462 to SaulH7586?” And the LordH3068 saidH559, “9They will handH5462 you overH5462.” 13Then DavidH1732 and his menH376, 10about sixH8337 hundredH3967, roseH6965 upH6965 and departedH3318 from KeilahH7084, and they wentH1980 11whereverH834 they could goH1980. When it was reportedH5046 to SaulH7586 that DavidH1732 had escapedH4422 from KeilahH7084, he gaveH2308 upH2308 12the pursuitH3318. 14DavidH1732 stayedH3427 in the wildernessH4057 in the strongholdsH4679, and remainedH3427 in the hillH2022 countryH2022 in the wildernessH4057 of 13ZiphH2128. And SaulH7586 searchedH1245 for him everyH3605 dayH3117, but 14GodH430 did not handH3027H5414 him overH5414 to him.

Saul Pursues David

15Now DavidH1732 sawH7200 that SaulH7586 had comeH3318 outH3318 to seekH1245 his lifeH5315 while DavidH1732 was in the wildernessH4057 of ZiphH2128, at HoreshH2793. 16And JonathanH3083, Saul’sH7586 sonH1121, setH6965 outH6965 and wentH1980 to DavidH1732 at HoreshH2793, and 1516encouragedH2388H3027 him in GodH430. 17He saidH559 to him, “17Do not beH3372 afraidH3372, becauseH3588 the handH3027 of SaulH7586 my fatherH1 will not findH4672 you, and you will beH4427 kingH4427 overH5921 IsraelH3478, and I will be secondH4932 inH4932 commandH4932 to you; and 18SaulH7586 my fatherH1 knowsH3045 that asH1571 wellH1571.” 18So 19the twoH8147 of them madeH3772 a covenantH1285 beforeH6440 the LordH3068; and DavidH1732 stayedH3427 at HoreshH2793, while JonathanH3083 wentH1980 to his houseH1004.

19Then 20ZiphitesH2130 cameH5927 upH5927 to SaulH7586 at GibeahH1390, sayingH559, “Is DavidH1732 not keepingH5641 himself hiddenH5641 with us in the strongholdsH4679 at HoreshH2793, on 21the hillH1389 of HachilahH2444, whichH834 is southH3225 of 22JeshimonH3452? 20NowH6258 then, O kingH4428, comeH3381 downH3381, 23since you fullyH3605 desireH185 to 24doH3381 soH3381; and 25our part shall be to handH5462 him overH5462 to the kingH4428.” 21SaulH7586 saidH559, “May you be blessedH1288 of the LordH3068, 26sinceH3588 you have hadH2550 compassionH2550 on me. 22GoH1980 nowH4994, beH3559 moreH5750 persistentH3559, and investigateH3045 and seeH7200 his placeH4725 whereH834 27he is hidingH7272, and whoH4310 has seenH7200 him thereH8033; for I am toldH559 that he is veryH6191 cunningH6191. 23So lookH7200, and learnH3045 aboutH4480 allH3605 the hidingH4224 placesH4224 whereH834H8033 he keepsH2244 himself hiddenH2244, and returnH7725 to me with certaintyH3559, and I will goH1980 with you; and ifH518 he is in the landH776, I will searchH2664 him outH2664 among allH3605 the thousandsH505 of JudahH3063.”

24So they setH6965 outH6965 and wentH1980 to ZiphH2128 aheadH6440 of SaulH7586. Now DavidH1732 and his menH376 were in the wildernessH4057 of 28MaonH4584, in the ArabahH6160 to the southH3225 of 29JeshimonH3452. 25When SaulH7586 and his menH376 wentH1980 to seekH1245 him, they informedH5046 DavidH1732, and he cameH3381 downH3381 to the rockH5553 and stayedH3427 in the wildernessH4057 of MaonH4584. And when SaulH7586 heardH8085 about it, he pursuedH7291H310 DavidH1732 in the wildernessH4057 of MaonH4584. 26SaulH7586 wentH1980 on oneH2088 sideH6654 of the mountainH2022, and DavidH1732 and his menH376 on the otherH2088 sideH6654 of the mountainH2022; and DavidH1732 was hurryingH2648 to getH1980 awayH1980 from SaulH7586, while SaulH7586 and his menH376 30were surroundingH5849 DavidH1732 and his menH376 to apprehendH8610 them. 27But a messengerH4397 cameH935 to SaulH7586, sayingH559, “HurryH4116 and comeH1980, for the PhilistinesH6430 have launchedH6584 anH6584 attackH6584 againstH5921 the landH776!” 28So SaulH7586 returnedH7725 from pursuingH7291H310 DavidH1732 and wentH1980 to confrontH7122 the PhilistinesH6430; thereforeH5921H3651 they calledH7121 that placeH4725 31the RockH5553 of DivisionH4256. 2932And DavidH1732 wentH5927 upH5927 from thereH8033 and stayedH3427 in the strongholdsH4679 of 33EngediH5872.