1 T hen they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors.

Then they told David, Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are robbing the threshing floors.

2 T herefore David enquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the Lord said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah.

So David inquired of the Lord, Shall I go and attack these Philistines? And the Lord said to David, Go, smite the Philistines and save Keilah.

3 A nd David’s men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?

David’s men said to him, Behold, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more, then, if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?

4 T hen David enquired of the Lord yet again. And the Lord answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand.

Then David inquired of the Lord again. And the Lord answered him, Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will deliver the Philistines into your hand.

5 S o David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

So David and his men went to Keilah and fought the Philistines with a great slaughter and brought away their cattle. So David delivered the people of Keilah.

6 A nd it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand.

When Abiathar son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, he came with an ephod in his hand.

7 A nd it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said, God hath delivered him into mine hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars.

Now it was told Saul that David had come to Keilah. Saul said, God has delivered him into my hand, for he is shut in by going into a town that has gates and bars.

8 A nd Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.

Saul summoned all the men for war, to go to Keilah to besiege David and his men.

9 A nd David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod.

David knew that Saul was plotting evil against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring the ephod here.

10 T hen said David, O Lord God of Israel, thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake.

Then David said, O Lord, the God of Israel, Your servant has surely heard that Saul intends to come and destroy the city of Keilah on my account.

11 W ill the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O Lord God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And the Lord said, He will come down.

Will the men of Keilah deliver me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as Your servant has heard? O Lord, God of Israel, I beseech You, tell Your servant. And the Lord said, He will come down.

12 T hen said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the Lord said, They will deliver thee up.

Then David asked, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into Saul’s hand? The Lord said, They will deliver you up.

13 T hen David and his men, which were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbare to go forth.

Then David and his men, about 600, arose and left Keilah, going wherever they could go. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up going there.

14 A nd David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand.

David remained in the wilderness strongholds in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but God did not give him into his hands.

15 A nd David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.

David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. David was in the Wilderness of Ziph in the wood.

16 A nd Jonathan Saul’s son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.

And Jonathan, Saul’s son, rose and went into the wood to David and strengthened his hand in God.

17 A nd he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.

He said to him, Fear not; the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Saul my father knows that too.

18 A nd they two made a covenant before the Lord: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.

And the two of them made a covenant before the Lord. And David remained in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.

19 T hen came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon?

Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, Does not David hide himself with us in strongholds in the wood, on the hill of Hachilah, which is south of Jeshimon?

20 N ow therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king’s hand.

Now come down, O king, according to all your heart’s desire to come down, and our part shall be to deliver him into the king’s hands.

21 A nd Saul said, Blessed be ye of the Lord; for ye have compassion on me.

And Saul said, The Lord bless you, for you have compassion on me.

22 G o, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who hath seen him there: for it is told me that he dealeth very subtilly.

Go, make yet more sure; and know and see where his haunt is and who has seen him there; for I am told he deals very craftily.

23 S ee therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah.

See and take note of all his hiding places and come back to me with the certain facts, and I will go with you. If he is in the land, I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.

24 A nd 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 Jeshimon.

So they arose and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the Wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah south of Jeshimon.

25 S aul also and his men went to seek him. And they told David: wherefore he came down into a rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.

Saul and his men went to seek him. And David was told; so he went down to the rock in the Wilderness of Maon and stayed. When Saul heard that, he pursued David in the Wilderness of Maon.

26 A nd 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 for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them.

And Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side of the mountain. And David made haste to get away for fear of Saul, for Saul and his men were surrounding and his men to capture them.

27 B ut there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land.

But a messenger came to Saul, saying, Make haste and come, for the Philistines have made a raid on the land.

28 W herefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Sela-hammahlekoth.

So Saul returned from pursuing David and went against the Philistines. So they called that place the Rock of Escape.

29 A nd David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at En-gedi.

David went up from there and dwelt in the strongholds of En-gedi.