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

Then they told David, saying, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are plundering the threshing floors.”

2 S o 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.

So David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” And the Lord said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and deliver Keilah.”

3 D avid’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?

But David’s men said to him, “Behold, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more then if we go to Keilah against the ranks of the Philistines?”

4 T hen 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.

Then David inquired of the Lord once more. And the Lord answered him and said, “Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand.”

5 S o 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.

So David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines; and he led away their livestock and struck them with a great slaughter. Thus David delivered the inhabitants of Keilah.

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

Now it came about, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand.

7 N ow 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.

When it was told Saul that David had come to Keilah, Saul said, “God has delivered him into my hand, for he shut himself in by entering a city with double gates and bars.”

8 S aul summoned all the men for war, to go to Keilah to besiege David and his men.

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

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

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

10 T hen 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.

Then David said, “O Lord God of Israel, Your servant has heard for certain that Saul is seeking to come to Keilah to destroy the city on my account.

11 W ill 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.

Will the men of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down just as Your servant has heard? O Lord God of Israel, I pray, tell Your servant.” And the Lord said, “He will come down.”

12 T hen David asked, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into Saul’s hand? The Lord said, They will deliver you up.

Then David said, “Will the men of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?” And the Lord said, “ They will surrender you.”

13 T hen 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.

Then David and his men, about six hundred, arose and departed from Keilah, and they went wherever they could go. When it was told Saul that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up the pursuit.

14 D avid 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.

David stayed in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God did not deliver him into his hand. Saul Pursues David

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

Now David became aware that Saul had come out to seek his life while David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh.

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

And Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David at Horesh, and encouraged him in God.

17 H e 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.

Thus he said to him, “ Do not be afraid, because the hand of Saul my father will not find you, and you will be king over Israel and I will be next to you; and Saul my father knows that also.”

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

So the two of them made a covenant before the Lord; and David stayed at Horesh while Jonathan went to his house.

19 T hen 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?

Then Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is David not hiding with us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon?

20 N ow 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.

Now then, O king, come down according to all the desire of your soul to do so; and our part shall be to surrender him into the king’s hand.”

21 A nd Saul said, The Lord bless you, for you have compassion on me.

Saul said, “May you be blessed of the Lord, for you have had compassion on me.

22 G o, 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.

Go now, make more sure, and investigate and see his place where his haunt is, and who has seen him there; for I am told that he is very cunning.

23 S ee 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.

So look, and learn about all the hiding places where he hides himself and return to me with certainty, and I will go with you; and if he is in the land, I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.”

24 S o 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.

Then they arose 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.

25 S aul 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.

When Saul and his men went to seek him, they told David, and he came down to the rock and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard it, he pursued David in the wilderness of Maon.

26 A nd 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.

Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side of the mountain; and David was hurrying to get away from Saul, for Saul and his men were surrounding David and his men to seize them.

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

But a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, for the Philistines have made a raid on the land.”

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

So Saul returned from pursuing David and went to meet the Philistines; therefore they called that place the Rock of Escape.

29 D avid went up from there and dwelt in the strongholds of En-gedi.

David went up from there and stayed in the strongholds of Engedi.