1 A nd they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshing-floors.

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

2 A nd David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And Jehovah said to David, Go and 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 B ut David's men said to him, Behold, we are afraid here in Judah; how much more then if we go 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 A nd David inquired of Jehovah yet again. And Jehovah answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will give the Philistines into thy 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 A nd David and his men went to Keilah, and fought against 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 with the Philistines; and he led away their livestock and struck them with a great slaughter. Thus David delivered the inhabitants of Keilah.

6 A nd it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, he came down 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 A nd it was told Saul that David had come to Keilah. Then Saul said, God has cast him off into my hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a city 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 A nd Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down 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 A nd when David knew that Saul devised mischief against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring the ephod.

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

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

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 citizens of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? Jehovah, God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And Jehovah 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 A nd David said, Will the citizens of Keilah deliver up me and my men into the hand of Saul? And Jehovah said, They will deliver 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 six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David had escaped from Keilah, and he forbore to go forth.

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 A nd David abode in the wilderness in strongholds, and abode in the mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God did not give him into his hand.

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 A nd David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life; and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a 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 arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.

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

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

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 they two made a covenant before Jehovah; and David abode 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 A nd the Ziphites came up to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Does not David hide himself with us in strongholds in the wood, on the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of the waste?

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 A nd now, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and it will be for us to deliver him up into the king's hand.

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, Blessed be ye of Jehovah; for ye have compassion upon me.

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

22 G o, I pray you, make yet more sure, and know and see his place where his track is, who has seen him there; for it is told me that he deals very subtilly.

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 A nd see, and ascertain all the lurking-places where he hides himself, and come ye again to me with sure information, that I may go with you; and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout 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 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 the waste.

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 A nd Saul and his men went to seek. And they told David; and he came down from the rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And Saul heard, and he pursued after 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 this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain; and David made haste to get away from Saul; and Saul and his men sought to surround David and his men to take 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 there came a messenger to Saul, saying, Haste thee and come; for the Philistines have made a raid against the land.

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

28 A nd 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 to meet the Philistines; therefore they called that place the Rock of Escape.

29 A nd David went up from thence, and abode in the strongholds of Engedi.

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