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

And they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob 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.

And 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.

3 B ut David’s men said unto him, Behold, we are afraid here in Judah, how much more than if we go to Keilah against the army 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 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 thy hand.

And 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.

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

And 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.

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

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

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

And 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.

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

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

9 B ut David understood that Saul devised evil against him, and he said to Abiathar, the priest, Bring here the ephod.

And when David knew that Saul devised mischief against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring the ephod.

10 T hen David said, O LORD God of Israel, thy slave has certainly heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake.

Then 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.

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

Will 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.

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

And 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.

13 S o David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah and went from one place to another. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah, and he forbare to go forth.

Then 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.

14 ¶ And 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 did not deliver him into his hand.

And 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.

15 A nd David, seeing that Saul had come out to seek his soul, stayed in the woods in the wilderness of Ziph.

And David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life; and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.

16 T hen Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David in the woods and strengthened his hand in God.

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

17 A nd he said unto him, Do not fear, 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 even my father knows this.

And 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.

18 A nd the two made a covenant before the LORD, and David abode in the woods, and Jonathan returned to his house.

And they two made a covenant before Jehovah; and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.

19 ¶ Then those of Ziph came to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Does not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the woods in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the right hand side of the wilderness?

And 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?

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.

And 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.

21 A nd Saul said, Blessed are ye of the LORD, for ye have compassion on me.

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

22 G o, I pray you, prepare yet and know and see his place where he places his foot and who has seen him there, for it is told me that he deals with great prudence.

Go, 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.

23 S ee, therefore, and take knowledge of all the hiding places where he hides himself and come again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you; and it shall come to pass, if he is in the land that I will search him out with all the thousands of Judah.

And 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.

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 right hand side of the wilderness.

And 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.

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

And 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.

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 the presence of Saul, for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them.

And 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.

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

But there came a messenger to Saul, saying, Haste thee and come; for the Philistines have made a raid against the land.

28 S aul returned, therefore, from pursuing after David and went against the Philistines. For this reason they called that place Selahammahlekoth.

And Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines; therefore they called that place Sela-hammahlekoth.

29 A nd David went up from there and dwelt in strong holds at Engedi.

And David went up from thence, and abode in the strongholds of Engedi.