1 T hen they told David, saying, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and they are robbing the threshing floors.”

David was told, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and are robbing the threshing floors.”

2 T herefore 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 save Keilah.”

Therefore David inquired of Yahweh, saying, “Shall I go and strike these Philistines?” Yahweh said to David, “Go strike the Philistines, and save Keilah.”

3 B ut David’s men said to him, “Look, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more then if we go 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 go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?”

4 T hen David inquired of the Lord once again. And the Lord answered him and said, “Arise, go down to Keilah. For I will deliver the Philistines into your hand.”

Then David inquired of Yahweh yet again. Yahweh answered him, and said, “Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into your hand.”

5 A nd David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines, struck them with a mighty blow, and took away their livestock. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

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

6 N ow it happened, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, that he went down with an ephod in his hand.

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

7 A nd Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah. So Saul said, “God has delivered him into my hand, for he has shut himself in by entering a town that has gates and bars.”

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

8 T hen Saul called all the people together for war, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men.

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

9 W hen David knew that Saul plotted evil against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.”

David knew that Saul was devising mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.”

10 T hen David said, “O Lord God of Israel, Your servant has certainly heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah to destroy the city for my sake.

Then David said, “O Yahweh, the God of Israel, your servant has surely heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake.

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 pray, tell Your servant.” And the Lord said, “He will come down.”

Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? Yahweh, the God of Israel, I beg you, tell your servant.” Yahweh 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 you. ”

Then David said, “Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul?” Yahweh said, “They will deliver you up.”

13 S o David and his men, about six hundred, arose and departed from Keilah and went wherever they could go. Then it was told Saul that David had escaped from Keilah; so he halted the expedition. David in Wilderness Strongholds

Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went wherever they could go. Saul was told that David was escaped from Keilah; and he gave up going there.

14 A nd David stayed in strongholds in the wilderness, and remained in the mountains in the Wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but God did not deliver him into his hand.

David stayed in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but God didn’t deliver him into his hand.

15 S o David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. And David was in the Wilderness of Ziph in a forest.

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

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

Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose, and went to David into the woods, and strengthened his hand in God.

17 A nd he said to him, “Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Even my father Saul knows that.”

He said to him, “Don’t be afraid; for the hand of Saul my father won’t find you; and you will be king over Israel, and I will be next to you; and Saul my father knows that also.”

18 S o the two of them made a covenant before the Lord. And David stayed in the woods, and Jonathan went to his own house.

They both made a covenant before Yahweh. Then David stayed in the woods, and Jonathan went to his house.

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

Then the Ziphites came up to Saul to Gibeah, saying, “Doesn’t David hide himself with us in the strongholds in the woods, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of the desert?

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

Now therefore, O king, come down. According to all the desire of your soul to come down; and our part will be to deliver him up into the king’s hand.”

21 A nd Saul said, “Blessed are you of the Lord, for you have compassion on me.

Saul said, “You are blessed by Yahweh; for you have had compassion on me.

22 P lease go and find out for sure, and see the place where his hideout is, and who has seen him there. For I am told he is very crafty.

Please go make yet more sure, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who has seen him there; for I have been told that he deals very crafty.

23 S ee therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hides; and come back to me with certainty, and I will go with you. And it shall be, if he is in the land, that I will search for him throughout all the clans of Judah.”

See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hides himself, and come again to me with certainty, and I will go with you. It shall happen, if he is in the land, that I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.”

24 S o 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.

They arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah on the south of the desert.

25 W hen Saul and his men went to seek him, they told David. Therefore he went down to the rock, and stayed in the Wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued David in the Wilderness of Maon.

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

26 T hen Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side of the mountain. So David made haste to get away from Saul, for Saul and his men were encircling David and his men to take them.

Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain; and David hurried to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men surrounded David and his men to take them.

27 B ut a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, for the Philistines have invaded the land!”

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

28 T herefore 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 against the Philistines. Therefore they called that place Sela Hammahlekoth.

29 T hen David went up from there and dwelt in strongholds at En Gedi.

David went up from there, and lived in the strongholds of En Gedi.