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

Then they told David, “See, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah. They are taking the grain from the grain-floors.”

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

So David asked the Lord, “Should I go and fight these Philistines?” And the Lord said to David, “Go, fight the Philistines, and save Keilah.”

3 D avid’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, “See, 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 Yahweh yet again. Yahweh answered him, and said, “Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into your hand.”

Then David asked the Lord again. The Lord answered him, “Get ready and go down to Keilah. For I will give the Philistines into your hand.”

5 D avid 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.

So David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines. He killed many of them and took away their cattle. And David saved the people of Keilah.

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

When Abiathar the son of Ahimelech ran to David at Keilah, he came with a linen vest in his hand.

7 S aul 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.”

When Saul was told that David had come to Keilah, he said, “God has given him to me. For he has shut himself in by going into a city with iron gates.”

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

Saul called all the men for war, to go down to Keilah to trap David and his men.

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

David knew that Saul was planning against him, so he said to Abiathar the religious leader, “Bring the linen vest here.”

10 T hen 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.

Then David said, “O Lord God of Israel, Your servant has heard for sure that Saul is planning to come to Keilah to destroy the city because of me.

11 W ill 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.”

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

Then David said, “Will the men of Keilah give me and my men to Saul?” And the Lord said, “They will give you up.”

13 T hen 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.

Then David and his men, about 600, got up and left Keilah. They went where they could go. When Saul was told that David had run away from Keilah, he gave up going there. David Stays in the Hill Country

14 D avid 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.

David stayed in the safe places in the desert. He stayed in the hill country in the desert of Ziph. Saul looked for him every day, but God did not give David to him.

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

David saw that Saul had come out to try to kill him. David was in the desert of Ziph at Horesh.

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

Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and gave him strength in God.

17 H e 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.”

He said to him, “Do not be afraid, because my father Saul will not find you. You will be king of Israel, and I will be next to you. My father Saul knows this also.”

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

So the two of them made an agreement before the Lord. And David stayed at Horesh, and Jonathan went home.

19 T hen 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?

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

20 N ow 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.”

Now come, O king, as you desire to come. And we will give David into the king’s hand.”

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

Saul said, “May the Lord bring good to you. For you have had pity on me.

22 P lease 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.

Go and make sure. See where he is, and who has seen him there. For I am told that he is very good at fooling people.

23 S ee 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.”

Look and learn about all his hiding places, and return to me with news that is sure. Then I will go with you. If he is in the land, I will find him among all the thousands of Judah.”

24 T hey 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.

Then they got up and went to Ziph before Saul. Now David and his men were in the desert of Maon, in the Arabah, south of Jeshimon.

25 S aul 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.

Saul and his men went to look for him, and David was told about it. So he went down to the rock in the desert of Maon.

26 S aul 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.

Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side of the mountain. David was in a hurry to get away from Saul. For Saul and his men were closing in upon David and his men to take them.

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

But a man came with news to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, for the Philistines have come into the land by surprise to fight us.”

28 S o Saul returned from pursuing David, and went against the Philistines. Therefore they called that place Sela Hammahlekoth.

So Saul returned from going after David, and went against the Philistines. So they called that place the Rock of Getting Away.

29 D avid went up from there, and lived in the strongholds of En Gedi.

David went from there and stayed in the strong places of Engedi.