1 A nd they declare to David, saying, `Lo, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and they are spoiling the threshing-floors.'

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

2 A nd David asketh at Jehovah, saying, `Do I go? -- and have I smitten among these Philistines?' And Jehovah saith unto David, `Go, and thou hast smitten among the Philistines, and saved 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 A nd David's men say unto him, `Lo, we here in Judah are afraid; and how much more when we go to Keilah, unto the ranks 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 A nd David addeth again to ask at Jehovah, and Jehovah answereth him, and saith, `Rise, go down to Keilah, for I am giving the Philistines into thy 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 A nd David goeth, and his men, to Keilah, and fighteth with the Philistines, and leadeth away their cattle, and smiteth among them -- a great smiting, and David saveth 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 A nd it cometh to pass, in the fleeing of Abiathar son of Ahimelech unto David, to Keilah, an ephod came down in his hand.

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

7 A nd it is declared to Saul that David hath come in to Keilah, and Saul saith, `God hath made him known for my hand, for he hath been shut in, to enter into a city of doors and bar.'

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 A nd Saul summoneth the whole of the people to battle, to go down to Keilah, to lay siege unto David and unto his men.

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

9 A nd David knoweth that against him Saul is devising the evil, and saith unto Abiathar the priest, `Bring nigh the ephod.'

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

10 A nd David saith, `Jehovah, God of Israel, Thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul is seeking to come in unto Keilah, to destroy the city on mine account.

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 D o the possessors of Keilah shut me up into his hand? doth Saul come down as Thy servant hath heard? Jehovah, God of Israel, declare, I pray Thee, to Thy servant.' And Jehovah saith, `He doth 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 A nd David saith, `Do the possessors of Keilah shut me up, and my men, into the hand of Saul?' And Jehovah saith, `They shut 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 A nd David riseth -- and his men -- about six hundred men, and they go out from Keilah, and go up and down where they go up and down; and to Saul it hath been declared that David hath escaped from Keilah, and he ceaseth to go out.

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 A nd David abideth in the wilderness, in fortresses, and abideth in the hill-country, in the wilderness of Ziph; and Saul seeketh him all the days, and God hath not given 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 A nd David seeth that Saul hath come out to seek his life, and David in the wilderness of Ziph, in a forest.

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

16 A nd Jonathan son of Saul riseth, and goeth unto David to the forest, and strengtheneth his hand in God,

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

17 a nd saith unto him, `Fear not, for the hand of Saul my father doth not find thee, and thou dost reign over Israel, and I am to thee for second, and also so knoweth Saul my father.'

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 A nd they make a covenant both of them before Jehovah; and David abideth in the forest, and Jonathan hath gone to his house.

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

19 A nd the Ziphites go up unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, `Is not David hiding himself with us in fortresses, in the forest, in the height of Hachilah, which on the south of the desolate place?

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 A nd, now, by all the desire of thy soul, O king, to come down, come down, and ours to shut him up into the hand of the king.'

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

21 A nd Saul saith, `Blessed ye of Jehovah, for ye have pity on me;

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

22 g o, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his foot is; who hath seen him there? for hath said unto me, He is very subtile.

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 A nd see and know of all the hiding-places where he hideth himself, and ye have turned back unto me prepared, and I have gone with you, and it hath been, if he is in the land, that I have searched him out through 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 A nd they rise and go to Ziph before Saul, and David and his men in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain, at the south of the desolate place.

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 A nd Saul and his men go to seek, and they declare to David, and he goeth down the rock, and abideth in the wilderness of Maon; and Saul heareth, and pursueth after David 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 A nd Saul goeth on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain, and David is hastened to go from the face of Saul, and Saul and his men are compassing David and his men, to catch 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 A nd a messenger hath come in unto Saul, saying, `Haste, and come, for the Philistines have pushed against 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 A nd Saul turneth back from pursuing after David, and goeth to meet the Philistines, therefore they have called that place `The Rock of Divisions.'

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

29 A nd David goeth up thence, and abideth in fortresses En-gedi.

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