1 Samuel 23
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Deliverance at Keilah
23 It was reported to David: “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah(A) and raiding the threshing floors.”
2 So David inquired of the Lord:(B) “Should I launch an attack against these Philistines?”
The Lord answered David, “Launch an attack against the Philistines and rescue Keilah.”
3 But David’s men said to him, “Look, we’re afraid here in Judah; how much more if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces!”
4 Once again, David inquired of the Lord, and the Lord answered him: “Go at once to Keilah, for I will hand the Philistines over to you.”(C) 5 Then David and his men went to Keilah, fought against the Philistines, drove their livestock away, and inflicted heavy losses on them. So David rescued the inhabitants of Keilah. 6 Abiathar son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, and he brought an ephod with him.
7 When it was reported to Saul that David had gone to Keilah, he said, “God has handed him over to me, for he has trapped himself by entering a town with barred gates.” 8 Then Saul summoned all the troops to go to war at Keilah and besiege David and his men.
9 When David learned that Saul was plotting evil against him, he said to Abiathar the priest,(D) “Bring the ephod.”(E)
10 Then David said, “Lord God of Israel, Your servant has heard that Saul intends to come to Keilah and destroy the town because of me. 11 Will the citizens of Keilah hand me over to him? Will Saul come down as Your servant has heard? Lord God of Israel, please tell Your servant.”
The Lord answered, “He will come down.”
12 Then David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah hand me and my men over to Saul?”
“They will,”(F) the Lord responded.
13 So David and his men, numbering about 600,(G) left Keilah at once and moved from place to place.(H) When it was reported to Saul that David had escaped from Keilah, he called off the expedition. 14 David then stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph.(I) Saul searched for him every day, but God did not hand David over to him.(J)
A Renewed Covenant
15 David was in the Wilderness of Ziph in Horesh when he saw that Saul had come out to take his life. 16 Then Saul’s son Jonathan came to David in Horesh and encouraged him in his faith in God,(K) 17 saying, “Don’t be afraid, for my father Saul will never lay a hand on you. You yourself will be king over Israel,(L) and I’ll be your second-in-command. Even my father Saul knows it is true.”(M) 18 Then the two of them made a covenant in the Lord’s presence.(N) Afterward, David remained in Horesh, while Jonathan went home.
David’s Narrow Escape
19 Some Ziphites(O) came up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “David is[a] hiding among us in the strongholds in Horesh on the hill of Hachilah south of Jeshimon. 20 Now, whenever the king wants to come down, let him come down. Our part will be to hand him over to the king.”(P)
21 “May you be blessed by the Lord,” replied Saul, “for you have taken pity on me.(Q) 22 Go and check again. Investigate and watch carefully where he goes[b] and who has seen him there; they tell me he is extremely cunning. 23 Look and find out all the places where he hides. Then come back to me with accurate information, and I’ll go with you. If it turns out he really is in the region, I’ll search for him among all the clans[c] of Judah.” 24 So they went to Ziph ahead of Saul.
Now David and his men were in the wilderness near Maon(R) in the Arabah south of Jeshimon, 25 and Saul and his men went to look for him. When David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Wilderness of Maon. Saul heard of this and pursued David there.
26 Saul went along one side of the mountain and David and his men went along the other side. Even though David was hurrying to get away from Saul, Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them.(S) 27 Then a messenger came to Saul saying, “Come quickly, because the Philistines have raided the land!” 28 So Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to engage the Philistines. Therefore, that place was named the Rock of Separation. 29 [d]From there David went up and stayed in the strongholds of En-gedi.(T)
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 23:19 Lit Is David not . . . Jeshimon?
- 1 Samuel 23:22 Lit watch his place where his foot will be
- 1 Samuel 23:23 Or thousands
- 1 Samuel 23:29 1Sm 24:1 in Hb
1 Samuel 23
International Standard Version
David Delivers Keilah
23 Someone[a] told David, “Look, the Philistines are fighting at Keilah and are plundering the threshing floors.”
2 David inquired of the Lord: “Shall I go and strike down these Philistines?”
The Lord told David, “Go strike down the Philistines and deliver Keilah.”
3 David’s men told him, “Look, we’re afraid here in Judah. How much then, if we go to Keilah against the Philistine army?”
4 David inquired of the Lord again, and the Lord answered him: “Get up, go down to Keilah. I’ll give the Philistines into your control.”[b] 5 David and his men went to Keilah and fought the Philistines. He carried off their livestock and defeated them decisively,[c] and so David delivered the inhabitants of Keilah. 6 Now when Ahimelech’s son Abiathar had fled to David in Keilah, the ephod[d] had come down with him.
7 It was reported to Saul that David had come to Keilah, and Saul said, “The Lord has delivered[e] him into my hand because he has shut himself in by going into a town with double gates and bars.” 8 Saul summoned for battle all his forces[f] to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.
9 David knew that Saul was devising evil plans against him, and so he told Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod.”
10 David said, “Lord God of Israel. Your servant has definitely heard that Saul intends to come to Keilah to destroy the town because of me. 11 Will the people of Keilah hand me over to him?[g] Will Saul come down just as your servant has heard? Lord God of Israel, please inform your servant.”
The Lord said, “He will come down.”
12 Then David said, “Will the people of Keilah hand me over to Saul?”[h]
The Lord said, “They’ll hand you over.” 13 David and his men, about 600 strong, got up and left Keilah. They moved around wherever they could go. Saul was advised that David had escaped from Keilah, so he stopped the campaign.[i]
Jonathan Visits David
14 David stayed in the wilderness in the strongholds, and he lived in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but God did not let David[j] slip into Saul’s[k] control. 15 David was afraid because[l] Saul had come out to seek his life while David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh. 16 Saul’s son Jonathan got up and went to David at Horesh, and he encouraged him to trust[m] in God. 17 Jonathan told him, “Don’t be afraid. My father Saul won’t find you, and you will be king over Israel. I’ll be your second-in-command. My father Saul also knows this.” 18 The two of them made a covenant[n] in the Lord’s presence. David remained at Horesh while Jonathan went home.
The People of Ziph Betray David
19 People from Ziph came up to Saul at Gibeah and informed him, “David is hiding with us in the strongholds in Horesh and on the hill of Hachilah south of Jeshimon, isn’t he? 20 Now, your majesty, whenever you want to come down,[o] come down, and our part will be to hand him over to the king.”
21 Saul said, “May you be blessed by the Lord, because you have been gracious to me. 22 Go and again make sure, find out and investigate where he is[p] and who has seen him there, for people tell me that he’s very clever. 23 Investigate and find out all the hiding places there where he hides, and return to me with reliable information. Then I’ll go down with you, and if he’s in the land, I’ll search him out among all the thousands of Judah.” 24 The people from Ziph got up and left Saul, while David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon in the Arabah south of Jeshimon.
25 When Saul and his men went to search for David,[q] some people[r] told David, and he went down to the Rock of Escape[s] and remained in the wilderness of Maon. Saul heard this and he pursued David into the wilderness of Maon. 26 Saul went on one side of the mountain while David and his men went on the other side of the mountain. David was hurrying to get away from Saul while Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them.
27 Then a messenger came to Saul with this news: “Come quickly, because the Philistines have made a raid on the land!” 28 So Saul turned around from pursuing David and went to meet the Philistines. Therefore, they call that place the Rock of Escape. 29 [t]David went up from there and stayed in the strongholds of En-gedi.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 23:1 Lit. They
- 1 Samuel 23:4 Lit. hand
- 1 Samuel 23:5 Lit. struck them down with a great slaughter
- 1 Samuel 23:6 The ephod was a type of vest normally worn by the priests.
- 1 Samuel 23:7 So with LXX
- 1 Samuel 23:8 Lit. all the people
- 1 Samuel 23:11 Lit. into his hand
- 1 Samuel 23:12 Lit. into Saul’s hand
- 1 Samuel 23:13 Lit. stopped going out
- 1 Samuel 23:14 Lit. him
- 1 Samuel 23:14 Lit. his
- 1 Samuel 23:15 Or David saw that
- 1 Samuel 23:16 Lit. he strengthened his hand
- 1 Samuel 23:18 Or agreement
- 1 Samuel 23:20 Lit. according to your desire to come down
- 1 Samuel 23:22 Lit. his place where his foot is
- 1 Samuel 23:25 The Heb. lacks for David
- 1 Samuel 23:25 Lit. David, they
- 1 Samuel 23:25 The Heb. lacks of Escape; cf. v.28
- 1 Samuel 23:29 This v. is 24:1 in MT
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