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1 Samuel 23
Lexham English Bible

David Defeats the Philistines at Keilah

23 Now they told David, “Look, the Philistines are fighting in Keilah and they are raiding the threshing floors.” 2 So David inquired of Yahweh, saying, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” And Yahweh said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and save[a] Keilah.” 3 But David’s men said to him, “Look, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more[b] if we go to Keilah to the battle lines of the Philistines?” 4 So David again inquired of Yahweh, and Yahweh answered him and said, “Get up, go down to Keilah, for I am giving the Philistines into your hand.” 5 So David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines. They drove off their livestock and dealt them a heavy blow.[c] So David saved[d] the inhabitants of Keilah.

David Flees from Saul at Keilah

6 Now when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled[e] to David at Keilah, he went down with an ephod in his hand. 7 When it was told to Saul that David had gone to Keilah, Saul said, “God has given him[f] into my hand, because he has shut himself in by going into a city with two barred gates.[g] 8 Saul then summoned all of the army for the battle, to go down to Keilah to lay a siege against David and his men. 9 When David learned that Saul was plotting evil against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.” 10 And David said, “O Yahweh, God of Israel, your servant has clearly heard that Saul is seeking to come to Keilah to destroy the city because of me. 11 Will the rulers of Keilah deliver me into his hand? Will Saul come down as your servant has heard? O Yahweh, God of Israel, please tell your servant!” And Yahweh said, “He will come down.” 12 Then David said, “Will the rulers of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul?” And Yahweh said, “They will deliver you.” 13 So David and his men got up, about six hundred men, and went out from Keilah and wandered wherever they could go. When it was told to Saul that David had escaped from Keilah, he stopped his pursuit.[h]

David Eludes Saul’s Pursuit

14 David remained in the wilderness, in the strongholds, and in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him continually,[i] but God did not give him into his hand. 15 When David realized that Saul had gone out to seek his life, David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh. 16 So Jonathan the son of Saul got up and went to David at Horesh, and encouraged him[j] through God. 17 He said to him, “Do not be afraid, for the hand of my father Saul will not find you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you.[k] My father Saul knows this also.” 18 Then the two of them made[l] a covenant before Yahweh. David remained at Horesh, and Jonathan went to his house.

19 Then the Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh on the hill of Hakilah, which is south of Jeshimon? 20 So then, O king, whenever you want[m] to come down, come down, and it will be for us to deliver him into the hand of the king.” 21 And Saul said to them, “May you be blessed by Yahweh, for you have shown me compassion! 22 Go, please, make certain again! Find out and see exactly where he is[n] and who has seen him there! For they have said to me, ‘He is very cunning.’ 23 Look, find out all of the hiding places where he hides. Then return to me with dependable information,[o] and I will go with you. And then if he is there in the land, then I will seek him among all the thousands of Judah.” 24 Then they got up and went to Ziph before Saul.

Now David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon in the Arabah, to the south of Jeshimon. 25 And Saul and his men went to seek him, and they told David, so he went down to the rock and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. When Saul heard this, he pursued David into the wilderness of Maon. 26 Saul went on one side of the mountain,[p] and David and his men went on the other side of the mountain.[q] 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 But a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, because the Philistines have made a raid on the land!” 28 So Saul returned from pursuing David, and he went to confront[r] the Philistines. Therefore, they called that place the Rock of Division.[s] 29 [t] David went up from there and stayed in the strongholds of En Gedi.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 23:2 Or “deliver” or “rescue”
  2. 1 Samuel 23:3 Literally “also for”
  3. 1 Samuel 23:5 Literally “he struck them with a great smiting”
  4. 1 Samuel 23:5 Or “delivered” or “rescued”
  5. 1 Samuel 23:6 Literally “And it happened that at the fleeing of Abiathar son of Ahimelech”
  6. 1 Samuel 23:7 Literally “has made him a stranger”
  7. 1 Samuel 23:7 Literally “two gates and a bar”
  8. 1 Samuel 23:13 Literally “he ceased to go out”
  9. 1 Samuel 23:14 Literally “all the days”
  10. 1 Samuel 23:16 Literally “he strengthened his hand”
  11. 1 Samuel 23:17 Literally “I shall be for you as second”
  12. 1 Samuel 23:18 Literally “cut”
  13. 1 Samuel 23:20 Literally “for all the wanting of your soul”
  14. 1 Samuel 23:22 Literally “his place where his foot is”
  15. 1 Samuel 23:23 Literally “to being established”
  16. 1 Samuel 23:26 Literally “from the side of the mountain from this”
  17. 1 Samuel 23:26 Literally “from the side of the mountain from this”
  18. 1 Samuel 23:28 Hebrew “to meet”
  19. 1 Samuel 23:28 Hebrew “Sela’ Hammahlekot”
  20. 1 Samuel 23:29 1 Sam 23:29–24:22 in the English Bible is 24:1–23 in the Hebrew Bible
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1 Samuel 23
New American Standard Bible

David Saves Keilah

23 Then they informed David, saying, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against (A)Keilah and are plundering the threshing floors.” 2 So David (B)inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go and [a]attack these Philistines?” And the Lord said to David, “Go and [b]attack the Philistines and save Keilah.” 3 But David’s men said to him, “Behold, we are fearful here in Judah. How much more then if we go to Keilah against the ranks of the Philistines?” 4 So David inquired of the Lord once more. And the Lord answered him and said, “Arise, go down to Keilah, for (C)I am going to hand the Philistines over to you.” 5 Then David and his men went to Keilah and fought the Philistines; and he drove away their livestock and struck them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

6 Now it came about, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech (D)fled to David at Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand. 7 When it was reported to Saul that David had come to Keilah, Saul said, “God has handed him over to me, for he shut himself in by entering a city with double gates and bars.” 8 So Saul summoned all the people for war, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men. 9 But David knew that Saul was plotting evil against him; so he said to (E)Abiathar the priest, “(F)Bring the ephod here.” 10 Then David said, “Lord God of Israel, Your servant has heard for certain that Saul is seeking to come to Keilah to destroy the city on my account. 11 Will the citizens of Keilah hand me over to him? Will Saul come down just as Your servant has heard? Lord God of Israel, please, tell Your servant.” And the Lord said, “He will come down.” 12 Then David said, “Will the citizens of Keilah hand me and my men over to Saul?” And the Lord said, “(G)They will hand you over.” 13 Then David and his men, (H)about six hundred, rose up and departed from Keilah, and they went (I)wherever they could go. When it was reported to Saul that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up [c]the pursuit. 14 David stayed in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill country in the wilderness of (J)Ziph. And Saul searched for him every day, but (K)God did not hand him over to him.

Saul Pursues David

15 Now David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life while David was in the wilderness of Ziph, at Horesh. 16 And Jonathan, Saul’s son, set out and went to David at Horesh, and [d](L)encouraged him in God. 17 He said to him, “(M)Do not be afraid, because the hand of Saul my father will not find you, and you will be king over Israel, and I will be second in command to you; and (N)Saul my father knows that as well.” 18 So (O)the two of them made a covenant before the Lord; and David stayed at Horesh, while Jonathan went to his house.

19 Then (P)Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is David not keeping himself hidden with us in the strongholds at Horesh, on (Q)the hill of Hachilah, which is south of [e]Jeshimon? 20 Now then, O king, come down, [f]since you fully desire to [g]do so; and (R)our part shall be to hand him over to the king.” 21 Saul said, “May you be blessed of the Lord, (S)since you have had compassion on me. 22 Go now, be more persistent, and investigate and see his place where [h]he is hiding, and who has seen him there; for I am told that he is very cunning. 23 So look, and learn about all the hiding places where he keeps himself hidden, and return to me with certainty, and I will go with you; and if he is in the land, I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.”

24 So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the wilderness of (T)Maon, in the Arabah to the south of [i]Jeshimon. 25 When Saul and his men went to seek him, they informed David, and he came down to the rock and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard about it, he pursued David in the wilderness of Maon. 26 Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side of the mountain; and David was hurrying to get away from Saul, while Saul and his men (U)were surrounding David and his men to apprehend them. 27 But a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, for the Philistines have launched an attack against the land!” 28 So Saul returned from pursuing David and went to confront the Philistines; therefore they called that place [j]the Rock of Division. 29 [k]And David went up from there and stayed in the strongholds of (V)Engedi.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 23:2 Lit strike
  2. 1 Samuel 23:2 Lit strike
  3. 1 Samuel 23:13 Lit going out
  4. 1 Samuel 23:16 Lit strengthened his hand
  5. 1 Samuel 23:19 Or the desert
  6. 1 Samuel 23:20 Lit according to all your soul’s desire
  7. 1 Samuel 23:20 Lit come down
  8. 1 Samuel 23:22 Lit his foot is
  9. 1 Samuel 23:24 Or the desert
  10. 1 Samuel 23:28 Heb Sela-hammahlekoth; meaning uncertain, possibly Rock of Smoothness (i.e., “Slippery Rock”)
  11. 1 Samuel 23:29 Ch 24:1 in Heb
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