1 Samuel 23
Revised Standard Version
David Saves the City of Keilah
23 Now they told David, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Kei′lah, and are robbing the threshing floors.” 2 Therefore David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” And the Lord said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and save Kei′lah.” 3 But David’s men said to him, “Behold, we are afraid here in Judah; how much more then if we go to Kei′lah against the armies of the Philistines?” 4 Then David inquired of the Lord again. And the Lord answered him, “Arise, go down to Kei′lah; for I will give the Philistines into your hand.” 5 And David and his men went to Kei′lah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and made a great slaughter among them. So David delivered the inhabitants of Kei′lah.
6 When Abi′athar the son of Ahim′elech fled to David to Kei′lah, he came down with an ephod in his hand. 7 Now it was told Saul that David had come to Kei′lah. And Saul said, “God has given him into my hand; for he has shut himself in by entering a town that has gates and bars.” 8 And Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Kei′lah, to besiege David and his men. 9 David knew that Saul was plotting evil against him; and he said to Abi′athar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.” 10 Then said David, “O Lord, the God of Israel, thy servant has surely heard that Saul seeks to come to Kei′lah, to destroy the city on my account. 11 Will the men of Kei′lah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as thy servant has heard? O Lord, the God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant.” And the Lord said, “He will come down.” 12 Then said David, “Will the men of Kei′lah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?” And the Lord said, “They will surrender you.” 13 Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed from Kei′lah, and they went wherever they could go. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Kei′lah, he gave up the expedition. 14 And David remained in the strongholds in the wilderness, in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God did not give him into his hand.
David Eludes Saul in the Wilderness
15 And David was afraid because[a] Saul had come out to seek his life. David was in the Wilderness of Ziph at Horesh. 16 And Jonathan, Saul’s son, rose, and went to David at Horesh, and strengthened his hand in God. 17 And he said to him, “Fear not; for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you; you shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you; Saul my father also knows this.” 18 And the two of them made a covenant before the Lord; David remained at Horesh, and Jonathan went home.
19 Then the Ziphites went up to Saul at Gib′e-ah, saying, “Does not David hide among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachi′lah, which is south of Jeshi′mon? 20 Now come down, O king, according to all your heart’s desire to come down; and our part shall be to surrender him into the king’s hand.” 21 And Saul said, “May you be blessed by the Lord; for you have had compassion on me. 22 Go, make yet more sure; know and see the place where his haunt is, and who has seen him there; for it is told me that he is very cunning. 23 See therefore, and take note of all the lurking places where he hides, and come back to me with sure information. Then I will go with you; and if he is in the land, I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.” 24 And they arose, and went to Ziph ahead of Saul.
Now David and his men were in the wilderness of Ma′on, in the Arabah to the south of Jeshi′mon. 25 And Saul and his men went to seek him. And David was told; therefore he went down to the rock which is[b] in the wilderness of Ma′on. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Ma′on. 26 Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side of the mountain; and David was making haste to get away from Saul, as Saul and his men were closing in upon David and his men to capture them, 27 when a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Make haste and come; for the Philistines have made a raid upon the land.” 28 So Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines; therefore that place was called the Rock of Escape. 29 [c] And David went up from there, and dwelt in the strongholds of En-ge′di.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 23:15 Or saw that
- 1 Samuel 23:25 Gk: Heb and dwelt
- 1 Samuel 23:29 Ch 24.1 in Heb
1 Samuel 23
American Standard Version
23 And they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and are robbing the threshing-floors. 2 Therefore David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And Jehovah said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah. 3 And David’s men said unto him, Behold, we are afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines? 4 Then David inquired of Jehovah yet again. And Jehovah answered him, and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thy hand. 5 And David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and slew them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah. 6 And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand.
7 And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said, God hath [a]delivered him into my hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars. 8 And Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men. 9 And David knew that Saul was devising mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod. 10 Then said David, O Jehovah, the God of Israel, thy servant hath surely heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake. 11 Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O Jehovah, the God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And Jehovah said, He will come down. 12 Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver up me and my men into the hand of Saul? And Jehovah said, They will deliver thee up. 13 Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbare to go forth. 14 And David abode in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill-country in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand.
15 And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in [b]the wood. 16 And Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose, and went to David into [c]the wood, and strengthened his hand in God. 17 And he said unto him, Fear not; for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth. 18 And they two made a covenant before Jehovah: and David abode in [d]the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.
19 Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in the strongholds in [e]the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of [f]the desert? 20 Now therefore, O king, come down, according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him up into the king’s hand. 21 And Saul said, Blessed be ye of Jehovah; for ye have had compassion on me. 22 Go, I pray you, make yet more sure, and know and see his place where his [g]haunt is, and who hath seen him there; for it is told me that he dealeth very subtly. 23 See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking-places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me [h]of a certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out among all the [i]thousands of Judah.
24 And 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 [j]the desert. 25 And Saul and his men went to seek him. And they told David: wherefore he came down to the rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon. 26 And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them. 27 But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have made a raid upon the land. 28 So Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place [k]Sela-hammahlekoth. 29 And David went up from thence, and dwelt in the strongholds of En-gedi.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 23:7 The Septuagint has, sold.
- 1 Samuel 23:15 Or, Horesh
- 1 Samuel 23:16 Or, Horesh
- 1 Samuel 23:18 Or, Horesh
- 1 Samuel 23:19 Or, Horesh
- 1 Samuel 23:19 Or, Jeshimon
- 1 Samuel 23:22 Hebrew foot.
- 1 Samuel 23:23 Or, with the certainty. Or, to a set place
- 1 Samuel 23:23 Or, families
- 1 Samuel 23:24 Or, Jeshimon
- 1 Samuel 23:28 That is, The rock of divisions (or, escape).
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