1 Samuel 23
International Children’s Bible
David at Keilah
23 Someone told David, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah. They are robbing grain from the threshing floors.”
2 David asked the Lord, “Should I go and fight these Philistines?”
The Lord answered him, “Go. Attack them, and save Keilah.”
3 But David’s men said to him, “We’re afraid here in Judah. We will be much more afraid if we go to Keilah where the Philistine army is.”
4 David again asked the Lord. And the Lord answered, “Go down to Keilah. I will help you defeat the Philistines.” 5 So David and his men went to Keilah. They fought the Philistines and took their cattle. David killed many Philistines and saved the people of Keilah. 6 (Now Abiathar son of Ahimelech had brought the holy vest with him. He brought it when he came to David at Keilah.)
Saul Chases David
7 Someone told Saul that David was now at Keilah. Saul said, “God has given David to me! He has trapped himself because he has entered a town with gates and bars.” 8 Saul called all his army together for battle. They prepared to go down to Keilah to attack David and his men.
9 David learned Saul was making evil plans against him. So he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the holy vest.” 10 David prayed, “Lord, God of Israel, I have heard about Saul’s plans. He is coming to Keilah to destroy the town because of me. 11 Will the people of Keilah give me to Saul? Will Saul come to Keilah, as I heard? Lord, God of Israel, tell me, your servant!”
The Lord answered, “Saul will come down.”
12 Again David asked, “Will the people of Keilah give me and my men to Saul?”
The Lord answered, “They will.”
13 So David and his men left Keilah. There were about 600 men who went with him. And they kept moving from place to place. When Saul found that David had escaped from Keilah, he did not go there.
14 David stayed in the protected places in the desert. He also stayed in the hills of the Desert of Ziph. Every day Saul looked for David. But the Lord did not let him take David.
15 David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph. He was afraid because Saul was coming to kill him. 16 But Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh. He helped David have stronger faith in God. 17 Jonathan told him, “Don’t be afraid. My father won’t touch you. You will become king of Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this.” 18 The two of them made an agreement before the Lord. Then Jonathan went home. But David stayed at Horesh.
19 The people from Ziph went to Saul at Gibeah. They told him, “David is hiding in our land. He’s at the protected places of Horesh. They are on the hill of Hakilah, south of Jeshimon. 20 Now, our king, come down anytime you want. It’s our duty to give David to you.”
21 Saul answered, “The Lord bless you for helping me. 22 Go and learn more about him. Find out where he is staying. Find out who has seen him there. I have heard that he is clever. 23 Find all the hiding places he uses. And come back and tell me everything. Then I’ll go with you. If David is in the area, I will find him. I will track him down among all the families in Judah.”
24 So they went back to Ziph ahead of Saul. David and his men were in the Desert of Maon.[a] This was in the desert area south of Jeshimon. 25 Saul and his men went to look for David. But people warned David that Saul was looking for him. David then went down to a rock and stayed in the Desert of Maon. Saul heard that David had gone there. So he went after him into the Desert of Maon.
26 Saul was going along one side of the mountain. David and his men were on the other side. They were hurrying to get away from Saul. Saul and his soldiers were closing in on David and his men. 27 But a messenger came to Saul. He said, “Come quickly! The Philistines are attacking our land!” 28 So Saul stopped chasing David and went to fight the Philistines. That is why people call this place Rock of Parting. 29 David left the Desert of Maon and lived in the protected places of En Gedi.
Footnotes
- 23:24 Maon Some early Greek copies say “Maon.” The Hebrew copies say “Paran.”
1 Samuel 23
Luther Bibel 1545
23 Und es ward David angesagt: Siehe, die Philister streiten wider Kegila und berauben die Tennen.
2 Da fragte David den HERRN und sprach: Soll ich hingehen und diese Philister schlagen? Und der HERR sprach zu David: Gehe hin! du wirst die Philister schlagen und Kegila erretten.
3 Aber die Männer bei David sprachen zu ihm: Siehe, wir fürchten uns hier in Juda, und wollen hingehen gen Kegila zu der Philister Heer?
4 Da fragte David wieder den HERRN, und der HERR antwortete ihm und sprach: Auf, zieh hinab gen Kegila! denn ich will die Philister in deine Hände geben.
5 Also zog David samt seinen Männern gen Kegila und stritt wider die Philister und trieb ihnen ihr Vieh weg und tat eine große Schlacht an ihnen. Also errettete David die zu Kegila.
6 Denn da Abjathar, der Sohn Ahimelechs, floh zu David gen Kegila, trug er den Leibrock mit sich hinab.
7 Da ward Saul angesagt, daß David gen Kegila gekommen wäre, und er sprach: Gott hat ihn in meine Hände übergeben, daß er eingeschlossen ist, nun er in eine Stadt gekommen ist, mit Türen und Riegeln verwahrt.
8 Und Saul ließ alles Volk rufen zum Streit hinab gen Kegila, daß sie David und seine Männer belagerten.
9 Da aber David merkte, daß Saul Böses über ihn gedachte, sprach er zu dem Priester Abjathar: Lange den Leibrock her!
10 Und David sprach: HERR, Gott Israels, dein Knecht hat gehört, daß Saul darnach trachte, daß er gen Kegila komme, die Stadt zu verderben um meinetwillen.
11 Werden mich auch die Bürger zu Kegila überantworten in seine Hände? Und wird auch Saul herabkommen, wie dein Knecht gehört hat? Das verkündige, HERR, Gott Israels, deinem Knecht! Und der HERR sprach: Er wird herabkommen.
12 David sprach: Werden aber die Bürger zu Kegila mich und meine Männer überantworten in die Hände Sauls? Der HERR sprach: Ja.
13 Da machte sich David auf samt seinen Männern, deren bei sechshundert waren, und zogen aus von Kegila und wandelten, wo sie konnten. Da nun Saul angesagt ward, daß David von Kegila entronnen war, ließ er sein Ausziehen anstehen.
14 David aber blieb in der Wüste verborgen und blieb auf dem Berge in der Wüste Siph. Saul aber suchte ihn sein Leben lang; aber Gott gab ihn nicht in seine Hände.
15 Und David sah, daß Saul ausgezogen war, sein Leben zu suchen. Aber David war in der Wüste Siph, in der Heide.
16 Da machte sich Jonathan auf, der Sohn Sauls, und ging hin zu David in der Heide und stärkte seine Hand in Gott
17 und sprach zu ihm: Fürchte dich nicht; meines Vaters Sauls Hand wird dich nicht finden, und du wirst König werden über Israel, so will ich der nächste um dich sein; auch weiß solches mein Vater wohl.
18 Und sie machten beide einen Bund miteinander vor dem HERRN; und David blieb in der Heide, aber Jonathan zog wieder heim.
19 Aber die Siphiter zogen hinauf zu Saul gen Gibea und sprachen: Ist nicht David bei uns verborgen an sicherem Ort in der Heide, auf dem Hügel Hachila, der zur Rechten liegt an der Wüste?
20 So komme nun der König hernieder nach all seines Herzens Begehr, so wollen wir ihn überantworten in des Königs Hände.
21 Da sprach Saul: Gesegnet seid ihr dem HERRN, daß ihr euch meiner erbarmt habt!
22 So gehet nun hin und werdet's noch gewisser, daß ihr wisset und sehet, an welchem Ort seine Füße gewesen sind und wer ihn daselbst gesehen habe; denn mir ist gesagt, daß er listig ist.
23 Besehet und erkundet alle Orte, da er sich verkriecht, und kommt wieder zu mir, wenn ihr's gewiß seid, so will ich mit euch ziehen. Ist er im Lande, so will ich nach ihm forschen unter allen Tausenden in Juda.
24 Da machten sie sich auf und gingen gen Siph vor Saul hin. David aber und seine Männer waren in der Wüste Maon, auf dem Gefilde zur Rechten der Wüste.
25 Da nun Saul hinzog mit seinen Männern, zu suchen, ward's David angesagt; und er machte sich den Fels hinab und blieb in der Wüste Maon. Da das Saul hörte, jagte er David nach in die Wüste Maon.
26 Und Saul mit seinen Männern ging an einer Seite des Berge, David mit seinen Männern an der anderen Seite des Berges. Da David aber eilte, dem Saul zu entgehen, da umringte Saul samt seinen Männern David und seine Männer, daß er sie griffe.
27 Aber es kam ein Bote zu Saul und sprach: Eile und komm! denn die Philister sind ins Land gefallen.
28 Da kehrte sich Saul von dem Nachjagen Davids und zog hin, den Philistern entgegen; daher heißt man den Ort Sela-Mahlekoth (das heißt Scheidefels).
29 Und David zog hinauf von dannen und barg sich auf den Berghöhen zu Engedi.
1 Samuel 23
King James Version
23 Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors.
2 Therefore David enquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the Lord said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah.
3 And David's men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?
4 Then David enquired of the Lord yet again. And the Lord answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand.
5 So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote 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 delivered him into mine hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars.
8 And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.
9 And David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod.
10 Then said David, O Lord God of Israel, thy servant hath certainly 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 Lord 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 Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the Lord said, They will deliver thee up.
13 Then David and his men, which 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 strong holds, and remained in a mountain 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 a wood.
16 And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into 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 the Lord: and David abode in 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 strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon?
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 into the king's hand.
21 And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the Lord; for ye have compassion on me.
22 Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who hath seen him there: for it is told me that he dealeth very subtilly.
23 See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the 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 throughout all the 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 plain on the south of Jeshimon.
25 Saul also and his men went to seek him. And they told David; wherefore he came down into a 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 invaded the land.
28 Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Selahammahlekoth.
29 And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at Engedi.
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