Font Size
Shmuel Alef 23
Orthodox Jewish Bible
Shmuel Alef 23
Orthodox Jewish Bible
23 Then they told Dovid, saying, Hinei, the Pelishtim fight against Ke’ilah, and they rob the granot (threshing floors).
2 Therefore Dovid inquired of Hashem, saying, Shall I go and strike these Pelishtim? And Hashem said unto Dovid, Go, and strike the Pelishtim, and save Ke’ilah.
3 And Anshei Dovid said unto him, Hinei, Anachnu (we) are afraid here in Yehudah; how much more then if we come to Ke’ilah against the maarkhot (military lines) of the Pelishtim?
4 Then Dovid inquired of Hashem yet again. And Hashem answered him and said, Arise, go down to Ke’ilah; for I will deliver the Pelishtim into thine yad.
5 So Dovid and his anashim went to Ke’ilah, and fought with the Pelishtim, and brought away their livestock, and attacked them with a makkah gedolah (great defeat). So Dovid saved the inhabitants of Ke’ilah.
6 And it came to pass, when Evyatar (Abiathar) Ben Achimelech fled to Dovid to Ke’ilah, that he came down with the Ephod [with oracular lot; see Ex 28,39] in his yad.
7 And it was told Sha’ul that Dovid was come to Ke’ilah. And Sha’ul said, Elohim hath delivered him into mine yad; for he is shut in, by entering into an ir (town) that hath gates and bar.
8 And Sha’ul called kol HaAm together for milchamah, to go down to Ke’ilah, to besiege Dovid and his anashim.
9 And Dovid knew that Sha’ul secretly plotted ra’ah (evil, harm) against him; and he said to Evyatar (Abiathar) HaKohen, Bring here the Ephod.
10 Then said Dovid, Hashem Elohei Yisroel, Thy eved hath certainly heard that Sha’ul seeketh to come to Ke’ilah, to destroy the ir (town) on my account.
11 Will the Ba’alei Ke’ilah (citizens of Ke’ilah) deliver me up into his yad? Will Sha’ul come down, as Thy eved hath heard? Hashem Elohei Yisroel, tell now Thy eved. And Hashem said, He will come down.
12 Then said Dovid, Will the Baalei Ke’ilah shut me and my anashim up into the yad Sha’ul? And Hashem said, They will deliver thee up.
13 Then Dovid and his anashim, which were about shesh me’ot ish, arose and departed out of Ke’ilah, and went wherever they could go. And it was told Sha’ul that Dovid was escaped from Ke’ilah; and he refrained from going forth.
14 And Dovid stayed in the midbar in metzadot (strongholds, masadas) and remained on a har in the midbar Ziph. And Sha’ul searched for him every day, but Elohim delivered him not into his yad.
15 And Dovid saw that Sha’ul was come out to seek his nefesh: and Dovid was in the midbar Ziph at Choresh.
16 And Yonatan Ben Sha’ul arose, and went to Dovid at Choresh, and strengthened his yad in Elohim [i.e., encouraged him in G-d].
17 And he said unto him, Fear not; for the yad Sha’ul Avi shall not find thee; and thou shalt be Melech over Yisroel, and I shall be mishneh (second) unto thee; and that also Sha’ul Avi knoweth.
18 And they two made a brit (covenant) before Hashem; and Dovid stayed at Choresh, and Yonatan went to his bais.
19 Then came up the Ziphim to Sha’ul to Giveah, saying, Doth not Dovid hide himself among us in metzadot (strongholds, masadas) at Choresh, in the hill of Chachilah, which is on the south of Yeshimon?
20 Now therefore, O Melech, come down according to all the desire of thy nefesh to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the yad HaMelech.
21 And Sha’ul said, Berukhim atem l’Hashem (Blessed be ye of Hashem); for ye have compassion on me.
22 Now go, prepare further, and know and see his makom where his hideouts are, and who hath seen him there; for it is told me that he dealeth very craftily.
23 See therefore, and take knowledge of all the machavo’im (hideouts) where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you; it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Yehudah.
24 And they arose, and went to Ziph ahead of Sha’ul; but Dovid and his anashim were in the midbar Ma’on, in the Aravah on the south of Yeshimon.
25 Sha’ul also and his anashim went to seek him. When Dovid was told, he descended and came down to the Sela (Rock), and stayed in the midbar Ma’on. And when Sha’ul heard that, he pursued Dovid in the midbar Ma’on.
26 And Sha’ul went on this side of the har, and Dovid and his anashim on that side of the har; and Dovid made haste to get away for fear of Sha’ul; for Sha’ul and his anashim encircled Dovid and his anashim round about to take them.
27 But there came a malach unto Sha’ul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Pelishtim have invaded HaAretz.
28 Wherefore Sha’ul returned from pursuing after Dovid, and went against the Pelishtim; therefore they called that makom Sela HaMachlekot (Rock of Escaping).
29 (24:1) And Dovid went up from there, and dwelt in metzadot at Ein-Gedi.
1 Samuel 23
New International Version
1 Samuel 23
New International Version
David Saves Keilah
23 When David was told, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah(A) and are looting the threshing floors,”(B) 2 he inquired(C) of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?”
The Lord answered him, “Go, attack the Philistines and save Keilah.”
3 But David’s men said to him, “Here in Judah we are afraid. How much more, then, if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces!”
4 Once again David inquired(D) of the Lord, and the Lord answered him, “Go down to Keilah, for I am going to give the Philistines(E) into your hand.(F)” 5 So David and his men went to Keilah, fought the Philistines and carried off their livestock. He inflicted heavy losses on the Philistines and saved the people of Keilah. 6 (Now Abiathar(G) son of Ahimelek had brought the ephod(H) down with him when he fled to David at Keilah.)
Saul Pursues David
7 Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, and he said, “God has delivered him into my hands,(I) for David has imprisoned himself by entering a town with gates and bars.”(J) 8 And Saul called up all his forces for battle, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men.
9 When David learned that Saul was plotting against him, he said to Abiathar(K) the priest, “Bring the ephod.(L)” 10 David said, “Lord, God of Israel, your servant has heard definitely that Saul plans to come to Keilah and destroy the town on account of me. 11 Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me to him? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? Lord, God of Israel, tell your servant.”
And the Lord said, “He will.”
12 Again David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah surrender(M) me and my men to Saul?”
And the Lord said, “They will.”
13 So David and his men,(N) about six hundred in number, left Keilah and kept moving from place to place. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he did not go there.
14 David stayed in the wilderness(O) strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph.(P) Day after day Saul searched(Q) for him, but God did not(R) give David into his hands.
15 While David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he learned that[a] Saul had come out to take his life.(S) 16 And Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength(T) in God. 17 “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king(U) over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this.” 18 The two of them made a covenant(V) before the Lord. Then Jonathan went home, but David remained at Horesh.
19 The Ziphites(W) went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding among us(X) in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hakilah,(Y) south of Jeshimon? 20 Now, Your Majesty, come down whenever it pleases you to do so, and we will be responsible for giving(Z) him into your hands.”
21 Saul replied, “The Lord bless(AA) you for your concern(AB) for me. 22 Go and get more information. Find out where David usually goes and who has seen him there. They tell me he is very crafty. 23 Find out about all the hiding places he uses and come back to me with definite information. Then I will go with you; if he is in the area, I will track(AC) him down among all the clans of Judah.”
24 So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the Desert of Maon,(AD) in the Arabah south of Jeshimon.(AE) 25 Saul and his men began the search, and when David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Desert of Maon. When Saul heard this, he went into the Desert of Maon in pursuit of David.
26 Saul(AF) was going along one side of the mountain, and David and his men were on the other side, hurrying to get away from Saul. As Saul and his forces were closing in on David and his men to capture them, 27 a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Come quickly! The Philistines are raiding the land.” 28 Then Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to meet the Philistines. That is why they call this place Sela Hammahlekoth.[b] 29 And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds(AG) of En Gedi.[c](AH)
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 23:15 Or he was afraid because
- 1 Samuel 23:28 Sela Hammahlekoth means rock of parting.
- 1 Samuel 23:29 In Hebrew texts this verse (23:29) is numbered 24:1.
Orthodox Jewish Bible (OJB)
Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.