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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[a] 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[b] 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,[c] 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,[d] and David and his men went on the other side of the mountain.[e] 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[f] the Philistines. Therefore, they called that place the Rock of Division.[g] 29 [h] David went up from there and stayed in the strongholds of En Gedi.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 23:20 Literally “for all the wanting of your soul”
  2. 1 Samuel 23:22 Literally “his place where his foot is
  3. 1 Samuel 23:23 Literally “to being established”
  4. 1 Samuel 23:26 Literally “from the side of the mountain from this”
  5. 1 Samuel 23:26 Literally “from the side of the mountain from this”
  6. 1 Samuel 23:28 Hebrew “to meet”
  7. 1 Samuel 23:28 Hebrew “Sela’ Hammahlekot”
  8. 1 Samuel 23:29 1 Sam 23:29–24:22 in the English Bible is 24:1–23 in the Hebrew Bible

19 Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in the strongholds in [a]the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of [b]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 [c]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 [d]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 [e]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 [f]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 [g]Sela-hammahlekoth. 29 And David went up from thence, and dwelt in the strongholds of En-gedi.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 23:19 Or, Horesh
  2. 1 Samuel 23:19 Or, Jeshimon
  3. 1 Samuel 23:22 Hebrew foot.
  4. 1 Samuel 23:23 Or, with the certainty. Or, to a set place
  5. 1 Samuel 23:23 Or, families
  6. 1 Samuel 23:24 Or, Jeshimon
  7. 1 Samuel 23:28 That is, The rock of divisions (or, escape).