1 Samuel 23:6-15
Expanded Bible
6 (Now Abiathar son of Ahimelech had brought the ·holy vest [ephod] ·with him [L in his hand] when he came to David at Keilah [C the ephod probably held the Urim and Thummim used to determine God’s will; Ex. 28:30].)
Saul Chases David
7 Someone told Saul that David was now at Keilah. Saul said, “God has ·handed David over to me [L made a stranger of him into my hand; C the Hebrew is obscure]! He has ·trapped [imprisoned] himself, because he has entered a town with gates and bars [C Saul could lay siege to such a town].” 8 Saul called all his army together for battle, and they prepared to go down to Keilah to ·attack [L besiege] David and his men.
9 David learned Saul was ·making evil plans [plotting evil] against him. So he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ·holy vest [ephod].” 10 David prayed, “Lord, God of Israel, ·I have [L your servant has] heard that Saul plans to come to Keilah to destroy the town because ·of me [I am here]. 11 Will the ·leaders [citizens; men] of Keilah ·hand me over [surrender/betray me] to Saul? Will Saul come down 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 ·leaders [citizens; men] of Keilah ·hand [surrender; betray] me and my men over to Saul?”
The Lord answered, “They will [L surrender/betray you].”
13 So David and his six hundred men left Keilah and ·kept moving from place to place [L went/roamed wherever they could]. When Saul found out that David had escaped from Keilah, he ·did not go there [gave up pursuit/the campaign].
14 David stayed in the ·desert [wilderness] ·hideouts [strongholds] and in the hills of the ·Desert [Wilderness] of Ziph. Every day Saul looked for David, but the Lord did not ·surrender David to him [L give David into his hand].
15 While David was at Horesh in the ·Desert [Wilderness] of Ziph, he learned that Saul was coming to kill him.
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1 Samuel 23:6-15
Amplified Bible
6 When Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, he came down with an ephod in his hand. 7 Now when Saul was informed that David had come to Keilah, Saul said, “God has handed him over to me, for he shut himself in by entering a city that has double gates and bars.” 8 So Saul summoned all the people (soldiers) for war, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men. 9 But David knew that Saul was plotting evil against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.” 10 Then David said, “O Lord, the God of Israel, Your servant has heard for certain that Saul intends to come to Keilah, to destroy the city on my account. 11 Will the men of Keilah hand me over to him? Will Saul come down just as Your servant has heard? O Lord, God of Israel, I pray, tell Your servant.” And the Lord said, “He will come down.” 12 Then David asked, “Will the men of Keilah surrender me and my men to Saul?” The Lord said, “They will surrender you.” 13 Then David and his men, about six hundred, arose and left Keilah, and they went wherever they could go. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up the pursuit. 14 David stayed in the wilderness in strongholds, in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph. Saul searched for him every day, but God did not hand David over to him.
Saul Pursues David
15 Now David became aware that Saul had come out to seek his life. David was in the Wilderness of Ziph [in the woods] at Horesh.
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