Chapter 23

Then they told⁵⁵ David, saying,² Behold, the Philistines fight¹² against Keilah, and they rob⁶ the threshingfloors.

Therefore David enquired⁴ of the LORD, saying,² Shall I go⁴ and smite⁵² these Philistines? And the LORD said⁴ unto David, Go,³ and smite⁵² the Philistines, and save⁵² Keilah.

And David's men said⁴ unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come⁴ to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?

Then David enquired² of the LORD yet again.⁵⁵ And the LORD answered⁴ him and said,⁴ Arise,³ go down³ to Keilah; for I will deliver⁶ the Philistines into thine hand.

So David and his men went⁴ to Keilah, and fought¹¹ with the Philistines, and brought away⁴ their cattle, and smote⁵⁵ them with a great slaughter. So David saved⁵⁵ the inhabitants⁶ of Keilah.

And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled² to David to Keilah, [that] he came down¹ [with] an ephod in his hand.

And it was told⁹³ Saul that David was come¹ to Keilah. And Saul said,⁴ God hath delivered¹⁴ him into mine hand; for he is shut in,⁸ by entering² into a town that hath gates and bars.

And Saul called all the people together¹⁷ to war, to go down² to Keilah, to besiege² David and his men.

And David knew⁴ that Saul secretly practised⁵⁶ mischief against him; and he said⁴ to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither⁵⁴ the ephod.

Then said⁴ David, O LORD God of Israel, thy servant hath certainly² heard¹ that Saul seeketh¹⁸ to come² to Keilah, to destroy¹⁵ the city for my sake.

Will the men of Keilah deliver me up⁵⁵ into his hand? will Saul come down,⁴ as thy servant hath heard?¹ O LORD God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell⁵⁴ thy servant. And the LORD said,⁴ He will come down.⁴

Then said⁴ David, Will the men of Keilah deliver⁵⁵ me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the LORD said,⁴ They will deliver [thee] up.⁵⁵

Then David and his men, [which were] about six hundred, ³⁷⁶ arose⁴ and departed⁴ out of Keilah, and went¹⁰¹ whithersoever they could go.¹⁰¹ And it was told⁹⁰ Saul that David was escaped⁸ from Keilah; and he forbare⁴ to go forth.²

And David abode⁴ in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained⁴ in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought¹⁷ him every day, but God delivered¹ him not into his hand.

And David saw⁴ that Saul was come out¹ to seek¹⁵ his life: and David [was] in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.

And Jonathan Saul's son arose,⁴ and went⁴ to David into the wood, and strengthened¹⁷ his hand in God.

And he said⁴ unto him, Fear⁴ not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find⁴ thee; and thou shalt be king⁴ over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.⁶

And they two made⁴ a covenant before the LORD: and David abode⁴ in the wood, and Jonathan went¹ to his house.

Then came up⁴ the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying,² Doth not David hide¹⁰² himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which [is] on the south of Jeshimon?

Now therefore, O king, come down³ according to all the desire of thy soul to come down;² and our part [shall be] to deliver⁵³ him into the king's hand.

And Saul said,⁴ Blessed⁷ [be] ye of the LORD; for ye have compassion¹ on me.

Go,³ I pray you, prepare⁵⁴ yet, and know³ and see³ his place where his haunt is, [and] who hath seen¹ him there: for it is told¹ me [that] he dealeth very² subtilly.⁵⁵

See³ therefore, and take knowledge³ of all the lurking places where he hideth¹⁰¹ himself, and come ye again¹ to me with the certainty,¹² and I will go¹ with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out¹⁴ throughout all the thousands of Judah.

And they arose,⁴ and went⁴ to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men [were] in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the south of Jeshimon.

Saul also and his men went⁴ to seek¹⁵ [him]. And they told⁵⁵ David: wherefore he came down⁴ into a rock, and abode⁴ in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard⁴ [that], he pursued⁴ after David in the wilderness of Maon.

And Saul went⁴ on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste¹² to get away² for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed⁶ David and his men round about to take² them.

But there came¹ a messenger unto Saul, saying,² Haste¹⁶ thee, and come;³ for the Philistines have invaded¹ the land.

Wherefore Saul returned⁴ from pursuing² after David, and went⁴ against² the Philistines: therefore they called¹ that place Selahammahlekoth.

And David went up⁴ from thence, and dwelt⁴ in strong holds at Engedi.