1 Samuel 23
1 Samuel 23:1 It was reported to David: “Notice, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and raiding the threshing floors.”
1 Samuel 23:2 So David inquired of Yahveh: “Should I launch an attack against these Philistines?” Yahveh answered David, “Launch an attack against the Philistines and rescue Keilah.”
1 Samuel 23:3 But David’s men said to him, “Notice, we’re afraid here in Judah; how much more if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces!”
1 Samuel 23:4 Once again, David inquired of Yahveh, and Yahveh answered him: “Go at once to Keilah, for I will hand the Philistines over to you.”
1 Samuel 23:5 Then David and his men went to Keilah, fought against the Philistines, drove their livestock away, and inflicted heavy losses on them. So David rescued the inhabitants of Keilah.
1 Samuel 23:6 Abiathar son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, and he brought an ephod with him.
1 Samuel 23:7 When it was reported to Saul that David had gone to Keilah, he said, “God has handed him over to me, for he has trapped himself by entering a town with barred gates.”
1 Samuel 23:8 Then Saul summoned all the troops to go to war at Keilah and besiege David and his men.
1 Samuel 23:9 When David learned that Saul was plotting evil against him, he said to the priest Abiathar, “Bring the ephod.”
1 Samuel 23:10 Then David said, “Lord God of Israel, your slave has reliable information that Saul intends to come to Keilah and destroy the town because of me.
1 Samuel 23:11 Will the citizens of Keilah hand me over to him? Will Saul come down as your slave has heard? Lord God of Israel, please tell your slave.” Yahveh answered, “He will come down.”
1 Samuel 23:12 Then David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah hand me and my men over to Saul?” “They will,” Yahveh responded.
1 Samuel 23:13 So David and his men, numbering about six hundred, left Keilah at once and moved from place to place. When it was reported to Saul that David had escaped from Keilah, he called off the expedition.
1 Samuel 23:14 David then stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph. Saul searched for him every day, but God did not hand David over to him.
1 Samuel 23:15 David was in the Wilderness of Ziph in Horesh when he saw that Saul had come out to seek his throat.
1 Samuel 23:16 Then Saul’s son Jonathan came to David in Horesh and encouraged him in his faith in God,
1 Samuel 23:17 saying, “Don’t be afraid, for my father Saul will never lay a hand on you. You yourself will be king over Israel, and I’ll be your second-in-command. Even my father Saul knows it is true.”
1 Samuel 23:18 Then the two of them made a covenant in Yahveh’s presence. Afterward, David remained in Horesh, while Jonathan went home.
1 Samuel 23:19 Some Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “David is hiding among us in the strongholds in Horesh on the hill of Hachilah south of Jeshimon.
1 Samuel 23:20 Now, whenever the king’s throat wants to come down, let him come down. Our part will be to hand him over to the king.”
1 Samuel 23:21 “May you be blessed by Yahveh,” replied Saul, “for you have shown concern for me.
1 Samuel 23:22 Go and check again. Investigate where he goes and who has seen him there; they tell me he is extremely cunning.
1 Samuel 23:23 Investigate all the places where he hides. Then come back to me with accurate information, and I’ll go with you. If it turns out he really is in the region, I’ll search for him among all the clans of Judah.”
1 Samuel 23:24 So they went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the wilderness near Maon in the Arabah south of Jeshimon,
1 Samuel 23:25 and Saul and his men went to look for him. When David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Wilderness of Maon. Saul heard of this and pursued David there.
1 Samuel 23:26 Saul went along one side of the mountain and David and his men went along the other side. Even though David was hurrying to get away from Saul, Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them.
1 Samuel 23:27 Then a messenger came to Saul saying, “Come quickly, because the Philistines have raided the land!”
1 Samuel 23:28 So Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to engage the Philistines. Therefore, that place was named the Rock of Separation.
1 Samuel 23:29 From there David went up and stayed in the strongholds of En-gedi.
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