Berean Study Bible

English Standard Version

1Now it was reported to David, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and looting the threshing floors.”

1Now they told David, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are robbing the threshing floors.”

2So David inquired of the LORD, “Should I go and attack these Philistines?” And the LORD said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah.”

2Therefore David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” And the LORD said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah.”

3But David’s men said to him, “Look, we are afraid here in Judah; how much more if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?”

3But David’s men said to him, “Behold, we are afraid here in Judah; how much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?”

4Once again, David inquired of the LORD, and the LORD answered him: “Go at once to Keilah, for I will deliver the Philistines into your hand.”

4Then David inquired of the LORD again. And the LORD answered him, “Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand.”

5Then David and his men went to Keilah, fought against the Philistines, and carried off their livestock, striking them with a mighty blow. So David saved the people of Keilah.

5And David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines and brought away their livestock and struck them with a great blow. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

6(Now Abiathar son of Ahimelech had brought the ephod with him when he fled to David at Keilah.)

6When Abiathar the son of Ahimelech had fled to David to Keilah, he had come down with an ephod in his hand.

7When Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, he said, “God has delivered him into my hand, for he has trapped himself by entering a town with gates and bars.”

7Now it was told Saul that David had come to Keilah. And Saul said, “God has given him into my hand, for he has shut himself in by entering a town that has gates and bars.”

8Then Saul summoned all his troops to go to war at Keilah and besiege David and his men.

8And Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.

9When David learned that Saul was plotting evil against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod.”

9David knew that Saul was plotting harm against him. And he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.”

10And David said, “O LORD, God of Israel, Your servant has heard that Saul intends to come to Keilah and destroy the city on my account.

10Then David said, “O LORD, the God of Israel, your servant has surely heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah, to destroy the city on my account.

11Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as Your servant has heard? O LORD, God of Israel, please tell Your servant.” “He will,” said the LORD.

11Will the men of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? O LORD, the God of Israel, please tell your servant.” And the LORD said, “He will come down.”

12So David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?” “They will,” said the LORD.

12Then David said, “Will the men of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?” And the LORD said, “They will surrender you.”

13Then David and his men, about six hundred strong, set out and departed from Keilah, moving from place to place. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he declined to go forth.

13Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed from Keilah, and they went wherever they could go. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up the expedition.

14And David stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God would not deliver David into his hand.

14And David remained in the strongholds in the wilderness, in the hill country of the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God did not give him into his hand.

15While David was in Horesh in the Wilderness of Ziph, he saw that Saul had come out to take his life.

15David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh.

16And Saul’s son Jonathan came to David in Horesh and strengthened his hand in God,

16And Jonathan, Saul’s son, rose and went to David at Horesh, and strengthened his hand in God.

17saying, “Do not be afraid, for my father Saul will never lay a hand on you. And you will be king over Israel, and I will be your second-in-command. Even my father Saul knows this is true.”

17And he said to him, “Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Saul my father also knows this.”

18So the two of them made a covenant before the LORD. And David remained in Horesh, while Jonathan went home.

18And the two of them made a covenant before the LORD. David remained at Horesh, and Jonathan went home.

19Then the Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah south of Jeshimon?

19Then the Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah, which is south of Jeshimon?

20Now, O king, come down whenever your soul desires, and we will be responsible for delivering him into your hand.”

20Now come down, O king, according to all your heart’s desire to come down, and our part shall be to surrender him into the king’s hand.”

21“May you be blessed by the LORD,” replied Saul, “for you have had compassion on me.

21And Saul said, “May you be blessed by the LORD, for you have had compassion on me.

22Please go and prepare further. Investigate and watch carefully where he goes and who has seen him there, for I am told that he is extremely cunning.

22Go, make yet more sure. Know and see the place where his foot is, and who has seen him there, for it is told me that he is very cunning.

23Observe and find out all the places where he hides. Then come back to me with certainty, and I will go with you. If he is in the land, I will search him out among all the clans of Judah.”

23See therefore and take note of all the lurking places where he hides, and come back to me with sure information. Then I will go with you. And if he is in the land, I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.”

24So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the Wilderness of Maon in the Arabah south of Jeshimon,

24And they arose and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah to the south of Jeshimon.

25and Saul and his men went to seek him. When David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard of this, he pursued David there.

25And Saul and his men went to seek him. And David was told, so he went down to the rock and lived in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.

26Saul was proceeding along one side of the mountain, and David and his men along the other side. Even though David was hurrying to get away, Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them.

26Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side of the mountain. And David was hurrying to get away from Saul. As Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them,

27Then a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Come quickly, for the Philistines have raided the land!”

27a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, for the Philistines have made a raid against the land.”

28So Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to meet the Philistines. That is why that place is called Sela-hammahlekoth.

28So Saul returned from pursuing after David and went against the Philistines. Therefore that place was called the Rock of Escape.

29And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of En-gedi.

29And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of Engedi.

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ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.