Christian Standard Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

1It was reported to David: "Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and raiding the threshing floors."

1Then they told David, saying, "Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are plundering the threshing floors."

2So David inquired of the LORD: "Should I launch an attack against these Philistines?" The LORD answered David, "Launch an attack against the Philistines and rescue Keilah."

2So David inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall I go and attack these Philistines?" And the LORD said to David, "Go and attack the Philistines and deliver Keilah."

3But David's men said to him, "Look, we're afraid here in Judah; how much more if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces!"

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 ranks of the Philistines?"

4Once again, David inquired of the LORD, and the LORD answered him: "Go at once to Keilah, for I will hand the Philistines over to you."

4Then David inquired of the LORD once more. And the LORD answered him and said, "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, drove their livestock away, and inflicted heavy losses on them. So David rescued the inhabitants of Keilah.

5So David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines; and he led away their livestock and struck them with a great slaughter. Thus David delivered the inhabitants of Keilah.

6Abiathar son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, and he brought an ephod with him.

6Now it came about, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand.

7When 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."

7When it was told Saul that David had come to Keilah, Saul said, "God has delivered him into my hand, for he shut himself in by entering a city with double gates and bars."

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

8So Saul summoned all the people for 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 the priest Abiathar, "Bring the ephod."

9Now David knew that Saul was plotting evil against him; so he said to Abiathar the priest, "Bring the ephod here."

10Then David said, "LORD God of Israel, your servant has reliable information that Saul intends to come to Keilah and destroy the town because of me.

10Then David said, "O LORD God of Israel, Your servant has heard for certain that Saul is seeking to come to Keilah to destroy the city on my account.

11Will the citizens of Keilah hand me over to him? Will Saul come down as your servant has heard? LORD God of Israel, please tell your servant." The LORD answered, "He will come down."

11"Will the men of Keilah surrender me into his hand? 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."

12Then David asked, "Will the citizens of Keilah hand me and my men over to Saul?" "They will," the LORD responded.

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."

13So 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.

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

14David 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.

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

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

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

16Then Saul's son Jonathan came to David in Horesh and encouraged him in his faith in God,

16And Jonathan, Saul's son, arose and went to David at Horesh, and encouraged him in God.

17saying, "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."

17Thus he said to him, "Do not be afraid, because the hand of Saul my father will not find you, and you will be king over Israel and I will be next to you; and Saul my father knows that also."

18Then the two of them made a covenant in the LORD's presence. Afterward, David remained in Horesh, while Jonathan went home.

18So the two of them made a covenant before the LORD; and David stayed at Horesh while Jonathan went to his house.

19Some 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.

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

20Now, whenever the king wants to come down, let him come down. Our part will be to hand him over to the king."

20"Now then, O king, come down according to all the desire of your soul to do so; 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 shown concern for me.

21Saul said, "May you be blessed of the LORD, for you have had compassion on me.

22Go and check again. Investigate where he goes and who has seen him there; they tell me he is extremely cunning.

22"Go now, make more sure, and investigate and see his place where his haunt is, and who has seen him there; for I am told that he is very cunning.

23Investigate 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."

23"So look, and learn about all the hiding places where he hides himself and return to me with certainty, and 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 went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the wilderness near Maon in the Arabah south of Jeshimon,

24Then they arose 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.

25and 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.

25When Saul and his men went to seek him, they told David, and he came down to the rock and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard it, he pursued David in the wilderness of Maon.

26Saul 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.

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, for Saul and his men were surrounding David and his men to seize them.

27Then a messenger came to Saul saying, "Come quickly, because the Philistines have raided the land!"

27But a messenger came to Saul, saying, "Hurry and come, for the Philistines have made a raid on the land."

28So Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to engage the Philistines. Therefore, that place was named the Rock of Separation.

28So Saul returned from pursuing David and went to meet the Philistines; therefore they called that place the Rock of Escape.

29From there David went up and stayed in the strongholds of En-gedi.

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

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org