International Standard Version

New American Standard Bible 1995

1Someone told David, "Look, the Philistines are fighting at Keilah and are plundering the threshing floors."

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

2David inquired of the LORD: "Shall I go and strike down these Philistines?" The LORD told David, "Go strike down the Philistines and deliver 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."

3David's men told him, "Look, we're afraid here in Judah. How much then, if we go to Keilah against the Philistine army?"

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?"

4David inquired of the LORD again, and the LORD answered him: "Get up, go down to Keilah. I'll give the Philistines into your control."

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."

5David and his men went to Keilah and fought the Philistines. He carried off their livestock and defeated them decisively, and so David delivered 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.

6Now when Ahimelech's son Abiathar had fled to David in Keilah, the ephod had come down 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.

7It was reported to Saul that David had come to Keilah, and Saul said, "The LORD has delivered him into my hand because he has shut himself in by going into a town with double gates and bars."

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."

8Saul summoned for battle all his forces to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.

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

9David knew that Saul was devising evil plans against him, and so he told Abiathar the priest, "Bring the ephod."

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

10David said, "LORD God of Israel. Your servant has definitely heard that Saul intends to come to Keilah to 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 people of Keilah hand me over to him? Will Saul come down just as your servant has heard? LORD God of Israel, please inform your servant." The LORD said, "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 said, "Will the people of Keilah hand me over to Saul?" The LORD said, "They'll hand you over."

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."

13David and his men, about 600 strong, got up and left Keilah. They moved around wherever they could go. Saul was advised that David had escaped from Keilah, so he stopped the campaign.

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 stayed in the wilderness in the strongholds, and he lived in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but God did not let David slip into Saul's control.

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 afraid because Saul had come out to seek his life while David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh.

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

16Saul's son Jonathan got up and went to David at Horesh, and he encouraged him to trust in God.

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

17Jonathan told him, "Don't be afraid. My father Saul won't find you, and you will be king over Israel. I'll be your second-in-command. My father Saul also knows this."

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."

18The two of them made a covenant in the LORD's presence. David remained at 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.

19People from Ziph came up to Saul at Gibeah and informed him, "David is hiding with us in the strongholds in Horesh and on the hill of Hachilah south of Jeshimon, isn't he?

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, your majesty, whenever you want to come down, come down, and 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."

21Saul said, "May you be blessed by the LORD, because you have been gracious to me.

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

22Go and again make sure, find out and investigate where he is and who has seen him there, for people tell me that he's very clever.

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 and find out all the hiding places there where he hides, and return to me with reliable information. Then I'll go down with you, and if he's in the land, I'll search him out among all the thousands 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."

24The people from Ziph got up and left Saul, while David and his men were in the wilderness of 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.

25When Saul and his men went to search for David, some people told David, and he went down to the Rock of Escape and remained in the wilderness of Maon. Saul heard this and he pursued David into the wilderness of Maon.

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 on one side of the mountain while David and his men went on the other side of the mountain. David was hurrying to get away from Saul while 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 with this news: "Come quickly, because the Philistines have made a raid on the land!"

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

28So Saul turned around from pursuing David and went to meet the Philistines. Therefore, they call that place the Rock of Escape.

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

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

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

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