NET Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

1They told David, "The Philistines are fighting in Keilah and are looting the threshing floors."

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

2So David asked the LORD, "Should I go and strike down these Philistines?" The LORD said to 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."

3But David's men said to him, "We are afraid while we are still here in Judah! What will it be like 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 ranks of the Philistines?"

4So David asked the LORD once again. But again the LORD replied, "Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand."

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."

5So David and his men went to Keilah and fought the Philistines. He took away their cattle and thoroughly defeated them. 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 Abiathar son of Ahimelech had fled to David at Keilah, he had brought with him an ephod.

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 Saul was told that David had come to Keilah, Saul said, "God has delivered him into my hand, for he has boxed himself into a corner by entering a city with two 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."

8So Saul mustered all his army to go down to 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 realized that Saul was planning to harm him, 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."

10Then David said, "O LORD God of Israel, your servant has clearly heard that Saul is planning to come to Keilah to destroy the city 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 leaders of Keilah deliver me into his hand? Will Saul come down as your servant has heard? O LORD God of Israel, please inform your servant!" Then 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."

12David asked, "Will the leaders of Keilah deliver me and my men into Saul's hand?" The LORD said, "They will deliver 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."

13So David and his men, who numbered about six hundred, set out and left Keilah; they moved around from one place to another. When told that David had escaped from Keilah, Saul called a halt to his 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 stayed in the strongholds that were in the desert and in the hill country of the desert of Ziph. Saul looked for him all the time, but God did not deliver David into his hand.

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 realized that Saul had come out to seek his life; at that time David was in Horesh in the desert of Ziph.

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

16Then Jonathan son of Saul left and went to David at Horesh. He encouraged him through God.

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

17He said to him, "Don't be afraid! For the hand of my father Saul cannot find you. You will rule over Israel, and I will be your second in command. Even my father Saul realizes 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."

18When the two of them had made a covenant before the LORD, David stayed on at Horesh, but Jonathan went to his house.

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

19Then the Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, "Isn't David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh on the hill of Hakilah, 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 at your own discretion, O king, come down. Delivering him into the king's hand will be our responsibility."

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 replied, "May you be blessed by the LORD, for you have had compassion on me.

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

22Go and make further arrangements. Determine precisely where he is and who has seen him there, for I am told that 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.

23Locate precisely all the places where he hides and return to me with dependable information. Then I will go with you. If he is in the land, I will find him 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."

24So they left and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the desert of Maon, in the Arabah to the 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.

25Saul and his men went to look for him. But David was informed and went down to the rock and stayed in the desert of Maon. When Saul heard about it, he pursued David in the desert 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, but Saul and his men were surrounding David and his men so they could 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.

27But a messenger came to Saul saying, "Come quickly, for 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 stopped pursuing David and went to confront the Philistines. Therefore that place is called Sela Hammahlekoth.

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

29Then 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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