David rescues Keilah
When David was told, Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are looting the threshing floors, he enquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go and attack these Philistines? The Lord answered him, Go, attack the Philistines and save Keilah. But David's men said to him, Here in Judah we are afraid. How much more, then, if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces. Once again David enquired of the Lord, and the Lord answered him, Go down to Keilah, for I am going to give the Philistines into your hand. So David and his men went to Keilah, fought the Philistines and carried off their livestock. He inflicted heavy losses on the Philistines and saved the people of Keilah. (Now Abiathar son of Ahimelek had brought the ephod down with him when he fled to David at Keilah.) Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, and he said, God has delivered him into my hands, for David has imprisoned himself by entering a town with gates and bars. And Saul called up all his forces for battle, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men. When David learned that Saul was plotting against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring the ephod. David said, Lord, God of Israel, your servant has heard definitely that Saul plans to come to Keilah and destroy the town on account of me. Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me to him? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? Lord, God of Israel, tell your servant. And the Lord said, He will come down. Again David asked, Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men to Saul? And the Lord said, They will. So David and his men, about six hundred in number, left Keilah and kept moving from place to place. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he did not go there.
When David was told, Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are looting the threshing floors,
Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors.
he enquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go and attack these Philistines? The Lord answered him, Go, attack the Philistines and save Keilah.
Therefore David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the LORD said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah.
But David's men said to him, Here in Judah we are afraid. How much more, then, if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces.
And David’s men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?
Once again David enquired of the Lord, and the Lord answered him, Go down to Keilah, for I am going to give the Philistines into your hand.
Then David enquired of the LORD yet again. And the LORD answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand.
So David and his men went to Keilah, fought the Philistines and carried off their livestock. He inflicted heavy losses on the Philistines and saved the people of Keilah.
So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.
(Now Abiathar son of Ahimelek had brought the ephod down with him when he fled to David at Keilah.)
And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand.
Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, and he said, God has delivered him into my hands, for David has imprisoned himself by entering a town with gates and bars.
And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said, God hath delivered him into mine hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars.
And Saul called up all his forces for battle, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men.
And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.
When David learned that Saul was plotting against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring the ephod.
And David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod.
David said, Lord, God of Israel, your servant has heard definitely that Saul plans to come to Keilah and destroy the town on account of me.
Then said David, O LORD God of Israel, thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake.
Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me to him? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? Lord, God of Israel, tell your servant. And the Lord said, He will come down.
Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O LORD God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And the LORD said, He will come down.
Again David asked, Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men to Saul? And the Lord said, They will.
Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the LORD said, They will deliver thee up.
So David and his men, about six hundred in number, left Keilah and kept moving from place to place. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he did not go there.
Then David and his men, which were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbare to go forth.
In the wilderness
David stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God did not give David into his hands. While David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he learned that Saul had come out to take his life. And Saul's son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God. Don't be afraid, he said. My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this. The two of them made a covenant before the Lord. Then Jonathan went home, but David remained at Horesh. The Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hakilah, south of Jeshimon? Now, Your Majesty, come down whenever it pleases you to do so, and we will be responsible for giving him into your hands. Saul replied, The Lord bless you for your concern for me. Go and get more information. Find out where David usually goes and who has seen him there. They tell me he is very crafty. Find out about all the hiding places he uses and come back to me with definite information. Then I will go with you; if he is in the area, I will track him down among all the clans of Judah. So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the Desert of Maon, in the Arabah south of Jeshimon. Saul and his men began the search, and when David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Desert of Maon. When Saul heard this, he went into the Desert of Maon in pursuit of David. Saul was going along one side of the mountain, and David and his men were on the other side, hurrying to get away from Saul. As Saul and his forces were closing in on David and his men to capture them, a messenger came to Saul, saying, Come quickly. The Philistines are raiding the land. Then Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to meet the Philistines. That is why they call this place Sela Hammahlekoth. And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of En Gedi.
David stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God did not give David into his hands.
And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand.
While David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he learned that Saul had come out to take his life.
And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.
And Saul's son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God.
And Jonathan Saul’s son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.
Don't be afraid, he said. My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this.
And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.
The two of them made a covenant before the Lord. Then Jonathan went home, but David remained at Horesh.
And they two made a covenant before the LORD: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.
The Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hakilah, south of Jeshimon?
Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon?
Now, Your Majesty, come down whenever it pleases you to do so, and we will be responsible for giving him into your hands.
Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king’s hand.
Saul replied, The Lord bless you for your concern for me.
And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have compassion on me.
Go and get more information. Find out where David usually goes and who has seen him there. They tell me he is very crafty.
Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who hath seen him there: for it is told me that he dealeth very subtilly.
Find out about all the hiding places he uses and come back to me with definite information. Then I will go with you; if he is in the area, I will track him down among all the clans of Judah.
See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah.
So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the Desert of Maon, in the Arabah south of Jeshimon.
And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the south of Jeshimon.
Saul and his men began the search, and when David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Desert of Maon. When Saul heard this, he went into the Desert of Maon in pursuit of David.
Saul also and his men went to seek him. And they told David: wherefore he came down into a rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.
Saul was going along one side of the mountain, and David and his men were on the other side, hurrying to get away from Saul. As Saul and his forces were closing in on David and his men to capture them,
And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them.
a messenger came to Saul, saying, Come quickly. The Philistines are raiding the land.
But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land.
Then Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to meet the Philistines. That is why they call this place Sela Hammahlekoth.
Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Selahammahlekoth.
And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of En Gedi.
And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at Engedi.