23:1 And they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and are robbing the threshing-floors.
23:1 Then they told David, saying, "Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and are plundering the threshing floors."

23:2 Therefore David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And Jehovah said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah.
23:2 So 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."

23:3 And David's men said unto him, Behold, we are afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?
23:3 But 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?"

23:4 Then David inquired of Jehovah yet again. And Jehovah answered him, and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thy hand.
23:4 Then 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."

23:5 And David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and slew them with a great slaughter. So David save the inhabitants of Keilah.
23:5 So 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.

23:6 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.
23:6 Now it came about, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, [that] he came down [with] an ephod in his hand.

23:7 And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said, God hath delivered him into my hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars.
23:7 When 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."

23:8 And Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.
23:8 So Saul summoned all the people for war, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men.

23:9 And David knew that Saul was devising mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod.
23:9 Now David knew that Saul was plotting evil against him; so he said to Abiathar the priest, "Bring the ephod here."

23:10 Then said David, O Jehovah, the God of Israel, thy servant hath surely heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake.
23:10 Then David said, "O LORD God of Israel, Thy servant has heard for certain that Saul is seeking to come to Keilah to destroy the city on my account.

23:11 Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O Jehovah, the God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And Jehovah said, He will come down.
23:11 "Will the men of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down just as Thy servant has heard? O LORD God of Israel, I pray, tell Thy servant." And the LORD said, "He will come down."

23:12 Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver up to me and my men into the hand of Saul? And Jehovah said, They will deliver thee up.
23:12 Then 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."

23:13 Then David and his men, who 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.
23:13 Then 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.

23:14 And David abode 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 delivered him not into his hand.
23:14 And David 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.

23:15 And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in the wood.
23:15 Now David became aware that Saul had come out to seek his life while David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh.

23:16 And Jonathan, Saul's son, arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.
23:16 And Jonathan, Saul's son, arose and went to David at Horesh, and encouraged him in God.

23:17 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.
23:17 Thus he said to him, "Do not be afraid, because the hand of Saul my father shall not find you, and you will be king over Israel and I will be next to you; and Saul my father knows that also."

23:18 And they two made a covenant before Jehovah: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.
23:18 So the two of them made a covenant before the LORD; and David stayed at Horesh while Jonathan went to his house.

23:19 Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in the strongholds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of the desert?
23:19 Then 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?

23:20 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 up into the king's hand.
23:20 "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."

23:21 And Saul said, Blessed be ye of Jehovah; for ye have had compassion on me.
23:21 And Saul said, "May you be blessed of the LORD; for you have had compassion on me.

23:22 Go, I pray you, make yet more sure, 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 subtly.
23:22 "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.

23:23 See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking-places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me of a 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 among all the thousands of Judah.
23:23 "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 it shall come about if he is in the land that I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah."

23:24 And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah on the south of the desert.
23:24 Then 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.

23:25 And Saul and his men went to seek him. And they told David: wherefore he came down to the rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard (that), he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.
23:25 When 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.

23:26 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.
23:26 And Saul 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.

23:27 But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have made a raid upon the land.
23:27 But a messenger came to Saul, saying, "Hurry and come, for the Philistines have made a raid on the land."

23:28 So Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Sela-hammahlekoth.
23:28 So Saul returned from pursuing David, and went to meet the Philistines; therefore they called that place the Rock of Escape.

23:29 And David went up from thence, and dwelt in the strongholds of En-gedi.
23:29 And David went up from there and stayed in the strongholds of Engedi.