23:1 Now they told David, "Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Kei'lah, and are robbing the threshing floors."
23:1 Now they told David, "The Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and are robbing the threshing floors."

23:2 Therefore David inquired of the LORD, "Shall I go and attack these Philistines?" And the LORD said to David, "Go and attack the Philistines and save Kei'lah."
23:2 David inquired of the LORD, "Shall I go and attack these Philistines?" The LORD said to David, "Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah."

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

23:4 Then David inquired of the LORD again. And the LORD answered him, "Arise, go down to Kei'lah; for I will give the Philistines into your hand."
23:4 Then David inquired of the LORD again. The LORD answered him, "Yes, go down to Keilah; for I will give the Philistines into your hand."

23:5 And David and his men went to Kei'lah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and made a great slaughter among them. So David delivered the inhabitants of Kei'lah.
23:5 So David and his men went to Keilah, fought with the Philistines, brought away their livestock, and dealt them a heavy defeat. Thus David rescued the inhabitants of Keilah.

23:6 When Abi'athar the son of Ahim'elech fled to David to Kei'lah, he came down with an ephod in his hand.
23:6 When Abiathar son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, he came down with an ephod in his hand.

23:7 Now it was told Saul that David had come to Kei'lah. And Saul said, "God has given him into my hand; for he has shut himself in by entering a town that has gates and bars."
23:7 Now it was told Saul that David had come to Keilah. And Saul said, "God has given him into my hand; for he has shut himself in by entering a town that has gates and bars."

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

23:9 David knew that Saul was plotting evil against him; and he said to Abi'athar the priest, "Bring the ephod here."
23:9 When David learned that Saul was plotting evil against him, he said to the priest Abiathar, "Bring the ephod here."

23:10 Then said David, "O LORD, the God of Israel, thy servant has surely heard that Saul seeks to come to Kei'lah, to destroy the city on my account.
23:10 David said, "O LORD, the God of Israel, your servant has heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah, to destroy the city on my account.

23:11 Will the men of Kei'lah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as thy servant has heard? O LORD, the God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant." And the LORD said, "He will come down."
23:11 And now, will Saul come down as your servant has heard? O LORD, the God of Israel, I beseech you, tell your servant." The LORD said, "He will come down."

23:12 Then said David, "Will the men of Kei'lah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?" And the LORD said, "They will surrender you."
23:12 Then David said, "Will the men of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?" The LORD said, "They will surrender you."

23:13 Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed from Kei'lah, and they went wherever they could go. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Kei'lah, he gave up the expedition.
23:13 Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, set out and left Keilah; they wandered wherever they could go. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up the expedition.

23:14 And David remained in the strongholds in the wilderness, in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God did not give him into his hand.
23:14 David remained in the strongholds in the wilderness, in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but the LORD did not give him into his hand.

23:15 And David was afraid because Saul had come out to seek his life. David was in the Wilderness of Ziph at Horesh.
23:15 David was in the Wilderness of Ziph at Horesh when he learned that Saul had come out to seek his life.

23:16 And Jonathan, Saul's son, rose, and went to David at Horesh, and strengthened his hand in God.
23:16 Saul's son Jonathan set out and came to David at Horesh; there he strengthened his hand through the LORD.

23:17 And he said to him, "Fear not; for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you; you shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you; Saul my father also knows this."
23:17 He said to him, "Do not be afraid; for the hand of my father Saul shall not find you; you shall be king over Israel, and I shall be second to you; my father Saul also knows that this is so."

23:18 And the two of them made a covenant before the LORD; David remained at Horesh, and Jonathan went home.
23:18 Then the two of them made a covenant before the LORD; David remained at Horesh, and Jonathan went home.

23:19 Then the Ziphites went up to Saul at Gib'e-ah, saying, "Does not David hide among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachi'lah, which is south of Jeshi'mon?
23:19 Then some Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, "David is hiding among us in the strongholds of Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah, which is south of Jeshimon.

23:20 Now come down, O king, according to all your heart's desire to come down; and our part shall be to surrender him into the king's hand."
23:20 Now, O king, whenever you wish to come down, do so; and our part will be to surrender him into the king's hand."

23:21 And Saul said, "May you be blessed by the LORD; for you have had compassion on me.
23:21 Saul said, "May you be blessed by the LORD for showing me compassion!

23:22 Go, make yet more sure; know and see the place where his haunt is, and who has seen him there; for it is told me that he is very cunning.
23:22 Go and make sure once more; find out exactly where he is, and who has seen him there; for I am told that he is very cunning.

23:23 See therefore, and take note of all the lurking places where he hides, and come back to me with sure information. Then I will go with you; and if he is in the land, I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah."
23:23 Look around and learn all the hiding places where he lurks, and come back to me with sure information. Then I will go with you; and if he is in the land, I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah."

23:24 And they arose, and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the wilderness of Ma'on, in the Arabah to the south of Jeshi'mon.
23:24 So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. 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 David was told; therefore he went down to the rock which is in the wilderness of Ma'on. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Ma'on.
23:25 Saul and his men went to search for him. When David was told, he went down to the rock and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. When Saul heard that, he pursued David into the wilderness of Maon.

23:26 Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side of the mountain; and David was making haste to get away from Saul, as Saul and his men were closing in upon David and his men to capture them,
23:26 Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men 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.

23:27 when a messenger came to Saul, saying, "Make haste and come; for the Philistines have made a raid upon the land."
23:27 Then 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 that place was called the Rock of Escape.
23:28 So Saul stopped pursuing David, and went against the Philistines; therefore that place was called the Rock of Escape.

23:29 And David went up from there, and dwelt in the strongholds of En-ge'di.
23:29 David then went up from there, and lived in the strongholds of En-gedi.