1 Samuel 23
- 1
- Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines
fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors.
- 2
- 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.
- 3
- 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?
- 4
- 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.
- 5
- 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.
- 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.
- 7
- 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.
- 8
- And Saul called all the people together to war, to go
down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.
- 9
- And David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief
against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod.
- 10
- 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.
- 11
- 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.
- 12
- 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.
- 13
- 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.
- 14
- 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.
- 15
- And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life:
and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.
- 16
- And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into
the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.
- 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.
- 18
- And they two made a covenant before the LORD: and David
abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.
- 19
- 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?
- 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 into the
king's hand.
- 21
- And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have
compassion on me.
- 22
- 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.
- 23
- 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.
- 24
- 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.
- 25
- 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.
- 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.
- 27
- But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste
thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land.
- 28
- Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and
went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place
Selahammahlekoth.
- 29
- And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds
at Engedi.
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