| English Standard Version | New International Version |
| 1Now they told David, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are robbing the threshing floors.” | 1When David was told, "Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are looting the threshing floors," |
| 2Therefore 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 Keilah.” | 2he inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall I go and attack these Philistines?" The LORD answered him, "Go, attack the Philistines and save Keilah." |
| 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 armies of the Philistines?” | 3But 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!" |
| 4Then David inquired of the LORD again. And the LORD answered him, “Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand.” | 4Once again David inquired of the LORD, and the LORD answered him, "Go down to Keilah, for I am going to give the Philistines into your hand." |
| 5And David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines and brought away their livestock and struck them with a great blow. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah. | 5So 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. |
| 6When Abiathar the son of Ahimelech had fled to David to Keilah, he had come down with an ephod in his hand. | 6(Now Abiathar son of Ahimelek had brought the ephod down with him when he fled to David at Keilah.) |
| 7Now 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.” | 7Saul 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." |
| 8And Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men. | 8And Saul called up all his forces for battle, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men. |
| 9David knew that Saul was plotting harm against him. And he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.” | 9When David learned that Saul was plotting against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, "Bring the ephod." |
| 10Then David said, “O LORD, the God of Israel, your servant has surely heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah, to destroy the city on my account. | 10David 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. |
| 11Will the men of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? O LORD, the God of Israel, please tell your servant.” And the LORD said, “He will come down.” | 11Will 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." |
| 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.” | 12Again David asked, "Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men to Saul?" And the LORD said, "They will." |
| 13Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed from Keilah, and they went wherever they could go. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up the expedition. | 13So 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. |
| 14And 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. | 14David 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. |
| 15David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh. | 15While David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he learned that Saul had come out to take his life. |
| 16And Jonathan, Saul’s son, rose and went to David at Horesh, and strengthened his hand in God. | 16And Saul's son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God. |
| 17And he said to him, “Do not fear, 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.” | 17"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." |
| 18And the two of them made a covenant before the LORD. David remained at Horesh, and Jonathan went home. | 18The two of them made a covenant before the LORD. Then Jonathan went home, but David remained at Horesh. |
| 19Then the Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah, which is south of Jeshimon? | 19The 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? |
| 20Now 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.” | 20Now, Your Majesty, come down whenever it pleases you to do so, and we will be responsible for giving him into your hands." |
| 21And Saul said, “May you be blessed by the LORD, for you have had compassion on me. | 21Saul replied, "The LORD bless you for your concern for me. |
| 22Go, make yet more sure. Know and see the place where his foot is, and who has seen him there, for it is told me that he is very cunning. | 22Go and get more information. Find out where David usually goes and who has seen him there. They tell me he is very crafty. |
| 23See 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.” | 23Find 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." |
| 24And they arose and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah to the south of Jeshimon. | 24So 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. |
| 25And Saul and his men went to seek him. And David was told, so he went down to the rock and lived in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon. | 25Saul 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. |
| 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. As Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them, | 26Saul 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, |
| 27a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, for the Philistines have made a raid against the land.” | 27a messenger came to Saul, saying, "Come quickly! The Philistines are raiding the land." |
| 28So Saul returned from pursuing after David and went against the Philistines. Therefore that place was called the Rock of Escape. | 28Then Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to meet the Philistines. That is why they call this place Sela Hammahlekoth. |
| 29And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of Engedi. | 29And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of En Gedi. |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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