| NET Bible | English Standard Version |
| 1They told David, "The Philistines are fighting in Keilah and are looting the threshing floors." | 1Now they told David, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are robbing the threshing floors.” |
| 2So David asked the LORD, "Should I go and strike down these Philistines?" The LORD said to David, "Go, strike down the Philistines and deliver Keilah." | 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.” |
| 3But David's men said to him, "We are afraid while we are still here in Judah! What will it be like if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?" | 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?” |
| 4So David asked the LORD once again. But again the LORD replied, "Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand." | 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.” |
| 5So David and his men went to Keilah and fought the Philistines. He took away their cattle and thoroughly defeated them. David delivered the inhabitants of Keilah. | 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. |
| 6Now when Abiathar son of Ahimelech had fled to David at Keilah, he had brought with him an ephod. | 6When Abiathar the son of Ahimelech had fled to David to Keilah, he had come down with an ephod in his hand. |
| 7When Saul was told that David had come to Keilah, Saul said, "God has delivered him into my hand, for he has boxed himself into a corner by entering a city with two barred gates." | 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.” |
| 8So Saul mustered all his army to go down to Keilah and besiege David and his men. | 8And Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men. |
| 9When David realized that Saul was planning to harm him, he told Abiathar the priest, "Bring the ephod!" | 9David knew that Saul was plotting harm against him. And he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.” |
| 10Then David said, "O LORD God of Israel, your servant has clearly heard that Saul is planning to come to Keilah to destroy the city because of me. | 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. |
| 11Will the leaders of Keilah deliver me into his hand? Will Saul come down as your servant has heard? O LORD God of Israel, please inform your servant!" Then the LORD said, "He will come down." | 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.” |
| 12David asked, "Will the leaders of Keilah deliver me and my men into Saul's hand?" The LORD said, "They will deliver you over." | 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.” |
| 13So David and his men, who numbered about six hundred, set out and left Keilah; they moved around from one place to another. When told that David had escaped from Keilah, Saul called a halt to his expedition. | 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. |
| 14David stayed in the strongholds that were in the desert and in the hill country of the desert of Ziph. Saul looked for him all the time, but God did not deliver David into his hand. | 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. |
| 15David realized that Saul had come out to seek his life; at that time David was in Horesh in the desert of Ziph. | 15David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh. |
| 16Then Jonathan son of Saul left and went to David at Horesh. He encouraged him through God. | 16And Jonathan, Saul’s son, rose and went to David at Horesh, and strengthened his hand in God. |
| 17He said to him, "Don't be afraid! For the hand of my father Saul cannot find you. You will rule over Israel, and I will be your second in command. Even my father Saul realizes this." | 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.” |
| 18When the two of them had made a covenant before the LORD, David stayed on at Horesh, but Jonathan went to his house. | 18And the two of them made a covenant before the LORD. David remained at Horesh, and Jonathan went home. |
| 19Then the Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, "Isn't David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh on the hill of Hakilah, south of Jeshimon? | 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? |
| 20Now at your own discretion, O king, come down. Delivering him into the king's hand will be our responsibility." | 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.” |
| 21Saul replied, "May you be blessed by the LORD, for you have had compassion on me. | 21And Saul said, “May you be blessed by the LORD, for you have had compassion on me. |
| 22Go and make further arrangements. Determine precisely where he is and who has seen him there, for I am told that he is extremely cunning. | 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. |
| 23Locate precisely all the places where he hides and return to me with dependable information. Then I will go with you. If he is in the land, I will find him among all the thousands of Judah." | 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.” |
| 24So they left and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the desert of Maon, in the Arabah to the south of Jeshimon. | 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. |
| 25Saul and his men went to look for him. But David was informed and went down to the rock and stayed in the desert of Maon. When Saul heard about it, he pursued David in the desert of Maon. | 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. |
| 26Saul went on one side of the mountain, while David and his men went on the other side of the mountain. David was hurrying to get away from Saul, but Saul and his men were surrounding David and his men so they could capture them. | 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, |
| 27But a messenger came to Saul saying, "Come quickly, for the Philistines have raided the land!" | 27a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, for the Philistines have made a raid against the land.” |
| 28So Saul stopped pursuing David and went to confront the Philistines. Therefore that place is called Sela Hammahlekoth. | 28So Saul returned from pursuing after David and went against the Philistines. Therefore that place was called the Rock of Escape. |
| 29Then David went up from there and stayed in the strongholds of En Gedi. | 29And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of Engedi. |
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