| NET Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1They told David, "The Philistines are fighting in Keilah and are looting the threshing floors." | 1It was reported to David: "Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and raiding 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." | 2So David inquired of the LORD: "Should I launch an attack against these Philistines?" The LORD answered David, "Launch an attack against the Philistines and rescue 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, "Look, we're afraid here in Judah; how much more if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces!" |
| 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." | 4Once again, David inquired of the LORD, and the LORD answered him: "Go at once to Keilah, for I will hand the Philistines over to you." |
| 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. | 5Then David and his men went to Keilah, fought against the Philistines, drove their livestock away, and inflicted heavy losses on them. So David rescued the inhabitants of Keilah. |
| 6Now when Abiathar son of Ahimelech had fled to David at Keilah, he had brought with him an ephod. | 6Abiathar son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, and he brought an ephod with him. |
| 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." | 7When it was reported to Saul that David had gone to Keilah, he said, "God has handed him over to me, for he has trapped himself by entering a town with barred gates." |
| 8So Saul mustered all his army to go down to Keilah and besiege David and his men. | 8Then Saul summoned all the troops to go to war at Keilah and besiege David and his men. |
| 9When David realized that Saul was planning to harm him, he told Abiathar the priest, "Bring the ephod!" | 9When David learned that Saul was plotting evil against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, "Bring the ephod." |
| 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, " LORD God of Israel, Your servant has heard that Saul intends to come to Keilah and destroy the town because of me. |
| 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 citizens of Keilah hand me over to him? Will Saul come down as Your servant has heard? LORD God of Israel, please tell Your servant." The LORD answered, "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 asked, "Will the citizens of Keilah hand me and my men over to Saul?" "They will," the LORD responded. |
| 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. | 13So David and his men, numbering about 600, left Keilah at once and moved from place to place. When it was reported to Saul that David had escaped from Keilah, he called off 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. | 14David then stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph. Saul searched for him every day, but God did not hand David over to him. |
| 15David realized that Saul had come out to seek his life; at that time David was in Horesh in the desert of Ziph. | 15David was in the Wilderness of Ziph in Horesh when he saw that Saul had come out to take his life. |
| 16Then Jonathan son of Saul left and went to David at Horesh. He encouraged him through God. | 16Then Saul's son Jonathan came to David in Horesh and encouraged him in his faith 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." | 17saying, "Don't be afraid, for my father Saul will never lay a hand on you. You yourself will be king over Israel, and I'll be your second-in-command. Even my father Saul knows it is true." |
| 18When the two of them had made a covenant before the LORD, David stayed on at Horesh, but Jonathan went to his house. | 18Then the two of them made a covenant in the LORD's presence. Afterward, David remained in Horesh, while 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? | 19Some Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah and said, "David is hiding among us in the strongholds in Horesh on the hill of Hachilah south of Jeshimon. |
| 20Now at your own discretion, O king, come down. Delivering him into the king's hand will be our responsibility." | 20Now, whenever the king wants to come down, let him come down. Our part will be to hand him over to the king." |
| 21Saul replied, "May you be blessed by the LORD, for you have had compassion on me. | 21"May you be blessed by the LORD," replied Saul, "for you have taken pity 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 and check again. Investigate and watch carefully where he goes and who has seen him there; they tell me he is extremely 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." | 23Look and find out all the places where he hides. Then come back to me with accurate information, and I'll go with you. If it turns out he really is in the region, I'll search for him among all the clans 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. | 24So they went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the wilderness near Maon in the Arabah 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 look for him. When David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Wilderness of Maon. Saul heard of this and pursued David there. |
| 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 along one side of the mountain and David and his men went along the other side. Even though David was hurrying to get away from Saul, 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!" | 27Then a messenger came to Saul saying, "Come quickly, because the Philistines have raided the land!" |
| 28So Saul stopped pursuing David and went to confront the Philistines. Therefore that place is called Sela Hammahlekoth. | 28So Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to engage the Philistines. Therefore, that place was named the Rock of Separation. |
| 29Then David went up from there and stayed in the strongholds of En Gedi. | 29From there David went up and stayed in the strongholds of En-gedi. |
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