ULT 1SA Chapter 23

◄ 1SA 23 ► ║ ═ ©

23 And they told David, saying, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and they are plundering the threshing floors.” 2 And David inquired of Yahweh, saying, “Should I go and strike these Philistines?” And Yahweh said to David, “Go and strike the Philistines and save Keilah.” 3 And the men of David said to him, “Behold, we are afraid here in Judah. And the more so if we go to Keilah against the ranks of the Philistines!” 4 And David did yet again inquire of Yahweh. And Yahweh answered him and said, “Rise, go down to Keilah, for I am about to give the Philistines into your hand.” 5 And David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines. And he drove off their livestock and struck them a great blow. And David saved those who dwelled in Keilah.

6 And it happened that when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah an ephod came down in his hand. 7 And it was told to Saul that David had gone to Keilah. And Saul said, “God has alienated him into my hand. For he has shut himself in by entering into a city of doors and a bar.” 8 And Saul caused all the people to hear for the battle, to go down to Keilah, to lay seige against David and against his men. 9 And David knew that Saul was plotting evil against him. And he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring near the ephod.” 10 And David said, “Yahweh, the God of Israel, your servant has certainly heard that Saul is seeking to come to Keilah, to destroy the city because of me. 11 Will the masters of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? Will Saul come down, just as your servant has heard? Yahweh, the God of Israel, please tell your servant.” And Yahweh said, “He will come down.” 12 And David said, “Will the masters of Keilah deliver me and my men up into the hand of Saul?” And Yahweh said, “They will deliver up.” 13 And David and his men, about 600 men, rose and went out from Keilah, and they walked about in wherever they could walk about. And it was told to Saul that David had slipped away from Keilah, and he stopped going out. 14 And David stayed in the wilderness in the strongholds, and he stayed in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him all the days, but God did not give him into his hand.

15 And David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. Now David was in the wilderness of Ziph in the wood. 16 And Jonathan the son of Saul rose and went to David at the wood. And he strengthened his hand in God. 17 And he said to him, “Do not be afraid, for the hand of Saul my father will not find you. As for you, you will reign over Israel, but I will be as second to you. And even Saul my father knows so.” 18 And the two of them cut a covenant before the face of Yahweh. And David stayed in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.

19 And Ziphites went up to Saul at the Gibeah, saying, “Is not David hiding himself among us in the strongholds in the wood, on the hill of the Hakilah, which is south of the Jeshimon? 20 And now, the king, according to all the desire of your soul to come down, come down! And it is for us to deliver him up into the hand of the king.” 21 And Saul said, “May you be blessed by Yahweh. For you have had compassion on me. 22 Go now, confirm again, and know, and see his place where his foot is. Who has seen him there? For one has said to me, ‘He is very crafty.’ 23 And see and know of all the hiding places there where he hides himself. And return to me with certain information, and I will go with you. And it will happen that if there is he in the land, then I will search for him in all the thousands of Judah.”

24 And they rose and went to Ziph before the face of Saul. Now David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah, to the south of the Jeshimon. 25 And Saul and his men went to seek. And they told David, and he went down to the crag and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. And Saul heard and pursued after David from the wilderness of Maon. 26 And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men were on that side of the mountain. And it happened that David was hurrying away to go from the face of Saul. And Saul and his men were circling in on David and on his men to capture them. 27 And a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and go, for the Philistines have raided against the land.” 28 And Saul returned from pursuing after David and went to meet the Philistines. Therefore they called that place the crag of the divisions. 29 And David went up from there and stayed in the strongholds of Engedi.[fn]

The Hebrew text makes this verse 1 in chapter 24.

1SA C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 C13 C14 C15 C16 C17 C18 C19 C20 C21 C22 C23 C24 C25 C26 C27 C28 C29 C30 C31