David Delivers Keilah 1 DBY And they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshing-floors. BSB BSB: Now it was reported to David, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and looting the threshing floors.”
2 DBY And David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And Jehovah said to David, Go and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah. BSB BSB: So David inquired of the LORD, “Should I go and attack these Philistines?” And the LORD said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah.”
3 DBY But 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? BSB BSB: But David’s men said to him, “Look, we are afraid here in Judah; how much more if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?”
4 DBY And David inquired of Jehovah yet again. And Jehovah answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will give the Philistines into thy hand. BSB BSB: Once again, David inquired of the LORD, and the LORD answered him: “Go at once to Keilah, for I will deliver the Philistines into your hand.”
5 DBY And David and his men went to Keilah, and fought against the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah. BSB BSB: Then David and his men went to Keilah, fought against the Philistines, and carried off their livestock, striking them with a mighty blow. So David saved the people of Keilah.
6 DBY And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, he came down with an ephod in his hand. BSB BSB: (Now Abiathar son of Ahimelech had brought the ephod with him when he fled to David at Keilah.)
Saul Pursues David (Psalm 54:1–7)
7 DBY And it was told Saul that David had come to Keilah. Then Saul said, God has cast him off into my hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a city that has gates and bars. BSB BSB: When Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, he said, “God has delivered him into my hand, for he has trapped himself by entering a town with gates and bars.”
8 DBY And Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men. BSB BSB: Then Saul summoned all his troops to go to war at Keilah and besiege David and his men.
9 DBY And when David knew that Saul devised mischief against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring the ephod. BSB BSB: When David learned that Saul was plotting evil against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod.”
10 DBY Then said David, Jehovah, God of Israel, thy servant hath heard for certain that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake. BSB BSB: And David said, “O LORD, God of Israel, Your servant has heard that Saul intends to come to Keilah and destroy the city on my account.
11 DBY Will the citizens of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? Jehovah, God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And Jehovah said, He will come down. BSB BSB: Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as Your servant has heard? O LORD, God of Israel, please tell Your servant.” “He will,” said the LORD.
12 DBY And David said, Will the citizens of Keilah deliver up me and my men into the hand of Saul? And Jehovah said, They will deliver thee up. BSB BSB: So David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?” “They will,” said the LORD.
13 DBY Then David and his men, about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David had escaped from Keilah, and he forbore to go forth. BSB BSB: Then David and his men, about six hundred strong, set out and departed from Keilah, moving from place to place. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he declined to go forth.
14 DBY And David abode in the wilderness in strongholds, and abode in the mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God did not give him into his hand. BSB BSB: And David stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God would not deliver David into his hand.
15 DBY And David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life; and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood. BSB BSB: While David was in Horesh in the Wilderness of Ziph, he saw that Saul had come out to take his life.
16 DBY And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God. BSB BSB: And Saul’s son Jonathan came to David in Horesh and strengthened his hand in God,
17 DBY And he said to him, Fear not; for the hand of Saul my father will not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next to thee; and that also Saul my father knows. BSB BSB: saying, “Do not be afraid, for my father Saul will never lay a hand on you. And you will be king over Israel, and I will be your second-in-command. Even my father Saul knows this is true.”
18 DBY And they two made a covenant before Jehovah; and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house. BSB BSB: So the two of them made a covenant before the LORD. And David remained in Horesh, while Jonathan went home.
19 DBY And the Ziphites came up to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Does not David hide himself with us in strongholds in the wood, on the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of the waste? BSB BSB: Then the Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah south of Jeshimon?
20 DBY And now, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and it will be for us to deliver him up into the king's hand. BSB BSB: Now, O king, come down whenever your soul desires, and we will be responsible for delivering him into your hand.”
21 DBY And Saul said, Blessed be ye of Jehovah; for ye have compassion upon me. BSB BSB: “May you be blessed by the LORD,” replied Saul, “for you have had compassion on me.
22 DBY Go, I pray you, make yet more sure, and know and see his place where his track is, who has seen him there; for it is told me that he deals very subtilly. BSB BSB: Please go and prepare further. Investigate and watch carefully where he goes and who has seen him there, for I am told that he is extremely cunning.
23 DBY And see, and ascertain all the lurking-places where he hides himself, and come ye again to me with sure information, that I may go with you; and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout the thousands of Judah. BSB BSB: Observe and find out all the places where he hides. Then come back to me with certainty, and I will go with you. If he is in the land, I will search him out among all the clans of Judah.”
24 DBY 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 the waste. BSB BSB: So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the Wilderness of Maon in the Arabah south of Jeshimon,
25 DBY And Saul and his men went to seek him . And they told David; and he came down from the rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And Saul heard that , and he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon. BSB BSB: and Saul and his men went to seek him. When David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard of this, he pursued David there.
26 DBY 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 from Saul; and Saul and his men sought to surround David and his men to take them. BSB BSB: Saul was proceeding along one side of the mountain, and David and his men along the other side. Even though David was hurrying to get away, Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them.
27 DBY But there came a messenger to Saul, saying, Haste thee and come; for the Philistines have made a raid against the land. BSB BSB: Then a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Come quickly, for the Philistines have raided the land!”
28 DBY And Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines; therefore they called that place Sela-hammahlekoth. BSB BSB: So Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to meet the Philistines. That is why that place is called Sela-hammahlekoth.
29 DBY And David went up from thence, and abode in the strongholds of Engedi. BSB BSB: And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of En-gedi.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.