David Delivers Keilah 1 ULT And they declared to David, saying,“Behold, the Philistines are fighting with Keilah, and they are plundering the threshing floors!” BSB BSB: Now it was reported to David, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and looting the threshing floors.”
2 ULT And David inquired of Yahweh, saying,“Shall I go and strike these Philistines?” And Yahweh said to David,“Go and strike 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 ULT But the men of David said to him,“Behold, we{ are} afraid here in Judah. And much more if we go to Keilah against the arrays 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 ULT So David added yet to inquire of Yahweh. And Yahweh answered him and said,“Arise, go down to Keilah, for I am giving the Philistines into your 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 ULT And David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines. And he drove off their livestock and struck a great striking against them. And David saved the dwellers 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 ULT And it happened that when Abiathar, the son of Ahimelech, fled to David{ at} Keilah, an ephod came down 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 ULT And it was declared to Saul that David had come to Keilah. And Saul said,“God has delivered him into my hand. For he has enclosed himself by entering into a city of doors and a bar.” 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 ULT And Saul made all of the people hear for battle, to go down{ to} Keilah, to besiege against David and against his men. BSB BSB: Then Saul summoned all his troops to go to war at Keilah and besiege David and his men.
9 ULT But David knew that Saul was devising harm against him. And he said to Abiathar the priest,“Bring near the ephod.” BSB BSB: When David learned that Saul was plotting evil against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod.”
10 ULT And David said,“Yahweh, God of Israel, hearing, your servant has heard that Saul is seeking to come to Keilah, to destroy the city because of me. 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 ULT Will the lords of Keilah enclose me in his hand? Will Saul come down, just as your servant has heard? Yahweh, the God of Israel, please declare to your servant.” And Yahweh 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 ULT And David said,“Will the lords of Keilah enclose me and my men in the hand of Saul?” And Yahweh said,“They will enclose.” 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 ULT So David and his men, about 600 men, arose and went out from Keilah. And they went about in wherever they could go about. And it was declared to Saul that David had escaped from Keilah, so he ceased to go out. 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 ULT 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 of the days, 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 ULT And David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. Now David{ was} in the wilderness of Ziph, in the forest. BSB BSB: While David was in Horesh in the Wilderness of Ziph, he saw that Saul had come out to take his life.
16 ULT And Jonathan, the son of Saul, arose and went to David in the forest. And he strengthened his hand in God. BSB BSB: And Saul’s son Jonathan came to David in Horesh and strengthened his hand in God,
17 ULT And he said to him,“Do not be afraid, for the hand of Saul my father will not find you. And you yourself will reign over Israel, and I myself will be to you for a second. And even Saul my father is knowing so.” 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 ULT And the two of them cut a covenant to the face of Yahweh. And David stayed in the forest, 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 ULT And Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah, saying,“Is not David hiding himself among us in strongholds in the forest on the hill of Hakilah, which{ is} from the south of Jeshimon? 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 ULT And now, O king, according to all of the desire of your soul to come down, come down, and{ it will be} to us to enclose him in the hand of the king.” BSB BSB: Now, O king, come down whenever your soul desires, and we will be responsible for delivering him into your hand.”
21 ULT And Saul said,“Blessed{ be} you by Yahweh! For you have had compassion on me. BSB BSB: “May you be blessed by the LORD,” replied Saul, “for you have had compassion on me.
22 ULT Please go, confirm again, and know and see his place, where his foot is. Who has seen him there? For one has said to me,‘Being craftly, he is crafty.’ 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 ULT And see and know about all of the hiding places where he hides himself there. Then return to me with a confirmed{ thing}, and I will go with you. And it will happen, if he is in the land, that I will search for him among all of 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 ULT And they arose and went{ to} Ziph to the face of Saul. Now David and his men{ were} in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah at the south of Jeshimon. 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 ULT And Saul and his men went to seek. And they declared to David, and he went down{ to} a crag and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. And Saul heard, 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 ULT 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 hastening himself to go from the face of Saul, and Saul and his men were encircling upon David and upon his men to capture 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 ULT And a messenger came to Saul, saying,“Hurry and go, for the Philistines have raided against the land.” BSB BSB: Then a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Come quickly, for the Philistines have raided the land!”
28 ULT And Saul returned from pursuing after David, and he went to meet 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 ULT And David went up from there and stayed in the strongholds of En Gedi. 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.