1 GLT And they told David, saying,“Behold, the Philistines are fighting against 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 GLT 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.” 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 GLT 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!” 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 GLT 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.” 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 GLT 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. 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 GLT 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.)
7 GLT 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.” 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 GLT 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. BSB BSB: Then Saul summoned all his troops to go to war at Keilah and besiege David and his men.
9 GLT And David knew that Saul was plotting evil 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 GLT 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. 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 GLT 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.” 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 GLT 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.” 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 GLT 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. 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 GLT 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. 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 GLT And David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. Now David was in the wilderness of Ziph in the 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 GLT And Jonathan the son of Saul rose and went to David at the wood. 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 GLT 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.” 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 GLT 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. BSB BSB: So the two of them made a covenant before the LORD. And David remained in Horesh, while Jonathan went home.
19 GLT 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? 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 GLT 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.” BSB BSB: Now, O king, come down whenever your soul desires, and we will be responsible for delivering him into your hand.”
21 GLT And Saul said,“May you be blessed 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 GLT 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.’ 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 GLT 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.” 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 GLT 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. 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 GLT 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. 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 GLT 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. 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 GLT 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 GLT And Saul returned from pursuing after David and went to meet the Philistines. Therefore they called that place the crag of the divisions. 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 GLT And David went up from there and stayed 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.