“1 Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors. 2 Therefore David enquired of
the LORD, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the LORD
said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah. 3 And
David’s men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much
more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines? 4
Then David enquired of the LORD yet again. And the LORD answered him and
said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into
thine hand. 5 So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the
Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great
slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah. 6 And it came to
pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, [that]
he came down [with] an ephod in his hand.”
“7 And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said,
God hath delivered him into mine hand; for he is shut in, by entering
into a town that hath gates and bars. 8 And Saul called all the people
together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men. 9
And David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him; and he
said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod. 10 Then said David,
O LORD God of Israel, thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh
to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake. 11 Will the men of
Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as thy servant
hath heard? O LORD God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And
the LORD said, He will come down. 12 Then said David, Will the men of
Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the LORD said,
They will deliver [thee] up. 13 Then David and his men, [which were]
about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went
whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped
from Keilah; and he forbare to go forth.”
“14 And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in
a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but
God delivered him not into his hand. 15 And David saw that Saul was come
out to seek his life: and David [was] in the wilderness of Ziph in a
wood. 16 And Jonathan Saul’s son arose, and went to David into the wood,
and strengthened his hand in God. 17 And he said unto him, Fear not: for
the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king
over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father
knoweth. 18 And they two made a covenant before the LORD: and David
abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.”
“19 Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not
David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of
Hachilah, which [is] on the south of Jeshimon? 20 Now therefore, O king,
come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and our
part [shall be] to deliver him into the king’s hand. 21 And Saul said,
Blessed [be] ye of the LORD; for ye have compassion on me. 22 Go, I pray
you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt is, [and]
who hath seen him there: for it is told me [that] he dealeth very
subtilly. 23 See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places
where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and
I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land,
that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah. 24 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 Jeshimon. 25
Saul also and his men went to seek [him]. And they told David: wherefore
he came down into a rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when
Saul heard [that], he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon. 26
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 for fear of
Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to
take them. 27 But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee,
and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land. 28 Wherefore Saul
returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines:
therefore they called that place Selahammahlekoth. 29 And David went up
from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at Engedi.” (1 Samuel 23:1-29 AV)
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