| NET Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1They told David, "The Philistines are fighting in Keilah and are looting the threshing floors." | 1Someone told David, "Look, the Philistines are fighting at Keilah and are plundering the threshing floors." |
| 2So David asked the LORD, "Should I go and strike down these Philistines?" The LORD said to David, "Go, strike down the Philistines and deliver Keilah." | 2David inquired of the LORD: "Shall I go and strike down these Philistines?" The LORD told David, "Go strike down the Philistines and deliver Keilah." |
| 3But David's men said to him, "We are afraid while we are still here in Judah! What will it be like if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?" | 3David's men told him, "Look, we're afraid here in Judah. How much then, if we go to Keilah against the Philistine army?" |
| 4So David asked the LORD once again. But again the LORD replied, "Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand." | 4David inquired of the LORD again, and the LORD answered him: "Get up, go down to Keilah. I'll give the Philistines into your control." |
| 5So David and his men went to Keilah and fought the Philistines. He took away their cattle and thoroughly defeated them. David delivered the inhabitants of Keilah. | 5David and his men went to Keilah and fought the Philistines. He carried off their livestock and defeated them decisively, and so David delivered the inhabitants of Keilah. |
| 6Now when Abiathar son of Ahimelech had fled to David at Keilah, he had brought with him an ephod. | 6Now when Ahimelech's son Abiathar had fled to David in Keilah, the ephod had come down with him. |
| 7When Saul was told that David had come to Keilah, Saul said, "God has delivered him into my hand, for he has boxed himself into a corner by entering a city with two barred gates." | 7It was reported to Saul that David had come to Keilah, and Saul said, "The LORD has delivered him into my hand because he has shut himself in by going into a town with double gates and bars." |
| 8So Saul mustered all his army to go down to Keilah and besiege David and his men. | 8Saul summoned for battle all his forces to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men. |
| 9When David realized that Saul was planning to harm him, he told Abiathar the priest, "Bring the ephod!" | 9David knew that Saul was devising evil plans against him, and so he told Abiathar the priest, "Bring the ephod." |
| 10Then David said, "O LORD God of Israel, your servant has clearly heard that Saul is planning to come to Keilah to destroy the city because of me. | 10David said, "LORD God of Israel. Your servant has definitely heard that Saul intends to come to Keilah to destroy the town because of me. |
| 11Will the leaders of Keilah deliver me into his hand? Will Saul come down as your servant has heard? O LORD God of Israel, please inform your servant!" Then the LORD said, "He will come down." | 11Will the people of Keilah hand me over to him? Will Saul come down just as your servant has heard? LORD God of Israel, please inform your servant." The LORD said, "He will come down." |
| 12David asked, "Will the leaders of Keilah deliver me and my men into Saul's hand?" The LORD said, "They will deliver you over." | 12Then David said, "Will the people of Keilah hand me over to Saul?" The LORD said, "They'll hand you over." |
| 13So David and his men, who numbered about six hundred, set out and left Keilah; they moved around from one place to another. When told that David had escaped from Keilah, Saul called a halt to his expedition. | 13David and his men, about 600 strong, got up and left Keilah. They moved around wherever they could go. Saul was advised that David had escaped from Keilah, so he stopped the campaign. |
| 14David stayed in the strongholds that were in the desert and in the hill country of the desert of Ziph. Saul looked for him all the time, but God did not deliver David into his hand. | 14David stayed in the wilderness in the strongholds, and he lived in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but God did not let David slip into Saul's control. |
| 15David realized that Saul had come out to seek his life; at that time David was in Horesh in the desert of Ziph. | 15David was afraid because Saul had come out to seek his life while David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh. |
| 16Then Jonathan son of Saul left and went to David at Horesh. He encouraged him through God. | 16Saul's son Jonathan got up and went to David at Horesh, and he encouraged him to trust in God. |
| 17He said to him, "Don't be afraid! For the hand of my father Saul cannot find you. You will rule over Israel, and I will be your second in command. Even my father Saul realizes this." | 17Jonathan told him, "Don't be afraid. My father Saul won't find you, and you will be king over Israel. I'll be your second-in-command. My father Saul also knows this." |
| 18When the two of them had made a covenant before the LORD, David stayed on at Horesh, but Jonathan went to his house. | 18The two of them made a covenant in the LORD's presence. David remained at Horesh while Jonathan went home. |
| 19Then the Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, "Isn't David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh on the hill of Hakilah, south of Jeshimon? | 19People from Ziph came up to Saul at Gibeah and informed him, "David is hiding with us in the strongholds in Horesh and on the hill of Hachilah south of Jeshimon, isn't he? |
| 20Now at your own discretion, O king, come down. Delivering him into the king's hand will be our responsibility." | 20Now, your majesty, whenever you want to come down, come down, and our part will be to hand him over to the king." |
| 21Saul replied, "May you be blessed by the LORD, for you have had compassion on me. | 21Saul said, "May you be blessed by the LORD, because you have been gracious to me. |
| 22Go and make further arrangements. Determine precisely where he is and who has seen him there, for I am told that he is extremely cunning. | 22Go and again make sure, find out and investigate where he is and who has seen him there, for people tell me that he's very clever. |
| 23Locate precisely all the places where he hides and return to me with dependable information. Then I will go with you. If he is in the land, I will find him among all the thousands of Judah." | 23Investigate and find out all the hiding places there where he hides, and return to me with reliable information. Then I'll go down with you, and if he's in the land, I'll search him out among all the thousands of Judah." |
| 24So they left and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the desert of Maon, in the Arabah to the south of Jeshimon. | 24The people from Ziph got up and left Saul, while David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon in the Arabah south of Jeshimon. |
| 25Saul and his men went to look for him. But David was informed and went down to the rock and stayed in the desert of Maon. When Saul heard about it, he pursued David in the desert of Maon. | 25When Saul and his men went to search for David, some people told David, and he went down to the Rock of Escape and remained in the wilderness of Maon. Saul heard this and he pursued David into the wilderness of Maon. |
| 26Saul went on one side of the mountain, while David and his men went on the other side of the mountain. David was hurrying to get away from Saul, but Saul and his men were surrounding David and his men so they could capture them. | 26Saul went on one side of the mountain while David and his men went on the other side of the mountain. David was hurrying to get away from Saul while Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them. |
| 27But a messenger came to Saul saying, "Come quickly, for the Philistines have raided the land!" | 27Then a messenger came to Saul with this news: "Come quickly, because the Philistines have made a raid on the land!" |
| 28So Saul stopped pursuing David and went to confront the Philistines. Therefore that place is called Sela Hammahlekoth. | 28So Saul turned around from pursuing David and went to meet the Philistines. Therefore, they call that place the Rock of Escape. |
| 29Then David went up from there and stayed in the strongholds of En Gedi. | 29 David went up from there and stayed in the strongholds of En-gedi. |
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