1 Samuel 23 Parallel Bible Translations

1 Samuel 23 ▼
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1 One day news came to David that the Philistines were at Keilah stealing grain from the threshing floors. Now they told David, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are robbing the threshing floors.” When David was told, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are looting the threshing floors,”
2 David asked the LORD, “Should I go and attack them?” “Yes, go and save Keilah,” the LORD told him. Therefore David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” And the LORD said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah.” he inquired of the LORD, saying, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” The LORD answered him, “Go, attack the Philistines and save Keilah.”
3 But David’s men said, “We’re afraid even here in Judah. We certainly don’t want to go to Keilah to fight the whole Philistine army!” 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?” But David’s men said to him, “Here in Judah we are afraid. How much more, then, if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces!”
4 So David asked the LORD again, and again the LORD replied, “Go down to Keilah, for I will help you conquer the Philistines.” Then David inquired of the LORD again. And the LORD answered him, “Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand.” Once again David inquired of the LORD, and the LORD answered him, “Go down to Keilah, for I am going to give the Philistines into your hand.”
5 So David and his men went to Keilah. They slaughtered the Philistines and took all their livestock and rescued the people of Keilah. And David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines and brought away their livestock and struck them with a great blow. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah. So David and his men went to Keilah, fought the Philistines and carried off their livestock. He inflicted heavy losses on the Philistines and saved the people of Keilah.
6 Now when Abiathar son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, he brought the ephod with him. When Abiathar the son of Ahimelech had fled to David to Keilah, he had come down with an ephod in his hand. (Now Abiathar son of Ahimelek had brought the ephod down with him when he fled to David at Keilah.)
7 Saul soon learned that David was at Keilah. “Good!” he exclaimed. “We’ve got him now! God has handed him over to me, for he has trapped himself in a walled town!” Now it was told Saul that David had come to Keilah. And Saul said, “God has given him into my hand, for he has shut himself in by entering a town that has gates and bars.” Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, and he said, “God has delivered him into my hands, for David has imprisoned himself by entering a town with gates and bars.”
8 So Saul mobilized his entire army to march to Keilah and besiege David and his men. And Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men. And Saul called up all his forces for battle, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men.
9 But David learned of Saul’s plan and told Abiathar the priest to bring the ephod and ask the LORD what he should do. David knew that Saul was plotting harm against him. And he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.” When David learned that Saul was plotting against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod.”
10 Then David prayed, “O LORD, God of Israel, I have heard that Saul is planning to come and destroy Keilah because I am here. Then David said, “O LORD, the God of Israel, your servant has surely heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah, to destroy the city on my account. David said, “LORD, God of Israel, your servant has heard definitely that Saul plans to come to Keilah and destroy the town on account of me.
11 Will the leaders of Keilah betray me to him? And will Saul actually come as I have heard? O LORD, God of Israel, please tell me.” And the LORD said, “He will come.” Will the men of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? O LORD, the God of Israel, please tell your servant.” And the LORD said, “He will come down.” Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me to him? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? LORD, God of Israel, tell your servant.” And the LORD said, “He will.”
12 Again David asked, “Will the leaders of Keilah betray me and my men to Saul?” And the LORD replied, “Yes, they will betray you.” Then David said, “Will the men of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?” And the LORD said, “They will surrender you.” Again David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men to Saul?” And the LORD said, “They will.”
13 So David and his men—about 600 of them now—left Keilah and began roaming the countryside. Word soon reached Saul that David had escaped, so he didn’t go to Keilah after all. Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed from Keilah, and they went wherever they could go. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up the expedition. So David and his men, about six hundred in number, left Keilah and kept moving from place to place. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he did not go there.
14 David now stayed in the strongholds of the wilderness and in the hill country of Ziph. Saul hunted him day after day, but God didn’t let Saul find him. And David remained in the strongholds in the wilderness, in the hill country of the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God did not give him into his hand. David stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God did not give David into his hands.
15 One day near Horesh, David received the news that Saul was on the way to Ziph to search for him and kill him. David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh. While David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he learned that Saul had come out to take his life.
16 Jonathan went to find David and encouraged him to stay strong in his faith in God. And Jonathan, Saul’s son, rose and went to David at Horesh, and strengthened his hand in God. And Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God.
17 “Don’t be afraid,” Jonathan reassured him. “My father will never find you! You are going to be the king of Israel, and I will be next to you, as my father, Saul, is well aware.” And he said to him, “Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Saul my father also knows this.” “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this.”
18 So the two of them renewed their solemn pact before the LORD. Then Jonathan returned home, while David stayed at Horesh. And the two of them made a covenant before the LORD. David remained at Horesh, and Jonathan went home. The two of them made a covenant before the LORD. Then Jonathan went home, but David remained at Horesh.
19 But now the men of Ziph went to Saul in Gibeah and betrayed David to him. “We know where David is hiding,” they said. “He is in the strongholds of Horesh on the hill of Hakilah, which is in the southern part of Jeshimon. Then the Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah, which is south of Jeshimon? The Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hakilah, south of Jeshimon?
20 Come down whenever you’re ready, O king, and we will catch him and hand him over to you!” Now come down, O king, according to all your heart’s desire to come down, and our part shall be to surrender him into the king’s hand.” Now, Your Majesty, come down whenever it pleases you to do so, and we will be responsible for giving him into your hands.”
21 “The LORD bless you,” Saul said. “At last someone is concerned about me! And Saul said, “May you be blessed by the LORD, for you have had compassion on me. Saul replied, “The LORD bless you for your concern for me.
22 Go and check again to be sure of where he is staying and who has seen him there, for I know that he is very crafty. Go, make yet more sure. Know and see the place where his foot is, and who has seen him there, for it is told me that he is very cunning. Go and get more information. Find out where David usually goes and who has seen him there. They tell me he is very crafty.
23 Discover his hiding places, and come back when you are sure. Then I’ll go with you. And if he is in the area at all, I’ll track him down, even if I have to search every hiding place in Judah!” See therefore and take note of all the lurking places where he hides, and come back to me with sure information. Then I will go with you. And if he is in the land, I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.” Find out about all the hiding places he uses and come back to me with definite information. Then I will go with you; if he is in the area, I will track him down among all the clans of Judah.”
24 So the men of Ziph returned home ahead of Saul. Meanwhile, David and his men had moved into the wilderness of Maon in the Arabah Valley south of Jeshimon. And they arose and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah to the south of Jeshimon. So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the Desert of Maon, in the Arabah south of Jeshimon.
25 When David heard that Saul and his men were searching for him, he went even farther into the wilderness to the great rock, and he remained there in the wilderness of Maon. But Saul kept after him in the wilderness. And Saul and his men went to seek him. And David was told, so he went down to the rock and lived in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon. Saul and his men began the search, and when David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Desert of Maon. When Saul heard this, he went into the Desert of Maon in pursuit of David.
26 Saul and David were now on opposite sides of a mountain. Just as Saul and his men began to close in on David and his men, Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side of the mountain. And David was hurrying to get away from Saul. As Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them, Saul was going along one side of the mountain, and David and his men were on the other side, hurrying to get away from Saul. As Saul and his forces were closing in on David and his men to capture them,
27 an urgent message reached Saul that the Philistines were raiding Israel again. a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, for the Philistines have made a raid against the land.” a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Come quickly! The Philistines are raiding the land.”
28 So Saul quit chasing David and returned to fight the Philistines. Ever since that time, the place where David was camped has been called the Rock of Escape. So Saul returned from pursuing after David and went against the Philistines. Therefore that place was called the Rock of Escape. Then Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to meet the Philistines. That is why they call this place Sela Hammahlekoth.
29 David then went to live in the strongholds of En-gedi. And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of Engedi. And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of En Gedi.
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