1
And they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against◦ Keilah, and they◦ are pillaging the threshing··floors.
2
And David asked of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And Jehovah said to▵ David, go and smite the Philistines and save Keilah.
3
And the men◦ of David said to▵ him, Behold, we◦ are fearful here in Judah; and how much more if▫ we go to Keilah, to▵ the battle arrays of the Philistines?
4
And David asked of Jehovah yet again. And Jehovah answered him, and said, Arise, go··down to Keilah, for I◦ will give the Philistines into thy hand.
5
And David and his men◦ went to Keilah and fought against◦ the Philistines, and he drove away their livestock and smote them with a great smiting. And David saved those who dwelt in Keilah.
6
And it was, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech ran··away to▵ David to Keilah, that he came··down with an ephod in his hand.
7
And it was told to Saul that David had come to Keilah. And Saul said, God has abandoned* him into my hand, for he is shut in by coming into a city with doors and bars.
8
And Saul called together all the people for war to go··down to Keilah, to▵ besiege David and his men◦.
9
And David knew that Saul was crafting evil against him; and he said to▵ Abiathar the priest, Present the ephod.
10
And David said, Jehovah, God of Israel, hearing Thy servant has heard that Saul seeks to come to▵ Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake.
11
Will the citizens of Keilah close· me ·up into his hand? Will Saul come··down, as◦ thy servant has heard? Jehovah, God of Israel, I pray◦ Thee, tell Thy servant. And Jehovah said, He will come··down.
12
And David said, Will the citizens of Keilah close··up me and my men◦ in the hand of Saul? And Jehovah said, They will close· you ·up.
13
And David arose and his men◦, about six hundred men◦; and they went··out from Keilah, and went◦ whithersoever they could go◦. And it was··told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he stopped going··forth.
14
And David dwelt in the wilderness in the forts, and dwelt in the mountain of the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him all the days, but God gave him not into his hand.
15
And David saw that Saul was come··out to seek his soul; and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in the woods.
16
And Jonathan◦ the son of Saul arose, and went to▵ David in the woods, and made· his hand ·firm 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 second unto thee, and that also Saul my father knows.
18
And they two cut a covenant before Jehovah; and David dwelt in the woods, and Jonathan◦ went◦ to his house.
19
And the Ziphites came··up to▵ Saul to Gibeah, saying, Does not David hide with us in the forts in the woods, in the hill of Hachilah which is on the right··hand of Jeshimon?
20
And now, O king, come··down according to all the longing of thy soul to come··down; and it will be for us to shut him up in the hand of the king.
21
And Saul said, Blessed be you◦ of Jehovah, for you have pity on me.
22
Go, I pray◦ you, prepare yet and know and see his place where his foot is. Who has seen him there? For it is said to▵ me that acting··with··cunning he◦ acts··with··cunning.
23
And see and know all his hideaways, where▵ he hides··himself, and return to▵ me with the certainty, and I will go◦ with you; and it shall be if he be◦ in the land, that I will search for him among 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 desert, to▵ the right of Jeshimon.
25
And Saul and his men◦ went to seek. And they told David; and he went··down to the rock◦, and abode▫ in the wilderness of Maon. And Saul heard it, and pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.
26
And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men◦ were on that▵ side of the mountain; and David rushed to go from before Saul, and Saul and his men◦ were encompassing David and his men◦ to catch them.
27
And a messenger came to▵ Saul, saying, Hasten thee and come; for the Philistines have attacked the land.
28
And Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went to meet the Philistines; therefore they called that◦ place Sela-hammachlekoth.
29
24:1 And David went··up from thence, and dwelt in the forts of En-gedi.
