THE FIRST BOOK OF
SAMUEL,
1 Samuel 23 ©
David hearing that Keilah was besieged, v. 1, etc. Relieves it, and smites the Philistines, by God’s command, 2. Abiathar comes thither unto David, bringing the ephod with him, 6. Saul intended to enclose David there, and to take him, 7. Wherefore he assays to besiege Keilah, 8. David not confiding in those of Keilah, asks counsel of the Lord by Abiathar, 9. The Lord acquaints David, that those of Keilah were minded to deliver him up into the hands of Saul, 11. Wherefore he flees thence to the wilderness of Ziph, with those six hundred men that were with him, 13. Where Jonathan comes to him, and renews the covenant of friendship with him, 16. And comforts him, 17. Those of Ziph betray David unto Saul, 19. For which Saul thanks them, 21. And exhorts them diligently to heed all things, 22. He pursues David with his camp in the wilderness of Maon, 25. Where he surrounds him, 26. Saul receives tidings, that the Philistines had invaded in the land, 27. Whereby he is constrained to leave off from pursuing after David, 28.
THEN they 1told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against 2Keilah, and they rob 3the threshingfloors.
Therefore David 4enquired 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.
And David's men said unto him, Behold, 5we be afraid 6here in Judah: 7how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?
Then David 8enquired of the LORD yet again. And the LORD answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines 9into thine hand.
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.
And 10it came to pass, whena Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, 11that he came down with an ephod in his hand.
¶And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said, God hath 12delivered him into mine hand; for he is shut in, by entering into 13a town that hath gates and bars.
And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.
¶And David knew 14that Saul 15secretly practised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, 16Bring hither the ephod.
Then said David, O LORD God of Israel, 17thy servant 18hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake.
Will 19the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? 20will 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.
Then said David, 21Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the LORD said, 22They will deliver thee up.
¶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; 23and he forbare to go forth.
And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him 24every day, but God delivered him not into his hand.
And David 25saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.
¶And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into the wood, and 26strengthened his hand in God.
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 27I shall be next unto thee; and 28that also Saul my father knoweth.
And they two 29made a covenant 30before the LORD: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.
¶Then came up 31the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, 32Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, 33which is on the south of Jeshimon?
Now therefore, O king, 34come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and 35our part shall be to deliver him into the king's hand.
And Saul said, 36Blessed be ye of the LORD; 37for ye have compassion on me.
Go, I pray you, 38prepare yet, and know and see his place where his 39haunt is, and who hath seen him there: for 40it is told me 41that he dealeth very subtilly.
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.
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.
Saul also and his men went to seek him. And they told David: wherefore he came down 42into a rock, and abode in the wilderness of 43Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.
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.
¶But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded 44the land.
Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place 45Sela-hammahlekoth.
¶And David went up from 46thence, and dwelt in strong holds at 47En-gedi.