1 Samuel

1 Samuel 23 ©

1 The Philistines fight against Keilah; David, enquiring of the Lord by Abiathar, smiteth them, and saveth Keilah. 7 Saul purposeth to besiege him at Keilah. 9 God sheweth him of Saul's coming, and the treachery of the Keilites. 13 He escapeth to Ziph, whither Jonathan cometh and comforteth him. 19 The Ziphites discover him to Saul, who pursueth him closely in Maon, 27 but is called off by an invasion of the Philistines. 29 David dwelleth at En-gedi.

1

THEN they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against aKeilah, and they rob the threshingfloors.

a Jos. 15.44. Ne. 3.17,18.
2

Therefore David benquired 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.

b Nu. 27.21. Ju. 1.1. 1Ch. 14.10. Ezr. 8.21. Je. 10.23. Pr. 3.5,6. Ps. 32.8. v.4,6,9.
3

And David's men said unto him, Behold, cwe be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?

c v.15,23,26.
4

Then David denquired of the LORD yet again. And the LORD answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for eI will deliver the Philistines into thine hand.

d v.2. Ju. 6.39. 2Sa. 5.19,23.
e v.14. Ju. 7.7; 20.28.
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 ffled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an *ephod in his hand.

f ch. 22.20. Ex. 28.30. Nu. 27.21.
7

¶And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said, gGod hath delivered him into mine hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars.

g Ex. 15.9; 14.3. Ps. 71.11.
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, hBring hither the *ephod.

h Nu. 27.21. ch. 30.7. v.2,4.
10

Then said David, O LORD God of Israel, thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to idestroy the city for my sake.

i ch. 22.19. Es. 3.6. Pr. 28.15. Ps. 44.22. Jn. 9.22. Ac. 5.41.
11

Will jthe 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 kthe LORD said, He will come down.

j Jos. 24.11.
k Mat. 7.7. Ps. 50.15. v.14.
12

Then said David, Will the men of Keilah 1deliver 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 labout 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.

l ch. 22.1,2; 25.13; 27.2; 30.9.
14

And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained min a mountain in the wilderness of nZiph. And oSaul sought him every day, pbut God delivered him not into his hand.

m Jos. 15.21,55. Ps. 11.1. Ob. 3.
n Jos. 15.24.
o ch. 27.1. Pr. 1.16; 4.16. Is. 59.7.
p Ro. 8.31. Ps. 32.7. Pr. 21.30. Is. 46.3,4. 2Co. 1.10.
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 qJonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into the wood, and rstrengthened his hand in God.

q ch. 20.41,42.
r v.17. Ep. 6.10. 2Ti. 2.1. He. 12.12,13.
17

And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father sshall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also tSaul my father knoweth.

s Ps. 46.1; 91. 2Co. 1.10. Is. 46.4.
t Ac. 5.39; 7.51. ch. 20.30,31; 24.20.
18

And uthey two made a covenant vbefore the LORD: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.

u ch. 20.8,16,17; 18.3.
v 2Sa. 5.3.
19

¶Then wcame up the Ziphites to Saul to xGibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in ythe hill of Hachilah, which is 2on the south of 3Jeshimon?

w ch. 26.1. Ps. 54, title,3,4. ch. 22.7. Mi. 7.5. Ps. 11.1.
x Jos. 18.28.
y ch. 26.1,3.
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, zBlessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have compassion on me.

z Mi. 3.11. Is. 66.5. ch. 22.8. Ru. 2.20.
22

Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his 4haunt 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 awill 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.

a Pr. 1.16; 4.16. Ro. 3.15,16.
24

And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men were in the bwilderness of Maon, in the plain on cthe south of Jeshimon.

b Jos. 15.55. ch. 25.2.
c v.19.
25

Saul also and his men went to seek him. And they told David: wherefore he came down 5into 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 dhaste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men e*compassed David and his men round about to take them.

d Ps. 31.22.
e 2Ch. 20.12. 2Co. 1.8. Ps. 50.15; 91.15.
27

¶But fthere came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; gfor the Philistines have 6invaded the land.

f Ge. 22.14. De. 32.36. Re. 12.16. Ps. 116.3,4. Lu. 4.29,30.
g 2Ki. 19.9.
28

Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place 7Sela-hammahlekoth.

29

¶And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at hEn-gedi.

h Ge. 14.7. 2Ch. 20.2. Ca. 1.14. Jos. 15.62. Eze. 47.10. ch. 24.1,2.