-
Then they
told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight
against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors.
02 Therefore David enquired 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.
03 And David's men said unto him, Behold, we be
afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we
come to Keilah against the armies of the
Philistines?
04 Then David enquired of the Lord yet again. And
the Lord answered him and said, Arise, go down to
Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into
thine hand.
05 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.
06 And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of
Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came
down with an ephod in his hand.
07 And it was told Saul that David was come to
Keilah. And Saul said, God hath delivered him
into mine hand; for he is shut in, by entering
into a town that hath gates and bars.
08 And Saul called all the people together to
war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and
his men.
09 And David knew that Saul secretly practised
mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the
priest, Bring hither the ephod.
10 Then said David, O Lord God of Israel, thy
servant hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh to
come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake.
11 Will the 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 the Lord said, He will come
down.
12 Then said David, Will the men of Keilah
deliver 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 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; and he
forbare to go forth.
14 And David abode in the wilderness in strong
holds, and remained in a mountain in the
wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every
day, but God delivered him not into his hand.
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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 Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to
David into the wood, and strengthened his hand 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 next
unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.
18 And they two made a covenant before the Lord:
and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to
his house.
19 Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah,
saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in
strong holds in the wood, in the hill of
Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon?
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, Blessed be ye of the Lord; for
ye have compassion on me.
22 Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see
his place where his haunt 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 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.
24 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.
25 Saul also and his men went to seek him. And
they told David; wherefore he came down into 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 haste to get away for
fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed
David and his men round about to take them.
27 But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying,
Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have
invaded the land.
28 Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after
David, and went against the Philistines:
therefore they called that place
Selahammahlekoth.
29 And David went up from thence, and dwelt in
strong holds at Engedi.
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