| Berean Study Bible | NET Bible |
| 1Now it was reported to David, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and looting the threshing floors.” | 1They told David, "The Philistines are fighting in Keilah and are looting the threshing floors." |
| 2So David inquired of the LORD, “Should I go and attack these Philistines?” And the LORD said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah.” | 2So David asked the LORD, "Should I go and strike down these Philistines?" The LORD said to David, "Go, strike down the Philistines and deliver Keilah." |
| 3But David’s men said to him, “Look, we are afraid here in Judah; how much more if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?” | 3But David's men said to him, "We are afraid while we are still here in Judah! What will it be like if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?" |
| 4Once again, David inquired of the LORD, and the LORD answered him: “Go at once to Keilah, for I will deliver the Philistines into your hand.” | 4So David asked the LORD once again. But again the LORD replied, "Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand." |
| 5Then David and his men went to Keilah, fought against the Philistines, and carried off their livestock, striking them with a mighty blow. So David saved the people of Keilah. | 5So David and his men went to Keilah and fought the Philistines. He took away their cattle and thoroughly defeated them. David delivered the inhabitants of Keilah. |
| 6(Now Abiathar son of Ahimelech had brought the ephod with him when he fled to David at Keilah.) | 6Now when Abiathar son of Ahimelech had fled to David at Keilah, he had brought with him an ephod. |
| 7When Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, he said, “God has delivered him into my hand, for he has trapped himself by entering a town with gates and bars.” | 7When Saul was told that David had come to Keilah, Saul said, "God has delivered him into my hand, for he has boxed himself into a corner by entering a city with two barred gates." |
| 8Then Saul summoned all his troops to go to war at Keilah and besiege David and his men. | 8So Saul mustered all his army to go down to Keilah and besiege David and his men. |
| 9When David learned that Saul was plotting evil against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod.” | 9When David realized that Saul was planning to harm him, he told Abiathar the priest, "Bring the ephod!" |
| 10And David said, “O LORD, God of Israel, Your servant has heard that Saul intends to come to Keilah and destroy the city on my account. | 10Then David said, "O LORD God of Israel, your servant has clearly heard that Saul is planning to come to Keilah to destroy the city because of me. |
| 11Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as Your servant has heard? O LORD, God of Israel, please tell Your servant.” “He will,” said the LORD. | 11Will the leaders of Keilah deliver me into his hand? Will Saul come down as your servant has heard? O LORD God of Israel, please inform your servant!" Then the LORD said, "He will come down." |
| 12So David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?” “They will,” said the LORD. | 12David asked, "Will the leaders of Keilah deliver me and my men into Saul's hand?" The LORD said, "They will deliver you over." |
| 13Then David and his men, about six hundred strong, set out and departed from Keilah, moving from place to place. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he declined to go forth. | 13So David and his men, who numbered about six hundred, set out and left Keilah; they moved around from one place to another. When told that David had escaped from Keilah, Saul called a halt to his expedition. |
| 14And David stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God would not deliver David into his hand. | 14David stayed in the strongholds that were in the desert and in the hill country of the desert of Ziph. Saul looked for him all the time, but God did not deliver David into his hand. |
| 15While David was in Horesh in the Wilderness of Ziph, he saw that Saul had come out to take his life. | 15David realized that Saul had come out to seek his life; at that time David was in Horesh in the desert of Ziph. |
| 16And Saul’s son Jonathan came to David in Horesh and strengthened his hand in God, | 16Then Jonathan son of Saul left and went to David at Horesh. He encouraged him through God. |
| 17saying, “Do not be afraid, for my father Saul will never lay a hand on you. And you will be king over Israel, and I will be your second-in-command. Even my father Saul knows this is true.” | 17He said to him, "Don't be afraid! For the hand of my father Saul cannot find you. You will rule over Israel, and I will be your second in command. Even my father Saul realizes this." |
| 18So the two of them made a covenant before the LORD. And David remained in Horesh, while Jonathan went home. | 18When the two of them had made a covenant before the LORD, David stayed on at Horesh, but Jonathan went to his house. |
| 19Then the Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah south of Jeshimon? | 19Then the Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, "Isn't David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh on the hill of Hakilah, south of Jeshimon? |
| 20Now, O king, come down whenever your soul desires, and we will be responsible for delivering him into your hand.” | 20Now at your own discretion, O king, come down. Delivering him into the king's hand will be our responsibility." |
| 21“May you be blessed by the LORD,” replied Saul, “for you have had compassion on me. | 21Saul replied, "May you be blessed by the LORD, for you have had compassion on me. |
| 22Please go and prepare further. Investigate and watch carefully where he goes and who has seen him there, for I am told that he is extremely cunning. | 22Go and make further arrangements. Determine precisely where he is and who has seen him there, for I am told that he is extremely cunning. |
| 23Observe and find out all the places where he hides. Then come back to me with certainty, and I will go with you. If he is in the land, I will search him out among all the clans of Judah.” | 23Locate precisely all the places where he hides and return to me with dependable information. Then I will go with you. If he is in the land, I will find him among all the thousands of Judah." |
| 24So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the Wilderness of Maon in the Arabah south of Jeshimon, | 24So they left and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the desert of Maon, in the Arabah to the south of Jeshimon. |
| 25and Saul and his men went to seek him. When David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard of this, he pursued David there. | 25Saul and his men went to look for him. But David was informed and went down to the rock and stayed in the desert of Maon. When Saul heard about it, he pursued David in the desert of Maon. |
| 26Saul was proceeding along one side of the mountain, and David and his men along the other side. Even though David was hurrying to get away, Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them. | 26Saul went on one side of the mountain, while David and his men went on the other side of the mountain. David was hurrying to get away from Saul, but Saul and his men were surrounding David and his men so they could capture them. |
| 27Then a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Come quickly, for the Philistines have raided the land!” | 27But a messenger came to Saul saying, "Come quickly, for the Philistines have raided the land!" |
| 28So Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to meet the Philistines. That is why that place is called Sela-hammahlekoth. | 28So Saul stopped pursuing David and went to confront the Philistines. Therefore that place is called Sela Hammahlekoth. |
| 29And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of En-gedi. | 29Then David went up from there and stayed in the strongholds of En Gedi. |
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