1 Samuel 23

Chapter 23

David Protects the Town of Keilah

1 One day news came to David that the Philistines were at Keilah stealing grain from the threshing floors.

2 David asked the LORD, “Should I go and attack them?”
“Yes, go and save Keilah,” the LORD told him.

3 But David’s men said, “We’re afraid even here in Judah. We certainly don’t want to go to Keilah to fight the whole Philistine army!”

4 So David asked the LORD again, and again the LORD replied, “Go down to Keilah, for I will help you conquer the Philistines.”
5 So David and his men went to Keilah. They slaughtered the Philistines and took all their livestock and rescued the people of Keilah.

6 Now when Abiathar son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, he brought the ephod with him.
7 Saul soon learned that David was at Keilah. “Good!” he exclaimed. “We’ve got him now! God has handed him over to me, for he has trapped himself in a walled town!”

8 So Saul mobilized his entire army to march to Keilah and besiege David and his men.
9 But David learned of Saul’s plan and told Abiathar the priest to bring the ephod and ask the LORD what he should do.10 Then David prayed, “O LORD, God of Israel, I have heard that Saul is planning to come and destroy Keilah because I am here.

11 Will the leaders of Keilah betray me to him?t And will Saul actually come as I have heard? O LORD, God of Israel, please tell me.”
And the LORD said, “He will come.”

12 Again David asked, “Will the leaders of Keilah betray me and my men to Saul?”
And the LORD replied, “Yes, they will betray you.”

David Hides in the Wilderness

13 So David and his men—about 600 of them now—left Keilah and began roaming the countryside. Word soon reached Saul that David had escaped, so he didn’t go to Keilah after all.

14 David now stayed in the strongholds of the wilderness and in the hill country of Ziph. Saul hunted him day after day, but God didn’t let Saul find him.
15 One day near Horesh, David received the news that Saul was on the way to Ziph to search for him and kill him.16 Jonathan went to find David and encouraged him to stay strong in his faith in God.17 “Don’t be afraid,” Jonathan reassured him. “My father will never find you! You are going to be the king of Israel, and I will be next to you, as my father, Saul, is well aware.”

18 So the two of them renewed their solemn pact before the LORD. Then Jonathan returned home, while David stayed at Horesh.
19 But now the men of Ziph went to Saul in Gibeah and betrayed David to him. “We know where David is hiding,” they said. “He is in the strongholds of Horesh on the hill of Hakilah, which is in the southern part of Jeshimon.

20 Come down whenever you’re ready, O king, and we will catch him and hand him over to you!”
21 “The LORD bless you,” Saul said. “At last someone is concerned about me!22 Go and check again to be sure of where he is staying and who has seen him there, for I know that he is very crafty.23 Discover his hiding places, and come back when you are sure. Then I’ll go with you. And if he is in the area at all, I’ll track him down, even if I have to search every hiding place in Judah!”

24 So the men of Ziph returned home ahead of Saul.

Meanwhile, David and his men had moved into the wilderness of Maon in the Arabah Valley south of Jeshimon.

25 When David heard that Saul and his men were searching for him, he went even farther into the wilderness to the great rock, and he remained there in the wilderness of Maon. But Saul kept after him in the wilderness.
26 Saul and David were now on opposite sides of a mountain. Just as Saul and his men began to close in on David and his men,27 an urgent message reached Saul that the Philistines were raiding Israel again.28 So Saul quit chasing David and returned to fight the Philistines. Ever since that time, the place where David was camped has been called the Rock of Escape.t

29 tDavid then went to live in the strongholds of En-gedi.

1 SAMUEL 23

David Rescues the Town //of Keilah

1 One day some people told David, “The Philistines keep attacking the town of Keilah and stealing grain from the threshing place.”

2 David asked the [Lord], “Should I attack these Philistines?”
“Yes,” the [Lord] answered. “Attack them and rescue Keilah.”

3 But David's men said, “Look, even here in Judah we're afraid of the Philistines. We will be terrified if we try to fight them at Keilah!”t

4 David asked the [Lord] about it again. “Leave at once,” the [Lord] answered. “I will give you victory over the Philistines at Keilah.”

5 David and his men went there and fiercely attacked the Philistines. They killed many of them, then led away their cattle, and rescued the people of Keilah.

6-8 Meanwhile, Saul heard that David was in Keilah. “God has let me catch David,” Saul said. “David is trapped inside a walled town where the gates can be locked.” Saul decided to go there and surround the town, in order to trap David and his men. He sent messengers who told the towns and villages, “Send men to serve in Saul's army!”
By this time, Abiathar had joined David in Keilah and had brought along everything he needed to get answers from God.

9 David heard about Saul's plan to capture him, and he told Abiathar, “Let's ask God what we should do.”
10 David prayed, “[Lord] God of Israel, I was told that Saul is planning to come here. What should I do? Suppose he threatens to destroy the town because of me.

11 Would the leaders of Keilah turn me over to Saul? Or is he really coming? Please tell me, [Lord].”
“Yes, he will come,” the [Lord] answered.

12 David asked, “Would the leaders of Keilah hand me and my soldiers over to Saul?”
“Yes, they would,” the [Lord] answered.

13 David and his 600 men got out of there fast and started moving from place to place. Saul heard that David had left Keilah, and he decided not to go after him.

Jonathan Says David //Will Be King

14 David stayed in hideouts in the hill country of Ziph Desert. Saul kept searching, but God never let Saul catch him.
15 One time, David was at Horesh in Ziph Desert. He was afraid becauset Saul had come to the area to kill him. 16 But Jonathan went to see David, and God helped him encourage David.

17 “Don't be afraid,” Jonathan said. “My father Saul will never get his hands on you. In fact, you're going to be the next king of Israel, and I'll be your highest official. Even my father knows it's true.”

18  t They both promised the [Lord] that they would always be loyal to each other. Then Jonathan went home, but David stayed at Horesh.

David Escapes from Saul

20 If you come, we will help you catch him.”

21 Saul told them:
You've done me a big favor, and I pray that the [Lord] will bless you. 22 Now please do just a little more for me. Find out exactly where David is, as well as where he goes, and who has seen him there. I've been told that he's very tricky.

23 Find out where all his hiding places are and come back when you're sure. Then I'll go with you. If he is still in the area, or anywhere among the clans of Judah, I'll find him.
24 The people from Ziph went back ahead of Saul, and they found out that David and his men were still south of Jeshimon in the Maon Desert.

25 Saul and his army set out to find David. But David heard that Saul was coming, and he went to a place called The Rock, one of his hideouts in Maon Desert.
Saul found out where David was and started closing in on him. 26 Saul was going around a hill on one side, and David and his men were on the other side, trying to get away. Saul and his soldiers were just about to capture David and his men,

27 when a messenger came to Saul and said, “Come quickly! The Philistines are attacking Israel and taking everything.”

28 Saul stopped going after David and went back to fight the Philistines. That's why the place is called “Escape Rock.”
29 David left and went to live in the hideouts at En-Gedi.