1 Then they reported to David, saying, "Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are looting the threshing floors."

Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors.

2 So David asked the LORD, saying, "Should I go and attack these Philistines?" The LORD answered David, "Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah."

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.

3 But David's men said to him, "We are afraid here in Judah. How much more if we go to Keilah to face the battle lines of the Philistines!"

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?

4 So David inquired of the LORD again, and the LORD answered him, "Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand."

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.

5 David and his men went to Keilah and fought against the Philistines. He drove their livestock away and struck them with a great blow. Thus, David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

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 Now when Abiathar son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, he brought the ephod with him.

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.

7 Saul was informed that David had gone to Keilah, and he said, "God has delivered him into my hand, for he has trapped himself by entering a city with gates and bars."

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.

8 So Saul summoned all the troops for battle to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.

And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.

9 When David learned that Saul was plotting harm against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, "Bring the ephod here."

And David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod.

10 David said, "LORD, God of Israel, your servant has certainly heard that Saul intends to come to Keilah and destroy the city because of me.

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 leaders of Keilah hand me over to him? Will Saul come down as your servant has heard? LORD, God of Israel, please tell your servant." And the LORD answered, "He will come down."

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 David said, 'Will the leaders of Keilah hand me and my men over to Saul?' The LORD replied, 'They will hand you over.'

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 So David and his men, about six hundred in number, left Keilah and moved wherever they could go. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he stopped his pursuit.

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 David stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph. Saul searched for him every day, but God did not hand David over to him.

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.

15 When David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life, he stayed in the Wilderness of Ziph, in the woods.

And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.

16 Then Jonathan, Saul's son, went to David in the woods and strengthened his hand in God.

And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.

17 He said to him, 'Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father will not find you; you will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even Saul my father knows this.'

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 The two of them made a covenant before the LORD. Then David remained in the woods, and Jonathan returned to his house.

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

19 The Ziphites went to Saul at Gibeah and said, 'Isn't David hiding among us in the strongholds in the woods, on the hill of Hachilah, south of Jeshimon?'

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, O king, come down whenever you desire, and it will be our duty to surrender him into your hand.

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 Saul replied, 'May you be blessed by the LORD, for you have shown compassion on me.'

And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have compassion on me.

22 Please go and make further preparations. Investigate and find out where David is and who has seen him there, because I have been told he is very crafty.

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 Carefully identify all the hiding places where he could be staying and return to me with reliable information. Then I will come with you, and if he is indeed in the land, I will search for him among all the clans of Judah.

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 So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul, while David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain south of Jeshimon.

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 When Saul and his men began searching for him, David was told about it. He then went down to the rock and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. When Saul heard this, he pursued David into the wilderness of Maon.

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 Saul was going along one side of the mountain, and David and his men were on the other side, hurrying to get away from Saul. But as Saul and his forces were closing in on David and his men to capture them,

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 a messenger came to Saul, saying, 'Hurry and come, because the Philistines have raided the land.'

But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land.

28 Then Saul stopped pursuing David and went to confront the Philistines. That is why they called that place the Rock of Escape.

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