1 People told|strong="H5046" David|strong="H1732", “Look|strong="H2009", the|strong="H0853" Philistines|strong="H6430" are|strong="H1992" fighting|strong="H3898" against|strong="H3898" the|strong="H0853" city of|strong="H1637" Keilah|strong="H7084". They|strong="H1992" are|strong="H1992" robbing grain from|strong="H6430" the|strong="H0853" threshing|strong="H1637" floors|strong="H1637".”
2 David|strong="H1732" asked|strong="H7592" the|strong="H0853" LORD|strong="H3068", “Should|strong="H3068" I|strong="H0559" go and|strong="H3068" fight these|strong="H0428" Philistines|strong="H6430"?”
3 But|strong="H3588" David’s|strong="H1732" men|strong="H0376" said|strong="H0559" to|strong="H0413" him|strong="H0413", “Look|strong="H2009", our|strong="H3588" men|strong="H0376" are|strong="H0376" afraid|strong="H3372" here|strong="H6311" in|strong="H0413" Judah|strong="H3063". Just think|strong="H0559" how|strong="H0637" afraid|strong="H3372" we|strong="H0587" will|strong="H0376" be|strong="H0376" if|strong="H3588" we|strong="H0587" go|strong="H2009" to|strong="H0413" Keilah|strong="H7084", where|strong="H2009" the|strong="H0559" Philistine|strong="H6430" army|strong="H4634" is|strong="H0376" lined up|strong="H0413" and|strong="H3063" ready for|strong="H3588" battle|strong="H4634".”
4 David|strong="H1732" again|strong="H5750" asked|strong="H7592" the|strong="H0853" LORD|strong="H3068". And|strong="H6965" the|strong="H0853" LORD|strong="H3068" answered|strong="H0559" David|strong="H1732", “Go|strong="H3381" down|strong="H3381" to|strong="H0559" Keilah|strong="H7084". I|strong="H0589" will|strong="H3068" help|strong="H6030" you|strong="H3588" defeat|strong="H5414" the|strong="H0853" Philistines|strong="H6430".”
5 So|strong="H3427" David|strong="H1732" and|strong="H1419" his|strong="H1732" men|strong="H0376" went|strong="H0376" to|strong="H0376" Keilah|strong="H7084". David’s|strong="H1732" men|strong="H0376" fought|strong="H3898" the|strong="H0853" Philistines|strong="H6430". They|strong="H0376" defeated|strong="H5221" them|strong="H0853" and|strong="H1419" took|strong="H0853" their|strong="H5221" cattle|strong="H4735". In|strong="H3427" this|strong="H0376" way David|strong="H1732" saved|strong="H3467" the|strong="H0853" people|strong="H0376" of|strong="H0376" Keilah|strong="H7084".
6 (When|strong="H1961" Abiathar|strong="H0054" ran|strong="H1272" away|strong="H1272" to|strong="H0413" David|strong="H1732", Abiathar|strong="H0054" took|strong="H1961" an|strong="H1961" ephod|strong="H0646" with|strong="H0413" him|strong="H0413".)
7 People told|strong="H5046" Saul|strong="H7586" that|strong="H3588" David|strong="H1732" was|strong="H1732" now|strong="H3588" at|strong="H1732" Keilah|strong="H7084". Saul|strong="H7586" said|strong="H0559", “God|strong="H0430" has|strong="H0430" given|strong="H5462" David|strong="H1732" to|strong="H0559" me|strong="H5046". David|strong="H1732" trapped himself|strong="H3027" when|strong="H3588" he|strong="H3588" went|strong="H0935" into|strong="H0935" a|strong="H3588" city|strong="H5892" surrounded by|strong="H3027" a|strong="H3588" wall with|strong="H0935" gates|strong="H1817" and|strong="H0935" bars|strong="H1280" to|strong="H0559" lock them|strong="H0853".”
8 Saul|strong="H7586" called all|strong="H3605" his|strong="H3605" army|strong="H5971" together|strong="H5971" for|strong="H0413" battle|strong="H4421". They|strong="H0376" prepared to|strong="H0413" go|strong="H3381" down|strong="H3381" to|strong="H0413" Keilah|strong="H7084" to|strong="H0413" attack|strong="H4421" David|strong="H1732" and|strong="H0376" his|strong="H3605" men|strong="H0376".
9 David|strong="H1732" learned|strong="H3045" that|strong="H3588" Saul|strong="H7586" was|strong="H1732" making plans against|strong="H5921" him|strong="H0413". David|strong="H1732" then|strong="H0559" said|strong="H0559" to|strong="H0413" Abiathar|strong="H0054" the|strong="H0559" priest|strong="H3548", “Bring|strong="H5066" the|strong="H0559" ephod|strong="H0646".”
10 David|strong="H1732" prayed|strong="H0559", “LORD|strong="H3068", God|strong="H0430" of|strong="H0430" Israel|strong="H3478", I|strong="H3588" have|strong="H5650" heard|strong="H8085" that|strong="H3588" Saul|strong="H7586" plans to|strong="H0413" come|strong="H0935" to|strong="H0413" Keilah|strong="H7084" and|strong="H0935" destroy|strong="H7843" the|strong="H0559" town|strong="H5892" because|strong="H3588" of|strong="H0430" me|strong="H0413".
11 Will|strong="H3068" Saul|strong="H7586" come|strong="H3381" to|strong="H0559" Keilah|strong="H7084"? Will|strong="H3068" the|strong="H0559" people|strong="H0834" of|strong="H0430" Keilah|strong="H7084" give|strong="H8085" me|strong="H4994" to|strong="H0559" Saul|strong="H7586"? LORD|strong="H3068", God|strong="H0430" of|strong="H0430" Israel|strong="H3478", I|strong="H0834" am|strong="H3068" your|strong="H3068" servant|strong="H5650". Please|strong="H4994" tell|strong="H5046" me|strong="H4994"!”
12 Again David|strong="H1732" asked|strong="H0559", “Will|strong="H3068" the|strong="H0853" people|strong="H0376" of|strong="H0376" Keilah|strong="H7084" give me|strong="H5462" and|strong="H3068" my|strong="H3068" men|strong="H0376" to|strong="H0559" Saul|strong="H7586"?”
13 So|strong="H1980" David|strong="H1732" and|strong="H1980" his|strong="H1732" men|strong="H0376" left|strong="H3318" Keilah|strong="H7084". There|strong="H0834" were|strong="H0834" about|strong="H1980" 600 men|strong="H0376" who|strong="H0834" went|strong="H1980" with|strong="H1980" David|strong="H1732". They|strong="H0834" kept moving|strong="H1980" from|strong="H3318" place to|strong="H1980" place. Saul|strong="H7586" learned that|strong="H0834" David|strong="H1732" had|strong="H0834" escaped|strong="H4422" from|strong="H3318" Keilah|strong="H7084", so|strong="H1980" he|strong="H0834" did|strong="H0834" not|strong="H2308" go|strong="H1980" to|strong="H1980" that|strong="H0834" city.
14 David|strong="H1732" went into|strong="H3027" the|strong="H3605" desert|strong="H4057" of|strong="H0430" Ziph|strong="H2128" and|strong="H0430" stayed|strong="H3427" in|strong="H3427" the|strong="H3605" mountains|strong="H2022" and|strong="H0430" fortresses there|strong="H3427". Saul|strong="H7586" looked|strong="H1245" for|strong="H3027" David|strong="H1732" the|strong="H3605" whole|strong="H3605" time|strong="H3117", but|strong="H3808" the|strong="H3605" Lord didn’t|strong="H3808" let|strong="H5414" Saul|strong="H7586" catch him|strong="H5414".
15 David|strong="H1732" was|strong="H1732" at|strong="H1732" Horesh|strong="H2793" in|strong="H5315" the|strong="H0853" desert|strong="H4057" of|strong="H5315" Ziph|strong="H2128". He|strong="H3588" was|strong="H1732" afraid because|strong="H3588" Saul|strong="H7586" was|strong="H1732" coming|strong="H3318" to|strong="H1732" kill him|strong="H0853".
16 But|strong="H2388" Saul’s|strong="H7586" son|strong="H1121" Jonathan|strong="H3083" went|strong="H6965" to|strong="H0413" see David|strong="H1732" at|strong="H0413" Horesh|strong="H2793" and|strong="H1121" encouraged|strong="H2388" him|strong="H0413" to|strong="H0413" have|strong="H1121" a|strong="H2388" stronger|strong="H2388" faith in|strong="H0413" God|strong="H0430".
17 Jonathan|strong="H0559" told|strong="H0559" David|strong="H3027", “Don’t|strong="H0408" be|strong="H1961" afraid|strong="H3372". My|strong="H5921" father|strong="H0001" Saul|strong="H7586" won’t|strong="H3808" hurt you|strong="H0859". You|strong="H0859" will|strong="H1961" become|strong="H1961" the|strong="H0559" king|strong="H4427" of|strong="H3027" Israel|strong="H3478", and|strong="H3478" I|strong="H0595" will|strong="H1961" be|strong="H1961" second|strong="H4932" to|strong="H0413" you|strong="H0859". Even|strong="H1571" my|strong="H5921" father|strong="H0001" knows|strong="H3045" this|strong="H3651".”
18 Jonathan|strong="H3083" and|strong="H1980" David|strong="H1732" both|strong="H8147" made|strong="H3772" an|strong="H6440" agreement|strong="H1285" before|strong="H6440" the|strong="H6440" LORD|strong="H3068". Then|strong="H1980" Jonathan|strong="H3083" went|strong="H1980" home|strong="H1004", and|strong="H1980" David|strong="H1732" stayed|strong="H3427" at|strong="H3427" Horesh|strong="H2793".
19 Some people|strong="H0834" from|strong="H0413" Ziph went|strong="H5927" to|strong="H0413" Saul|strong="H7586" at|strong="H0413" Gibeah|strong="H1390" and|strong="H1732" told|strong="H0559" him|strong="H0413", “David|strong="H1732" is|strong="H0834" hiding|strong="H5641" in|strong="H0413" our|strong="H0834" area. He|strong="H0834" is|strong="H0834" at|strong="H0413" the|strong="H0559" fortresses of|strong="H0559" Horesh|strong="H2793" on|strong="H0413" Hakilah Hill|strong="H1389", south|strong="H3225" of|strong="H0559" Jeshimon|strong="H3452".
20 Now|strong="H6258", King|strong="H4428", come|strong="H3381" down|strong="H3381" any|strong="H3605" time|strong="H6258" you|strong="H3605" want|strong="H5315". It|strong="H3381" is|strong="H5315" our|strong="H3605" duty to|strong="H3381" give David|strong="H3027" to|strong="H3381" you|strong="H3605".”
21 Saul|strong="H7586" answered|strong="H0559", “May|strong="H3068" the|strong="H0559" LORD|strong="H3068" bless|strong="H1288" you|strong="H0859" for|strong="H3588" helping me|strong="H5921".
22 Go|strong="H1961" and|strong="H8033" learn|strong="H3045" more|strong="H5750" about|strong="H1961" David. Keep|strong="H7200" track of|strong="H4725" where|strong="H0834" he|strong="H0834" goes and|strong="H8033" who|strong="H0834" goes to|strong="H0413" see|strong="H7200" him|strong="H0413". I|strong="H0834" am|strong="H1961" told|strong="H0559" that|strong="H0834" David is|strong="H0834" smart and|strong="H8033" that|strong="H0834" he|strong="H0834" is|strong="H0834" trying to|strong="H0413" trick me|strong="H0413".
23 Find|strong="H3045" all|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" hiding|strong="H2244" places|strong="H3605" that|strong="H0834" David uses. Then|strong="H1961" come|strong="H1980" back|strong="H7725" to|strong="H0413" me|strong="H0413" and|strong="H1980" tell|strong="H3045" me|strong="H0413" everything|strong="H3605". Then|strong="H1961" I’ll go|strong="H1980" with|strong="H0854" you|strong="H0834". If|strong="H0518" David is|strong="H0834" in|strong="H1980" the|strong="H3605" area|strong="H0776", I|strong="H0834" will|strong="H1961" find|strong="H3045" him|strong="H0413", even|strong="H0518" if|strong="H0518" I|strong="H0834" must|strong="H0853" go|strong="H1980" to|strong="H0413" every|strong="H3605" family|strong="H0505" group in|strong="H1980" Judah|strong="H3063".”
24 So|strong="H6965" those|strong="H0376" people|strong="H0376" went|strong="H6965" back|strong="H0413" to|strong="H0413" Ziph|strong="H2128" before|strong="H6440" Saul|strong="H7586".
25 Saul|strong="H7586" and|strong="H0376" his|strong="H8085" men|strong="H0376" went|strong="H3381" to|strong="H3381" look|strong="H1245" for|strong="H3427" David|strong="H1732", but|strong="H0376" the|strong="H8085" people|strong="H0376" warned him|strong="H0310". They|strong="H0376" told|strong="H5046" David|strong="H1732" that|strong="H8085" Saul|strong="H7586" was|strong="H1732" looking|strong="H1245" for|strong="H3427" him|strong="H0310". So|strong="H3381" David|strong="H1732" then|strong="H0310" went|strong="H3381" down|strong="H3381" to|strong="H3381" “The|strong="H8085" Rock|strong="H5553"” in|strong="H3427" the|strong="H8085" desert|strong="H4057" of|strong="H0376" Maon|strong="H4584". Saul|strong="H7586" heard|strong="H8085" that|strong="H8085" David|strong="H1732" had|strong="H1732" gone|strong="H3381" there|strong="H3427", so|strong="H3381" Saul|strong="H7586" went|strong="H3381" to|strong="H3381" that|strong="H8085" place to|strong="H3381" find|strong="H1245" him|strong="H0310".
26 Saul|strong="H7586" was|strong="H1961" on|strong="H0413" one|strong="H0376" side|strong="H6654" of|strong="H0376" the|strong="H6440" mountain|strong="H2022". David|strong="H1732" and|strong="H0376" his|strong="H1732" men|strong="H0376" were|strong="H1961" on|strong="H0413" the|strong="H6440" other|strong="H2088" side|strong="H6654" of|strong="H0376" the|strong="H6440" same|strong="H2088" mountain|strong="H2022". David|strong="H1732" was|strong="H1961" moving as|strong="H1961" quickly as|strong="H1961" possible to|strong="H0413" get away|strong="H2648" from|strong="H0376" Saul|strong="H7586". But|strong="H1961" Saul|strong="H7586" and|strong="H0376" his|strong="H1732" soldiers|strong="H0376" were|strong="H1961" going around|strong="H6440" the|strong="H6440" mountain|strong="H2022" to|strong="H0413" cut them|strong="H0413" off and|strong="H0376" trap David|strong="H1732" and|strong="H0376" his|strong="H1732" men|strong="H0376".
27 Then|strong="H0935" a|strong="H3588" messenger|strong="H4397" arrived|strong="H0935" and|strong="H0935" told|strong="H0559" Saul|strong="H7586", “Come|strong="H0935" quickly|strong="H4116"! The|strong="H0559" Philistines|strong="H6430" are|strong="H0776" attacking.”
28 So|strong="H3651" Saul|strong="H7586" stopped|strong="H6430" chasing|strong="H0310" David|strong="H1732" and|strong="H7725" went|strong="H7725" to|strong="H7725" fight the|strong="H5921" Philistines|strong="H6430". That|strong="H1931" is|strong="H1931" why|strong="H3651" people|strong="H1931" call|strong="H7121" this|strong="H3651" place|strong="H4725" “Slippery Rock.”
29 David left the desert of Maon and went to the fortresses near En Gedi.