Book 08 : NEVIIM - I SAMUEL - Chapter 023
23:001
And they told David, saying: 'Behold, the Philistines are
fighting against Keilah, and they rob the threshing-floors.
23:002
Therefore David inquired of HaShem, saying: 'Shall I go and
smite these Philistines?' And HaShem said unto David: 'Go, and smite the
Philistines, and save Keilah.
23:003
And David's men said unto him: 'Behold, we are afraid here
in Judah; how much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the
Philistines?
23:004
Then David inquired of HaShem yet again. And HaShem
answered him and said: 'Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the
Philistines into thy hand.
23:005
And David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the
Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and slew them with a great
slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah
23:006
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
23:007
And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And
Saul said: 'G-d hath delivered him into my hand; for he is shut in, by entering
into a town that hath gates and bars.
23:008
And Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to
Keilah, to besiege David and his men
23:009
And David knew that Saul devised mischief against him; and
he said to Abiathar the priest: 'Bring hither the ephod.
23:010
Then said David: 'O HaShem, the G-d of Israel, Thy servant
hath surely heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for
my sake
23:011
Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will
Saul come down, as Thy servant hath heard?' O HaShem, the G-d of Israel, I
beseech Thee, tell Thy servant.' And HaShem said: 'He will come down.
23:012
Then said David: 'Will the men of Keilah deliver up me and
my men into the hand of Saul?' And HaShem said: 'They will deliver thee up.
23:013
Then David and his men, who 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 forbore to go forth
23:014
And David abode in the wilderness in the strongholds, and
remained in the hill-country in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him
every day, but G-d delivered him not into his hand
23:015
And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life; and
David was in the wilderness of Ziph in the wood
23:016
And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into the
wood, and strengthened his hand in G-d
23:017
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.
23:018
And they two made a covenant before HaShem; and David
abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house
23:019
Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying: 'Doth
not David hide himself with us in the strongholds in the wood, in the hill of
Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon
23:020
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 up into
the king's hand.
23:021
And Saul said: 'Blessed be ye of HaShem; for ye have had
compassion on me
23:022
Go, I pray you, make yet more sure, 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 subtly
23:023
See therefore, and take knowledge of all the
lurking-places where he hideth himself, and come ye back 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 among all the thousands of Judah.
23:024
And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul; but David
and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah on the south of
Jeshimon
23:025
And Saul and his men went to seek him. And they told
David; wherefore he came down to the rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon.
And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon
23:026
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
23:027
But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying: 'Haste thee,
and come; for the Philistines have made a raid upon the land.
23:028
So Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went
against the Philistines; therefore they called that place Sela-hammahlekoth
Book 08 : NEVIIM - I SAMUEL - Chapter 023
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