1 Samuel 23

1David was told, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and are robbing the threshing floors.”Cross-references: Lev 26:16 · Deut 28:33 · Deut 28:51 · Josh 15:44 · Judg 6:4 · Judg 6:11 · +2 more

2Therefore David inquired of Yahweh, saying, “Shall I go and strike these Philistines?” Yahweh said to David, “Go strike the Philistines, and save Keilah.”Cross-references: Num 27:21 · Josh 9:14 · Judg 1:1 · 1Sam 23:4 · 1Sam 23:6 · 1Sam 23:9 · +7 more

3David’s men said to him, “Behold, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?”Cross-references: 1Sam 23:15 · 1Sam 23:23 · 1Sam 23:26 · Ps 11:1 · Jer 12:5

4Then David inquired of Yahweh yet again. Yahweh answered him, and said, “Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into your hand.”Cross-references: Josh 8:7 · Judg 6:39 · Judg 7:7 · 1Sam 28:6 · 2Sam 5:19 · 2Ki 3:18

5David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their livestock, and killed them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

6When Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, he came down with an ephod in his hand.Cross-references: Ex 28:30 · 1Sam 14:3 · 1Sam 14:18 · 1Sam 14:36 · 1Sam 22:20

7Saul was told that David had come to Keilah. Saul said, “God has delivered him into my hand, for he is shut in by entering into a town that has gates and bars.”Cross-references: Ex 14:3 · Ex 15:9 · Judg 16:2 · 1Sam 23:14 · 1Sam 24:4 · 1Sam 26:8 · +3 more

8Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men.

9David knew that Saul was devising mischief against him. He said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.”Cross-references: Num 27:21 · 1Sam 14:18 · 1Sam 22:20 · 1Sam 23:6 · 1Sam 30:7 · Jer 11:18 · +4 more

10Then David said, “O Yahweh, the God of Israel, your servant has surely heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah to destroy the city for my sake.Cross-references: Gen 18:24 · 1Sam 22:19 · 1Sam 23:8 · Esth 3:6 · Prov 28:15 · Rom 3:15

11Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? Yahweh, the God of Israel, I beg you, tell your servant.” Yahweh said, “He will come down.”Cross-references: Ps 50:15 · Jer 33:3 · Matt 7:7

12Then David said, “Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul?” Yahweh said, “They will deliver you up.”Cross-references: 1Sam 23:7 · 1Sam 23:20 · Ps 31:8 · Ps 62:1 · Ps 118:8 · Eccl 9:14 · +2 more

13Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah and went wherever they could go. Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah; and he gave up going there.Cross-references: 1Sam 22:2 · 1Sam 25:13 · 1Sam 30:9 · 2Sam 15:20

14David stayed in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but God didn’t deliver him into his hand.Cross-references: Josh 15:24 · Josh 15:55 · 1Sam 23:7 · 1Sam 27:1 · Ps 11:1 · Ps 32:7 · +9 more

15David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. David was in the wilderness of Ziph in the woods.

16Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David into the woods, and strengthened his hand in God.Cross-references: Deut 3:28 · 1Sam 30:6 · Neh 2:18 · Job 4:3 · Job 16:5 · Prov 27:9 · +9 more

17He said to him, “Don’t be afraid, for the hand of Saul my father won’t find you; and you will be king over Israel, and I will be next to you; and Saul my father knows that also.”Cross-references: 1Sam 20:31 · 1Sam 24:20 · Job 5:11 · Ps 27:1 · Ps 46:1 · Ps 91:1 · +10 more

18They both made a covenant before Yahweh. Then David stayed in the woods and Jonathan went to his house.Cross-references: 1Sam 18:3 · 1Sam 20:12 · 1Sam 20:42 · 2Sam 9:1 · 2Sam 21:7

19Then the Ziphites came up to Saul to Gibeah, saying, “Doesn’t David hide himself with us in the strongholds in the woods, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of the desert?Cross-references: 1Sam 22:7 · 1Sam 26:1 · 1Sam 26:3 · Ps 54:1 · Prov 29:12

20Now therefore, O king, come down. According to all the desire of your soul to come down; and our part will be to deliver him up into the king’s hand.”Cross-references: Deut 18:6 · 1Sam 23:12 · 2Sam 3:21 · 1Ki 21:11 · 2Ki 10:5 · Ps 54:3 · +3 more

21Saul said, “You are blessed by Yahweh, for you have had compassion on me.Cross-references: Judg 17:2 · 1Sam 22:8 · Ps 10:3 · Isa 66:5 · Mic 3:11

22Please go make yet more sure, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who has seen him there; for I have been told that he is very cunning.Cross-references: Job 5:13

23See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hides himself; and come again to me with certainty, and I will go with you. It shall happen, if he is in the land, that I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.”Cross-references: Num 10:36 · 2Sam 17:11 · 1Ki 18:10 · Prov 1:16 · Mic 5:2 · Mark 14:1 · +3 more

24They 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 the desert.Cross-references: Josh 15:55 · 1Sam 25:2

25Saul and his men went to seek him. When David was told, he went down to the rock, and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. When Saul heard that, he pursued David in the wilderness of Maon.Cross-references: Judg 15:8 · 1Sam 23:28

26Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain; and David hurried to get away for fear of Saul, for Saul and his men surrounded David and his men to take them.Cross-references: 1Sam 19:12 · 1Sam 20:38 · 2Sam 15:14 · 2Sam 17:21 · 2Chr 20:12 · Ps 17:9 · +8 more

27But a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, for the Philistines have made a raid on the land!”Cross-references: Gen 22:14 · Deut 32:36 · 2Ki 19:9 · 1Chr 14:13 · Ps 116:3 · Rev 12:16

28So Saul returned from pursuing David, and went against the Philistines. Therefore they called that place Sela Hammahlekoth.

29David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of En Gedi.Cross-references: Gen 14:7 · Josh 15:62 · 1Sam 24:1 · 2Chr 20:2 · Song 1:14 · Ezek 47:10