1And they told David, saying, "Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and they are plundering the threshing-floors."
2And David inquired of YHWH, saying, "Shall I go and strike these Philistines?" And YHWH said to David, "Go, and strike the Philistines, and save (yasha) Keilah."
3And David's men (ish) said to him, "Behold, we are afraid here in Judah; how much more if we go to Keilah against the ranks of the Philistines?"
4And David inquired again of YHWH, and YHWH answered him and said, "Arise, go down to Keilah, for I am giving the Philistines into your hand."
5And David and his men (ish) went to Keilah, and fought against the Philistines, and drove away their cattle, and struck them with a great blow; and David saved (yasha) the inhabitants of Keilah.
6And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, an ephod came down in his hand.
7And it was told to Saul that David had come to Keilah; and Saul said, "God has given him over into my hand; for he has shut himself in by coming into a city with double doors and a bar."
8And Saul summoned all the people to the war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men (ish).
9And David knew that Saul was secretly devising evil against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, "Bring near the ephod."
10And David said, "YHWH, God of Israel, your servant has surely heard that Saul is seeking to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake.
11Will the lords of Keilah deliver me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? YHWH, God of Israel, please tell your servant." And YHWH said, "He will come down."
12And David said, "Will the lords of Keilah deliver me and my men (ish) into the hand of Saul?" And YHWH said, "They will deliver you."
13And David and his men (ish), about six hundred men (ish), arose and went out from Keilah, and went about wherever they could go; and it was told to Saul that David had escaped from Keilah, and he ceased to go out.
14And David dwelt in the wilderness in the strongholds, and dwelt in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph; and Saul sought him all the days, but God did not give him into his hand.
15And David saw that Saul had come out to seek his soul (nephesh); and David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh.
16And Jonathan the son of Saul arose and went to David at Horesh, and strengthened his hand in God.
17And he said to him, "Do not fear; for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you; and you shall be king over Israel, and I shall be to you as second; and Saul my father also knows this."
18And the two of them cut a covenant (berit) before YHWH; and David dwelt at Horesh, and Jonathan went to his house.
19And the Ziphites went up to Saul to Gibeah, saying, "Is not David hiding himself with us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon?
20And now, O king, according to all the desire of your soul (nephesh) to come down, come down; and ours it shall be to deliver him into the king's hand."
21And Saul said, "Blessed be you of YHWH, for you have had compassion on me.
22Go, please, prepare yet more, and know and see his place where his foot is, who has seen him there; for it is said to me that he is very cunning.
23And see, and know, of all the hiding places where he hides himself, and return to me with certainty, and I will go with you; and it shall be, if he is in the land, that I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah."
24And they arose and went to Ziph before Saul; but David and his men (ish) were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah on the south of Jeshimon.
25And Saul and his men (ish) went to seek him; and they told David, and he went down to the rock, and dwelt in the wilderness of Maon; and Saul heard, and pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.
26And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men (ish) on that side of the mountain; and David was hurrying to go away from before Saul, while Saul and his men (ish) were surrounding David and his men (ish) to seize them.
27And a messenger came to Saul, saying, "Hurry and come, for the Philistines have raided the land."
28And Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went to meet the Philistines; therefore they called that place Sela-hammahlekoth.