1 They told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and are robbing the threshing floors.

1 וַיַּגִּ֥דוּ לְדָוִ֖ד לֵאמֹ֑ר הִנֵּ֤ה פְלִשְׁתִּים֙ נִלְחָמִ֣ים בִּקְעִילָ֔ה וְהֵ֖מָּה שֹׁסִ֥ים אֶת־הַגֳּרָנֹֽות׃

2 Therefore David inquired of Yahweh, saying, Shall I go and strike these Philistines? Yahweh said to David, Go, and strike the Philistines, and save Keilah.

2 וַיִּשְׁאַ֨ל דָּוִ֤ד בַּֽיהוָה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הַאֵלֵ֣ךְ וְהִכֵּ֔יתִי בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־דָּוִ֗ד לֵ֚ךְ וְהִכִּ֣יתָ בַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וְהֹושַׁעְתָּ֖ אֶת־קְעִילָֽה׃

3 David'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?

3 וַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּ אַנְשֵׁ֤י דָוִד֙ אֵלָ֔יו הִנֵּ֨ה אֲנַ֥חְנוּ פֹ֛ה בִּֽיהוּדָ֖ה יְרֵאִ֑ים וְאַף֙ כִּֽי־נֵלֵ֣ךְ קְעִלָ֔ה אֶל־מַֽעַרְכֹ֖ות פְּלִשְׁתִּֽים׃

4 Then 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.

4 וַיֹּ֨וסֶף עֹ֤וד דָּוִד֙ לִשְׁאֹ֣ל בַּֽיהוָ֔ה וַֽיַּעֲנֵ֖הוּ יְהוָ֑ה וַיֹּ֗אמֶר ק֚וּם רֵ֣ד קְעִילָ֔ה כִּֽי־אֲנִ֥י נֹתֵ֛ן אֶת־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים בְּיָדֶֽךָ׃

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

5 וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ דָּוִד֩ וַאִנְשֹׁו וַאֲנָשָׁ֨יו קְעִילָ֜ה וַיִּלָּ֣חֶם בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּ֗ים וַיִּנְהַג֙ אֶת־מִקְנֵיהֶ֔ם וַיַּ֥ךְ בָּהֶ֖ם מַכָּ֣ה גְדֹולָ֑ה וַיֹּ֣שַׁע דָּוִ֔ד אֵ֖ת יֹשְׁבֵ֥י קְעִילָֽה׃

6 It happened, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand.

6 וַיְהִ֗י בִּ֠בְרֹחַ אֶבְיָתָ֧ר בֶּן־אֲחִימֶ֛לֶךְ אֶל־דָּוִ֖ד קְעִילָ֑ה אֵפֹ֖וד יָרַ֥ד בְּיָדֹֽו׃

7 It was told Saul that David was 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.

7 וַיֻּגַּ֣ד לְשָׁא֔וּל כִּי־בָ֥א דָוִ֖ד קְעִילָ֑ה וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שָׁא֗וּל נִכַּ֨ר אֹתֹ֤ו אֱלֹהִים֙ בְּיָדִ֔י כִּ֚י נִסְגַּ֣ר לָבֹ֔וא בְּעִ֖יר דְּלָתַ֥יִם וּבְרִֽיחַ׃

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

8 וַיְשַׁמַּ֥ע שָׁא֛וּל אֶת־כָּל־הָעָ֖ם לַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה לָרֶ֣דֶת קְעִילָ֔ה לָצ֥וּר אֶל־דָּוִ֖ד וְאֶל־אֲנָשָֽׁיו׃

9 David knew that Saul was devising mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring here the ephod.

9 וַיֵּ֣דַע דָּוִ֔ד כִּ֣י עָלָ֔יו שָׁא֖וּל מַחֲרִ֣ישׁ הָרָעָ֑ה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־אֶבְיָתָ֣ר הַכֹּהֵ֔ן הַגִּ֖ישָׁה הָאֵפֹֽוד׃

10 Then said David, 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.

10 וַיֹּאמֶר֮ דָּוִד֒ יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל שָׁמֹ֤עַ שָׁמַע֙ עַבְדְּךָ֔ כִּֽי־מְבַקֵּ֥שׁ שָׁא֖וּל לָבֹ֣וא אֶל־קְעִילָ֑ה לְשַׁחֵ֥ת לָעִ֖יר בַּעֲבוּרִֽי׃

11 Will 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.

11 הֲיַסְגִּרֻ֣נִי בַעֲלֵי֩ קְעִילָ֨ה בְיָדֹ֜ו הֲיֵרֵ֣ד שָׁא֗וּל כַּֽאֲשֶׁר֙ שָׁמַ֣ע עַבְדֶּ֔ךָ יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הַגֶּד־נָ֖א לְעַבְדֶּ֑ךָ וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהוָ֖ה יֵרֵֽד׃

12 Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver up to me and my men into the hand of Saul? Yahweh said, They will deliver you up.

12 וַיֹּ֣אמֶר דָּוִ֔ד הֲיַסְגִּ֜רוּ בַּעֲלֵ֧י קְעִילָ֛ה אֹתִ֥י וְאֶת־אֲנָשַׁ֖י בְּיַד־שָׁא֑וּל וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהוָ֖ה יַסְגִּֽירוּ׃

13 Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went wherever they could go. It was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he gave up going there.

13 וַיָּקָם֩ דָּוִ֨ד וַאֲנָשָׁ֜יו כְּשֵׁשׁ־מֵאֹ֣ות אִ֗ישׁ וַיֵּצְאוּ֙ מִקְּעִלָ֔ה וַיִּֽתְהַלְּכ֖וּ בַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר יִתְהַלָּ֑כוּ וּלְשָׁא֣וּל הֻגַּ֗ד כִּֽי־נִמְלַ֤ט דָּוִד֙ מִקְּעִילָ֔ה וַיֶּחְדַּ֖ל לָצֵֽאת׃

14 David abode 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.

14 וַיֵּ֨שֶׁב דָּוִ֤ד בַּמִּדְבָּר֙ בַּמְּצָדֹ֔ות וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב בָּהָ֖ר בְּמִדְבַּר־זִ֑יף וַיְבַקְשֵׁ֤הוּ שָׁאוּל֙ כָּל־הַיָּמִ֔ים וְלֹֽא־נְתָנֹ֥ו אֱלֹהִ֖ים בְּיָדֹֽו׃

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

15 וַיַּ֣רְא דָוִ֔ד¹ כִּֽי־יָצָ֥א שָׁא֖וּל לְבַקֵּ֣שׁ אֶת־נַפְשֹׁ֑ו וְדָוִ֥ד בְּמִדְבַּר־זִ֖יף בַּחֹֽרְשָׁה׃

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

16 וַיָּ֙קָם֙ יְהֹונָתָ֣ן בֶּן־שָׁא֔וּל וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ אֶל־דָּוִ֖ד חֹ֑רְשָׁה וַיְחַזֵּ֥ק אֶת־יָדֹ֖ו בֵּאלֹהִֽים׃

17 He said to him, Don't be afraid; for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you; and you shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you; and that also Saul my father knows.

17 וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֵלָ֜יו אַל־תִּירָ֗א כִּ֠י לֹ֤א תִֽמְצָאֲךָ֙ יַ֚ד שָׁא֣וּל אָבִ֔י וְאַתָּה֙ תִּמְלֹ֣ךְ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאָנֹכִ֖י אֶֽהְיֶה־לְּךָ֣ לְמִשְׁנֶ֑ה וְגַם־שָׁא֥וּל אָבִ֖י יֹדֵ֥עַ כֵּֽן׃

18 They two made a covenant before Yahweh: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.

18 וַיִּכְרְת֧וּ שְׁנֵיהֶ֛ם בְּרִ֖ית לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וַיֵּ֤שֶׁב דָּוִד֙ בַּחֹ֔רְשָׁה וִיהֹונָתָ֖ן הָלַ֥ךְ לְבֵיתֹֽו׃

19 Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doesn't David hide himself with us in the strongholds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of the desert?

19 וַיַּעֲל֤וּ זִפִים֙ אֶל־שָׁא֔וּל הַגִּבְעָ֖תָה לֵאמֹ֑ר הֲלֹ֣וא דָ֠וִד מִסְתַּתֵּ֨ר עִמָּ֤נוּ בַמְּצָדֹות֙ בַּחֹ֔רְשָׁה בְּגִבְעַת֙ הַֽחֲכִילָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֖ר מִימִ֥ין הַיְשִׁימֹֽון׃

20 Now therefore, O king, come down, according to all the desire of your soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him up into the king's hand.

20 וְ֠עַתָּה לְכָל־אַוַּ֨ת נַפְשְׁךָ֥ הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ לָרֶ֖דֶת רֵ֑ד וְלָ֥נוּ הַסְגִּירֹ֖ו בְּיַ֥ד הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

21 Saul said, Blessed be you of Yahweh; for you have had compassion on me.

21 וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שָׁא֔וּל בְּרוּכִ֥ים אַתֶּ֖ם לַֽיהוָ֑ה כִּ֥י חֲמַלְתֶּ֖ם עָלָֽי׃

22 Please go make yet more sure, and know and see his place where his haunt is, [and] who has seen him there; for it is told me that he deals very subtly.

22 לְכוּ־נָ֞א הָכִ֣ינוּ עֹ֗וד וּדְע֤וּ וּרְאוּ֙ אֶת־מְקֹומֹו֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּֽהְיֶ֣ה רַגְלֹ֔ו מִ֥י רָאָ֖הוּ שָׁ֑ם כִּ֚י אָמַ֣ר אֵלַ֔י עָרֹ֥ום יַעְרִ֖ם הֽוּא׃

23 See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking-places where he hides himself, and come you again to me of a certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall happen, if he be in the land, that I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.

23 וּרְא֣וּ וּדְע֗וּ מִכֹּ֤ל הַמַּֽחֲבֹאִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִתְחַבֵּ֣א שָׁ֔ם וְשַׁבְתֶּ֤ם אֵלַי֙ אֶל־נָכֹ֔ון וְהָלַכְתִּ֖י אִתְּכֶ֑ם וְהָיָה֙ אִם־יֶשְׁנֹ֣ו בָאָ֔רֶץ וְחִפַּשְׂתִּ֣י אֹתֹ֔ו בְּכֹ֖ל אַלְפֵ֥י יְהוּדָֽה׃

24 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 the desert.

24 וַיָּק֛וּמוּ וַיֵּלְכ֥וּ זִ֖יפָה לִפְנֵ֣י שָׁא֑וּל וְדָוִ֨ד וַאֲנָשָׁ֜יו בְּמִדְבַּ֤ר מָעֹון֙ בָּעֲרָבָ֔ה אֶ֖ל יְמִ֥ין הַיְשִׁימֹֽון׃

25 Saul and his men went to seek him. They told David: why he came down to the rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. When Saul heard [that], he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.

25 וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ שָׁא֣וּל וַאֲנָשָׁיו֮ לְבַקֵּשׁ֒ וַיַּגִּ֣דוּ³ לְדָוִ֔ד וַיֵּ֣רֶד הַסֶּ֔לַע וַיֵּ֖שֶׁב בְּמִדְבַּ֣ר מָעֹ֑ון וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע שָׁא֔וּל וַיִּרְדֹּ֥ף אַחֲרֵֽי־דָוִ֖ד מִדְבַּ֥ר מָעֹֽון׃

26 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.

26 וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ שָׁא֜וּל מִצַּ֤ד הָהָר֙ מִזֶּ֔ה וְדָוִ֧ד וַאֲנָשָׁ֛יו מִצַּ֥ד הָהָ֖ר מִזֶּ֑ה וַיְהִ֨י דָוִ֜ד נֶחְפָּ֤ז לָלֶ֙כֶת֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י שָׁא֔וּל וְשָׁא֣וּל וַאֲנָשָׁ֗יו עֹֽטְרִ֛ים אֶל־דָּוִ֥ד וְאֶל־אֲנָשָׁ֖יו לְתָפְשָֽׂם׃

27 But there came a messenger to Saul, saying, Haste you, and come; for the Philistines have made a raid on the land.

27 וּמַלְאָ֣ךְ בָּ֔א אֶל־שָׁא֖וּל לֵאמֹ֑ר מַהֲרָ֣ה וְלֵ֔כָה כִּֽי־פָשְׁט֥וּ פְלִשְׁתִּ֖ים עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

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

28 וַיָּ֣שָׁב שָׁא֗וּל מִרְדֹף֙ אַחֲרֵ֣י דָוִ֔ד וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ לִקְרַ֣את פְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים עַל־כֵּ֗ן קָֽרְאוּ֙ לַמָּקֹ֣ום הַה֔וּא סֶ֖לַע הַֽמַּחְלְקֹֽות׃

29 David went up from there, and lived in the strongholds of En Gedi.

1 וַיַּ֥עַל דָּוִ֖ד מִשָּׁ֑ם וַיֵּ֖שֶׁב בִּמְצָדֹ֥ות עֵֽין־גֶּֽדִי׃