David Saves the Town of Keilah
1 David heard that the Philistines were attacking the town of Keilah and were stealing the newly harvested grain. 2 So he asked the Lord, “Shall I go and attack the Philistines?”
“Yes,” the Lord answered. “Attack them and save Keilah.”
3 But David's men said to him, “We have enough to be afraid of here in Judah; it will be much worse if we go to Keilah and attack the Philistine forces!” 4 So David consulted the Lord again, and the Lord said to him, “Go and attack Keilah, because I will give you victory over the Philistines.” 5 So David and his men went to Keilah and attacked the Philistines; they killed many of them and took their livestock. And so it was that David saved the town.
6 When Abiathar son of Ahimelech escaped and joined David in Keilah, he took the ephod with him.
7 Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, and he said, “God has put him in my power. David has trapped himself by going into a walled town with fortified gates.” 8 So Saul called his troops to war, to march against Keilah and besiege David and his men.
9 When David heard that Saul was planning to attack him, he said to the priest Abiathar, “Bring the ephod here.” 10 Then David said, “Lord, God of Israel, I have heard that Saul is planning to come to Keilah and destroy it on account of me, your servant. 11 Will the citizens of Keilah hand me over to Saul? Will Saul really come, as I have heard? Lord, God of Israel, I beg you to answer me!”
The Lord answered, “Saul will come.”
12 “And will the citizens of Keilah hand my men and me over to Saul?” David asked again.
“They will,” the Lord answered.
13 So David and his men—about six hundred in all—left Keilah at once and kept on the move. When Saul heard that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up his plan.
David in the Hill Country
14 David stayed in hiding in the hill country, in the wilderness near Ziph. Saul was always trying to find him, but God did not turn David over to him. 15 David saw that Saul was out to kill him.
David was at Horesh, in the wilderness near Ziph. 16 Jonathan went to him there and encouraged him with assurances of God's protection, 17 saying to him, “Don't be afraid. My father Saul won't be able to harm you. He knows very well that you are the one who will be the king of Israel and that I will be next in rank to you.” 18 The two of them made a sacred promise of friendship to each other. David stayed at Horesh, and Jonathan went home.
19 Some people from Ziph went to Saul at Gibeah and said, “David is hiding out in our territory at Horesh on Mount Hachilah, in the southern part of the Judean wilderness. 20 We know, Your Majesty, how much you want to capture him; so come to our territory, and we will make sure that you catch him.”
21 Saul answered, “May the Lord bless you for being so kind to me! 22 Go and make sure once more; find out for certain where he is and who has seen him there. I hear that he is very cunning. 23 Find out exactly the places where he hides, and be sure to bring back a report to me right away. Then I will go with you, and if he is still in the region, I will hunt him down, even if I have to search the whole land of Judah.”
24 So they left and returned to Ziph ahead of Saul. David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in a desolate valley in the southern part of the Judean wilderness. 25 Saul and his men set out to look for David, but he heard about it and went to a rocky hill in the wilderness of Maon and stayed there. When Saul heard about this, he went after David. 26 Saul and his men were on one side of the hill, separated from David and his men, who were on the other side. They were hurrying to get away from Saul and his men, who were closing in on them and were about to capture them. 27 Just then a messenger arrived and said to Saul, “Come back at once! The Philistines are invading the country!” 28 So Saul stopped pursuing David and went to fight the Philistines. That is why that place is called Separation Hill. 29 David left and went to the region of Engedi, where he stayed in hiding.
Dāvids atbrīvo Keīlu
1 Dāvidam pastāstīja: “Redzi, filistieši karo pret Keīlu, viņi aplaupa kuļamos klonus.” 2 Dāvids izjautāja Kungu: “Vai man iet? Vai es sakaušu filistiešus?” Kungs teica Dāvidam: “Ej! Tu sakausi filistiešus un izglābsi Keīlu.” 3 Bet Dāvida vīri teica viņam: “Redzi, mums jābaidās pat šeit Jūdā, kā lai vēl ejam uz Keīlu pret filistiešu rindām?” 4 Tad Dāvids vēlreiz izjautāja Kungu, un Kungs viņam atbildēja: “Celies! Dodies lejā uz Keīlu, jo es nododu filistiešus tavā rokā!” 5 Tad Dāvids kopā ar saviem vīriem devās uz Keīlu, uzbruka filistiešiem, aizdzina viņu lopus un kautin sakāva viņus. Tā Dāvids izglāba Keīlas ļaudis.
6 Kad Ebjātārs, Ahīmeleha dēls, atbēga pie Dāvida uz Keīlu, viņam līdzi bija efods. 7 Saulam pastāstīja, ka Dāvids atnācis uz Keīlu, un Sauls teica: “Dievs viņu ievilinājis manās rokās, viņš pats sevi ir sagūstījis, ienākdams pilsētā ar divviru vārtiem un aizšaujamo bultu!” 8 Sauls sasauca visus ļaudis karam, lai kāptu lejā uz Keīlu un ielenktu Dāvidu un viņa vīrus. 9 Bet Dāvids saprata, ka Sauls pret viņu perina ļaunu, un teica priesterim Ebjātāram: “Atnes efodu!”
10 Dāvids teica: “Kungs, Israēla Dievs, tavs kalps it visur dzird sakām, ka Sauls tīko nākt uz Keīlu, lai manis dēļ izpostītu pilsētu. 11 Vai Keīlas kungi nodos mani viņa rokās? Vai Sauls nāks lejā, kā tavs kalps dzirdējis runājam? Kungs, Israēla Dievs, jel atbildi savam kalpam!” Un Kungs teica: “Viņš nāks lejā!” 12 Dāvids jautāja: “Vai Keīlas kungi nodos mani un manus vīrus Saula rokās?” Un Kungs atbildēja: “Nodos!”
13 Tad Dāvids un viņa vīri – kādi seši simti – cēlās, devās prom no Keīlas un klaiņoja apkārt. Kad Saulam pastāstīja, ka Dāvids aizbēdzis no Keīlas, viņš vairs turp nedevās. 14 Dāvids uzturējās nocietinātās vietās tuksnesī, viņš mitinājās kalnos Zīfas tuksnesī, un Sauls viņu visu laiku meklēja, bet Dievs viņu nedeva tam rokā.
Sauls vajā Dāvidu Zīfas tuksnesī
15 Dāvids redzēja, ka Sauls tīko pēc viņa dzīvības. Dāvids bija Horšā, Zīfas tuksnesī. 16 Un Saula dēls Jonatāns cēlās un gāja pie Dāvida uz Horšu un drošināja viņu ar Dieva palīgu. 17 Viņš teica tam: “Nebīsties, jo mana tēva Saula roka tevi nesasniegs. Tu valdīsi pār Israēlu, un es būšu otrs pēc tevis – to zina arī mans tēvs Sauls.” 18 Viņi abi noslēdza derību Kunga priekšā, un Dāvids palika Horšā, bet Jonatāns atgriezās mājās.
19 Zīfieši kāpa augšā uz Gibu pie Saula un teica: “Vai tik tas nav Dāvids, kas slēpjas pie mums Horšā, nocietinātās vietās Hahīlas pakalnā, kas uz dienvidiem no Ješimonas? 20 Nu, ķēniņ, ja gribi nākt lejā, nāc! Mums atliek tikai nodot viņu ķēniņa rokās!” 21 Un Sauls teica: “Esiet Kunga svētīti, ka iežēlojāties par mani! 22 Tagad ejiet un esiet gatavi! Uzziniet un izlūkojiet vietu, kur viņš uzturas un kurš viņu tur ir redzējis, jo man teikts, ka viņš esot ļoti manīgs. 23 Izlūkojiet un uzziniet visas paslēptuves, kur viņš slēpjas, un atgriezieties pie manis ar drošām ziņām – es tad iešu ar jums. Ja vien viņš ir šajā zemē, es viņu sameklēšu starp visiem Jūdas tūkstošiem!”
24 Viņi cēlās un devās uz Zīfu pirms Saula. Bet Dāvids ar saviem vīriem bija Māona tuksnesī uz dienvidiem no Ješimonas. 25 Sauls ar saviem vīriem nāca viņu meklēt, un tas tika pastāstīts Dāvidam. Tad viņš nokāpa no klints un apmetās Māona tuksnesī. Kad Sauls to uzzināja, viņš vajāja Dāvidu Māona tuksnesī. 26 Un Sauls gāja kalnam pa šo pusi, bet Dāvids ar saviem vīriem kalnam pa otru pusi. Dāvids steidza aiziet no Saula, bet Sauls ar saviem vīriem lenca Dāvidu un viņa vīrus, lai tos notvertu. 27 Tad pie Saula nāca vēstnesis un sacīja: “Nāc ātrāk! Zemē iebrukuši filistieši!” 28 Un Sauls pārtrauca vajāt Dāvidu un devās pret filistiešiem. Tāpēc šo vietu sauc Mahlekotas klints.
