1 Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors. 2 Therefore David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the LORD said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah. 3 And David’s men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines? 4 Then David enquired of the LORD yet again. And the LORD answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand. 5 So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah. 6 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.
7 ¶ And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said, God hath delivered him into mine hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars. 8 And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.
9 ¶ And David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod. 10 Then said David, O LORD God of Israel, thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake. 11 Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O LORD God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And the LORD said, He will come down. 12 Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the LORD said, They will deliver thee up.
13 ¶ Then David and his men, which 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 forbare to go forth.
14 And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand. 15 And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.
16 ¶ And Jonathan Saul’s son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God. 17 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. 18 And they two made a covenant before the LORD: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.
19 ¶ Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon? 20 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 into the king’s hand. 21 And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have compassion on me. 22 Go, I pray you, prepare yet, 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 subtilly. 23 See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hideth himself, and come ye again 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 throughout all the thousands of Judah. 24 And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the south of Jeshimon. 25 Saul also and his men went to seek him . And they told David: wherefore he came down into a rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that , he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon. 26 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.
27 ¶ But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land. 28 Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Sela-hammahlekoth.
29 ¶ And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at En-gedi.
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.
