1 Samuel 23: David saves Keilah, Yahweh answers him, and Saul chases him in the wilderness
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What happens?
The Philistines attack Keilah, and David asks Yahweh twice whether to go; Yahweh tells him to go, and David and his men save the town. Abiathar has come with an ephod, and when Saul plans to trap David in Keilah, David asks Yahweh again, and Yahweh answers that Saul will come down and the men of Keilah will hand David over. David and about six hundred men leave, and Saul looks for him every day in the wilderness of Ziph, but God does not give him into Saul's hand. Jonathan comes to David, strengthens his hand in God, and the two make a covenant before Yahweh. The Ziphites tell Saul where David is, and Saul closes in around him in the wilderness of Maon, until a messenger tells Saul the Philistines have raided the land, and he turns back.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. God's own words are in 4 of the 29 verses: Yahweh's answers to David in verses 2, 4, 11 and 12. David's questions to Yahweh, in verses 2 and 10 to 12, are David's own words. People tell David about Keilah in verse 1, and his men speak in verse 3. Saul speaks in verses 7 and 21 to 23, David to Abiathar in verse 9, Jonathan to David in verse 17, the Ziphites to Saul in verses 19 and 20, and a messenger to Saul in verse 27. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1David was told, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and are robbing the threshing floors.”
In plain English: David was told, "Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and they are robbing (literally: plundering) the threshing floors."
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2Therefore David inquired of Yahweh, saying, “Shall I go and strike these Philistines?” Yahweh said to David, “Go strike the Philistines, and save Keilah.”God speaks
In plain English: So David asked Yahweh (this Bible: inquired of Yahweh), "Shall I go and strike these Philistines?" Yahweh said to David, "Go, strike the Philistines, and save Keilah."
Good to know: The text does not say how David asked Yahweh. Verse 6 says Abiathar came to David with an ephod, and in verse 9 David asks for the ephod before he asks Yahweh again. Here the text gives Yahweh's own answer in words, so it is in gold; David's question is his own.
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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?”
In plain English: But David's men said to him, "Look, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more, then, if we go to Keilah against the armies (literally: the battle lines) of the Philistines?"
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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.”God speaks
In plain English: Then David asked Yahweh once more. Yahweh answered him and said, "Get up, go down to Keilah, because I will give the Philistines into your hand."
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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.
In plain English: David and his men went to Keilah and fought the Philistines. They drove off their livestock and struck them down with a great slaughter. So David saved the people who lived in Keilah.
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6When Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, he came down with an ephod in his hand.
In plain English: When Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, he came down with an ephod in his hand.
The Hebrew word: "Ephod" is ephod, the word explained in the note on : a garment, or an object. In 1 Samuel this Bible says "ephod" in all 8 verses that use it. Samuel wore "a linen ephod" (), and so did the priests Doeg killed (). Here Abiathar carries an ephod "in his hand", and in verse 9 David asks for it to be brought.
What changes: Read as a garment, it is something a priest wore, as Samuel and the priests of Nob did. Read as an object, it is something carried and brought out, as here and in verse 9. The text does not say how it was used when David asked Yahweh. The old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has Abiathar going down "with David to Keila, having an ephod in his hand".
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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.”
In plain English: Saul was told that David had come to Keilah. Saul said, "God has handed him over to me (this Bible: delivered him into my hand; or: God has cast him off into my hand), because he has shut himself in by going into a town that has gates and bars."
The Hebrew word: "Delivered" here is from nakar, which the dictionary gives as "properly, to scrutinize ... or (with suspicion implied), to disregard, ignore, be strange toward, reject". Of the 47 verses that use it, this is the only one where this Bible says "delivered". It is the word behind "take knowledge of me" in . The old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has "God has sold him into my hands".
What changes: Read as "delivered", Saul says God has handed David over to him. Read with the dictionary's "reject" or "be strange toward", Saul says God has given David up, cast him off into Saul's hand. These are Saul's words. Verse 14 says, in the narrator's words, "God didn't deliver him into his hand".
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8Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men.
In plain English: Saul called all the people to war, to go down to Keilah and besiege David and his men.
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9David knew that Saul was devising mischief against him. He said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.”
In plain English: David knew that Saul was plotting evil (this Bible: devising mischief) against him. He said to Abiathar the priest, "Bring the ephod here."
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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.
In plain English: Then David said, "O Yahweh, the God of Israel, your servant has surely heard that Saul is trying to come to Keilah, to destroy the town because of me.
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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.”God speaks
In plain English: Will the men (literally: the masters) of Keilah hand me over to him (literally: into his hand)? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? O Yahweh, the God of Israel, please tell your servant." Yahweh said, "He will come down."
Good to know: "The men of Keilah" is word for word "the ba'alim of Keilah", the word explained in the note on : it may mean the leading men, the landowners or simply the citizens. Yahweh's answers in verses 11 and 12, "He will come down" and "They will deliver you up", are in gold.
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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.”God speaks
In plain English: Then David said, "Will the men of Keilah hand me and my men over to Saul (literally: into the hand of Saul)?" Yahweh said, "They will hand you over."
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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.
In plain English: Then David and his men, about six hundred, got up and left Keilah, and went wherever they could go. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up going there (literally: he stopped going out).
Good to know: The Hebrew has about six hundred men here, where had about four hundred. The old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has "about four hundred" here. The text does not say how the number grew.
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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.
In plain English: David stayed in the strongholds in the wilderness, and he lived in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. Saul looked for him every day, but God did not give him into his hand.
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15David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. David was in the wilderness of Ziph in the woods.
In plain English: David saw that Saul had come out to take his life (literally: to seek his life). David was in the wilderness of Ziph, in the woods (or: at Horesh).
The Hebrew word: "In the woods" is choresh, which the dictionary gives as "a forest". It is in verses 15, 16, 18 and 19 of this chapter, and this Bible says "woods" in all four. It can also be read as the name of a place, Horesh. The old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has "in the New Ziph".
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16Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David into the woods, and strengthened his hand in God.
In plain English: Jonathan, Saul's son, got up and went to David in the woods (or: at Horesh), and strengthened his hand in God.
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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.”
In plain English: He said to him, "Do not be afraid, because the hand of Saul my father will not find you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you (this Bible: next to you). Saul my father knows this too."
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18They both made a covenant before Yahweh. Then David stayed in the woods and Jonathan went to his house.
In plain English: The two of them made a covenant before Yahweh. Then David stayed in the woods (or: at Horesh), and Jonathan went home (literally: to his house).
Good to know: Jonathan and David made a covenant in , and Jonathan made one with David's house in . The text does not say whether this is a new covenant or the old one made again. It says only that the two of them made a covenant "before Yahweh".
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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?
In plain English: Then the Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, "Is David not hiding among us in the strongholds in the woods (or: at Horesh), on the hill of Hachilah, which is south of the desert (or: of Jeshimon)?
The Hebrew word: "The desert" is yeshimon, which the dictionary gives as "a desolation". It can be read as the name of a place, Jeshimon, or as "the wasteland". The old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) keeps it as a name, "Jessæmon".
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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.”
In plain English: Now then, O king, come down whenever you wish (literally: according to all the desire of your soul to come down), and our part will be to hand him over into the king's hand."
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21Saul said, “You are blessed by Yahweh, for you have had compassion on me.
In plain English: Saul said, "You are blessed by Yahweh, because you have had pity (this Bible: compassion) on me.
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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.
In plain English: Please go and make even more sure. Find out and see the place where he goes (literally: where his foot is), and who has seen him there, because I have been told that he is very cunning.
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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.”
In plain English: So look, and find out all the hiding places where he hides, and come back to me with sure word (this Bible: with certainty), and I will go with you. If he is in the land, I will search him out among all the thousands (or: clans) of Judah."
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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.
In plain English: They got up and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. But David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah, south of the desert (or: of Jeshimon).
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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.
In plain English: Saul and his men went to look for him. When David was told, he went down to the rock and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. When Saul heard that, he chased David in the wilderness of Maon.
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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.
In plain English: Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side of the mountain. David was hurrying to get away from Saul, because Saul and his men were closing in around David and his men to capture them.
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27But a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, for the Philistines have made a raid on the land!”
In plain English: But a messenger came to Saul, saying, "Hurry and come, because the Philistines have raided the land!"
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28So Saul returned from pursuing David, and went against the Philistines. Therefore they called that place Sela Hammahlekoth.
In plain English: So Saul turned back from chasing David and went to meet the Philistines. That is why they called that place Sela Hammahlekoth (the old Greek: the divided rock).
The Hebrew words: "Sela" is sela, which the dictionary gives as "a craggy rock"; it is the word for "the rock" in verse 25. The dictionary gives the whole name only as "Sela-ham-Machlekoth, a place in Palestine". The second word sounds like machaloqeth, which the dictionary gives as "a section", and chalaq, "to be smooth (figuratively); by implication ... to apportion or separate". The old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has "The divided Rock".
What changes: Read as "the rock of parting" or "the divided rock", the name remembers how Saul and David were parted there (verses 26 to 28). Read with "smooth", it can mean "the smooth rock". The text gives only its own reason: Saul turned back from chasing David.
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29David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of En Gedi.
In plain English: David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of En Gedi.
The Hebrew words: "En Gedi" is made of two Hebrew words: ayin, which the dictionary gives as "an eye ... by analogy, a fountain", and gedi, "a young goat". So the name sounds like "spring of the young goat". The text does not explain it. In Saul looks for David "on the rocks of the wild goats".
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