--- title: 1 Samuel 23 slug: kjv/1-samuel-23 createdAt: 2024-08-14T01:44:25.865Z --- **1 **Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors. **2 **Therefore David inquired 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 inquired 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 Selahammahlekoth. **29 **And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at Engedi.