1 Samuel 23

1 Now it was reported [declared, told] to David, “Look [behold, see], the Philistines [a non-Israelite people, immigrants from other places] are fighting [waging war, battling] against Keilah [a fortified city in Judah] and looting [plundering, robbing] the threshing floors [open areas for grain separation].” word study 2 So David inquired [asked, sought guidance] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], “Should I go [walk, move forward] and attack [smite, strike] these [specific] Philistines [people from the region of Philistia]?” And the LORD [Yehovah] said to David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel], “Go [proceed, move forward] and attack [strike, defeat] the Philistines [enemies of Israel] and save [rescue, deliver] Keilah [a city in ancient Judah].” word study 3 But David’s men [the warriors with him] said to him, “Look [behold, see], we are afraid [full of fear, terrified] here in Judah [the region of God’s praise]; how much more [to a greater degree] if we go [walk, proceed] to Keilah [a fortified city] against the armies [ranks, military forces] of the Philistines [enemies of God’s people]?” word study 4 Once again [for the second time, yet again], David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] inquired [to ask, to seek information] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], and the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] answered him: “Go [to rise, to stand up] at once [immediately, without delay] to Keilah [a city in ancient Judah], for [because, since] I [the Lord, the speaker] will deliver [to give, to put into one’s hand] the Philistines [a person from the region of Philistia] into your hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share].” word study 5 Then David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] and his men went to Keilah [a city in ancient Judah, a fortified town], fought [to engage in battle, to war] against the Philistines [immigrants from other places, a non-Israelite people], and carried off [to take away, to capture] their livestock [cattle, sheep, and goats, domestic animals], striking them with a mighty blow [a great slaughter, a severe wound]. So David [the king, the ruler] saved [to deliver, to rescue] the people of Keilah [the inhabitants, the dwellers]. word study 6 (Now Abiathar [son of the king, descendant] son of Ahimelech had brought [came down with] the ephod [a special vest] with him when he fled [ran away quickly, escaped] to David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] at Keilah [a city in ancient Judah, a fortified place].) word study 7 When Saul [the king, Shaul] was told [informed, declared to] that David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] had gone [come, entered] to Keilah [a city in ancient Judah, a fortified town], he said [spoke, declared], “God [Elohim, the one supreme God] has delivered [handed over, given into my power] him into my hand [my power, my control], for [because, since] he has trapped [shut, enclosed] himself by entering [going, coming] a town [a city, a place with gates and bars] with gates [doors, entrances] and bars [bolts, locks].” word study 8 Then Saul [the king of Israel, Shaul] summoned [called to gather, assembled] all his troops [people, army] to go to war [battle, fight] at Keilah [a city in Judah, a fortified place] and besiege [to confine, surround] David [the future king, a man after God’s heart] and his men [soldiers, followers]. word study 9 When David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] learned [to know, perceive, and understand] that Saul [Shaul, meaning desired] was plotting [to plow or devise] evil [bad, moral or natural harm] against him, he said [to speak, command, or promise] to Abiathar [a faithful Israelite priest] the priest [one who serves God and leads others in worship], “Bring [to approach, draw near, or present] the ephod [a special vest worn by priests, made with gold, blue, and purple].” word study 10 And David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] said, “O LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], God [Elohim, the one supreme God] of Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, referring to his descendants], Your servant [one who serves or obeys] has heard [to hear and listen, implying attention and obedience] that Saul [Shaul, meaning desired] intends [to seek or search for] to come [to go or approach] to Keilah [a city in ancient Judah, a fortified place] and destroy [to ruin or corrupt] the city [a place with a wall or a watchman] on my account [for my sake, because of me]. word study 11 Will the citizens [masters, leaders] of Keilah [a city in ancient Judah] surrender me into his [Saul’s] hand [power, control]? Will Saul [Shaul, the desired one] come down [descend, fall], as Your servant [one who serves, a slave] has heard [listened, obeyed]? O LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], God [Elohim, the supreme God] of Israel [the descendants of Jacob], please [I pray, I beseech] tell [declare, reveal] Your servant.” “He will [yes, certainly],” said the LORD [Yehovah]. word study 12 So David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] asked, “Will the citizens [masters, leaders] of Keilah [a city in ancient Judah] surrender [shut, deliver] me and my men into the hand [power, direction] of Saul [Shaul, meaning desired, a Benjamite king]?” “They will [yes, indeed],” said the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]. word study 13 Then David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] and his men, about six hundred [a large company of warriors] strong, set out and departed from Keilah [a city in ancient Judah, a fortified place], moving from place to place [whithersoever they could go, wandering uncertainly]. When Saul [Shaul, meaning desired, a Benjamite king] was told that David had escaped [slipped away to safety, been delivered] from Keilah, he declined [ceased, stopped] to go forth [to come out, to proceed]. word study 14 And David [abode, remained] stayed in the wilderness [desert, open field] strongholds [forts, mountainous areas] and in the hill country [mountainous region, elevated area] of the Wilderness [desert, barren land] of Ziph [a Judahite town]. Day after day [every day, continually] Saul [Shaul, the first king of Israel] searched [sought, looked for] for him, but God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] would not [did not, refused to] deliver [give, hand over] David into his hand [power, control]. word study 15 While David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] was in Horesh [a wooded area, forest] in the Wilderness [a desert or open field] of Ziph [a Judahite, son of Jehallelel], he saw [perceived, became aware] that Saul [Shaul, meaning desired] had come out [to go out, leave a place] to take [seek, search for] his life [soul, living being]. word study 16 And Saul’s son [meaning Jehovah has given] Jonathan came [arose, went to] to David in [the wood, forest] Horesh and strengthened [to be strong, courageous] his hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share] in [toward, with] God [Elohim, the supreme Creator], word study 17 saying, “Do not [be anxious or fearful] be afraid, for my father [parent, ancestor] Saul [Shaul, meaning desired] will never [at no time, not under any circumstances] lay a hand [exercise power or control] on you. And you will be king [ruler, monarch] over Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, also referring to his descendants], and I will be your second-in-command [next to you, in a position of support] [having a role similar to a deputy]. Even my father [parent, ancestor] Saul [Shaul, meaning desired] knows [is aware, has knowledge] this is true [a fact, a reality].” word study 18 So the two [a pair, a duo] of them made a covenant [agreement, promise] before the LORD [Yehovah, the divine Sovereign]. And David remained [to dwell, to sit] in Horesh [the wood, a forest], while Jonathan went [to go, to walk] home [to his house, his dwelling place]. word study 19 Then the Ziphites [inhabitants of Ziph, a city in Judah] came up to Saul [Shaul, meaning desired] at Gibeah [a city in Benjamin, the birthplace of King Saul] and said, “Is not David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] hiding [to conceal oneself, to be secret] among us [with us, together] in the strongholds [forts, safe places] at Horesh [a place of wooded areas], on the hill [a small elevation] of Hachilah [a place in southern Judah] south [on the right hand, towards the desert] of Jeshimon [a desolate place, a wilderness]? word study 20 Now [at this moment, according to all the desire of thy soul], O king [royal ruler, monarch], come down [to go down, descend] whenever your soul [living being, essence] desires [has a strong longing], and we will be responsible [it is our duty] for delivering him into your hand [power, control, authority].” word study 21 “May you be blessed [highly favored, deeply happy] by the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God],” replied Saul [Shaul, the desired one], “for you have had compassion [pity, spared] on me [shown mercy upon]. word study 22 Please [I pray you] go and prepare [make yet more sure, use all diligence] further. Investigate [know and see, curiously inquire] and watch carefully [with utmost attention] where he goes [where his foot is, where he stays] and who has seen [who hath seen, who hath looked upon] him there [in that place, at that location], for I am told [it is said to me, I have been informed] that he is [deals, behaves] extremely [very, exceedingly] cunning [shrewd, subtle, having a crafty nature]. word study 23 Observe [see and take knowledge of] and find out [discover, ascertain] all [every single one] the places [lurking-places, hiding spots] where he hides [conceals himself, takes cover]. Then come back [return, turn back] to me with certainty [confidence, assurance], and I will go [walk, proceed] with you [by your side, accompanying you]. If he is [exists, is present] in the land [the earth, the region], I will search [look for, seek out] him out [thoroughly, diligently] among all [every one of] the clans [thousands, families] of Judah [the tribe, the people].” word study 24 So they set out [arose, went forth] and went to Ziph [a Judahite city] ahead of Saul [the first king of Israel]. Now David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] and his men [male followers, warriors] were in the Wilderness [desolate, empty place] of Maon [a city in Palestine] in the Arabah [a desert plain near the Jordan River] south [toward the right hand, in the direction of] of Jeshimon [a desolate, empty place, wilderness], word study 25 and Saul [Shaul, the desired one] and his men went to seek [search for, try to find] him. When David [the beloved king] was told [informed, notified] about it, he went down [descended, came down to a lower place] to the rock [crag, a strong and secure place] and stayed [dwelled, remained] in the Wilderness [desert, open field] of Maon [a place of refuge]. And when Saul [the king who became an enemy] heard [listened, gave attention] of this, he pursued [chased, followed with hostile intent] David [the anointed one] there [in that place, after him]. word study 26 Saul was proceeding [walking, going] along one side [the other edge] of the mountain [hill, elevated land], and David and his men [soldiers, followers] along the other side [opposite edge]. Even though David was hurrying [rushing, hastening] to get away [escape, flee], Saul and his men [warriors, army] were closing in [surrounding, compassing] on David and his men [company, troops] to capture [seize, take] them. word study 27 Then a messenger [a representative] came to Saul [Shaul, the desired one], saying, “Come quickly [hasten, make haste], for the Philistines [inhabitants of Philistia, a neighboring region] have raided [invaded, made a raid upon] the land [the territory, country, or region]!” word study 28 So Saul broke off [turned back, returned] his pursuit of David and went [to walk, to move] to meet [to encounter, to engage] the Philistines [people from the region of Philistia]. That is why [for this reason, therefore] that place [location, region] is called [named, known as] Sela-hammahlekoth [Rock of Escape, Rock of Divisions]. word study 29 And David went up from there [that place, thence] and lived [dwelt, took cover] in the strongholds [fortresses, safe places] of En-gedi. word study