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Chapter 23
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1
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Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines
fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors. |
2
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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And Saul called all the people together to war, to go
down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men. |
9
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And David knew that Saul secretly practiced mischief
against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring
hither the ephod. |
10
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life:
and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood. |
16
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And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into
the wood, and strengthened his hand in God. |
17
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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
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And they two made a covenant before the LORD: and David
abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house. |
19
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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
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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
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And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have
compassion on me. |
22
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee,
and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land. |
28
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Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and
went against the Philistines: therefore they called that
place Selahammahlekoth. |
29
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And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds
at Engedi. |
