| 章 |
| 23:1 |
Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors.
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| 23:2 |
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.
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| 23:3 |
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?
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| 23:4 |
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.
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| 23:5 |
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.
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| 23:6 |
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.
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| 23:7 |
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.
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| 23:8 |
And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.
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| 23:9 |
And David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod.
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| 23:10 |
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.
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| 23:11 |
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.
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| 23:12 |
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.
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| 23:13 |
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.
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| 23:14 |
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.
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| 23:15 |
And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David [was] in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.
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| 23:16 |
And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.
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| 23:17 |
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.
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| 23:18 |
And they two made a covenant before the LORD: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.
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| 23:19 |
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?
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| 23:20 |
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.
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| 23:21 |
And Saul said, Blessed [be] ye of the LORD; for ye have compassion on me.
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| 23:22 |
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.
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| 23:23 |
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.
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| 23:24 |
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.
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| 23:25 |
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.
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| 23:26 |
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.
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| 23:27 |
But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land.
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| 23:28 |
Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Selahammahlekoth.
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| 23:29 |
And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at Engedi.
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