1Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors. 2Therefore 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. 3And 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? 4Then 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. 5So 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. 6And 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. 8And 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. 10Then 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. 11Will 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. 12Then 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.23.12 deliver: Heb. shut 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.
14And 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. 15And 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. 17And 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. 18And 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?23.19 on…: Heb. on the right hand23.19 Jeshimon: or, the wilderness 20Now 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. 21And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have compassion on me. 22Go, 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.23.22 haunt…: Heb. foot shall be 23See 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. 24And 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. 25Saul 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.23.25 into…: or, from the rock 26And 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.23.27 invaded…: Heb. spread themselves upon, etc 28Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Sela-hammahlekoth.23.28 Sela-hammahlekoth: that is, The rock of divisions
29¶ And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at En-gedi.
David salva Queila
1Um dia, chegou aos ouvidos de David que os filisteus estavam em Queila a saquear as eiras. 2E perguntou ao Senhor: “Deverei ir atacá-los?” O Senhor respondeu-lhe: “Sim, vai e salva Queila.”
3Mas os homens de David disseram: “Nós aqui em Judá vivemos constantemente amedrontados, quanto mais se formos atacar todo o exército dos filisteus!”
4David tornou a consultar o Senhor e a obter a mesma resposta: “Vai a Queila, pois ajudar-te-ei a vencer os filisteus.”
5Foram até lá e conseguiram, na verdade, matar os filisteus e confiscar-lhes gado. Dessa forma, o povo de Queila foi salvo. 6Abiatar, filho de Aimeleque, o sacerdote, acompanhou David nessa expedição, levando consigo o éfode para obter as respostas que Deus dava a David.
Saul persegue David
7Saul em breve soube que David estava em Queila. “Ótimo!”, exclamou. “Apanhámo-lo. Deus entregou-mo, pois ficará encurralado numa cidade murada!”
8Mobilizou todo o exército e marchou em direção a Queila para sitiar David com os seus homens. 9David teve conhecimento dos planos de Saul e disse a Abiatar para trazer o éfode, a fim de consultar o Senhor sobre o que deveria fazer. 10“Ó Senhor, Deus de Israel”, disse David, “ouvi que Saul planeia destruir Queila por eu estar aqui. 11Será que a gente de Queila me entregará na sua mão? E será que Saul vem mesmo cá como ouvi dizer? Peço-te, Senhor, Deus de Israel, que me respondas.” E o Senhor respondeu-lhe: “Sim, ele virá.”
12“A população de Queila entregar-me-á a Saul?”, insistiu David. “Entregar-te-ão.”
13Então David e os seus homens, que eram agora uns 600, deixaram Queila e andaram a vaguear por aquela região. Saul depressa soube que David escapara; por isso, não chegou a ir até lá.
14David vivia agora nas grutas do deserto, na região das colinas de Zife. Saul andava dia após dia à procura dele, mas o Senhor não permitia que o encontrasse.
15Um dia, perto de Hores, teve conhecimento de que Saul se dirigia a Zife, procurando matá-lo. 16O seu filho Jónatas foi ter com David e encontrou-se com ele em Hores, encorajando-o a ter confiança em Deus. 17“Não tenhas receio. O meu pai nunca te encontrará! Tu virás a ser rei em Israel e eu serei o segundo no reino, ao teu lado, e meu pai sabe muito bem disso.” 18Assim, ambos renovaram a sua aliança de amizade, tomando o Senhor como testemunha. David ficou em Hores e Jónatas voltou para casa.
19Mas os homens de Zife foram ter com Saul a Gibeá e traíram David: “Sabemos onde é que ele se esconde. Está nas grutas de Hores nas colinas de Haquila, para o sul do deserto. 20Vem, que nós o apanharemos para to entregar e assim o teu maior desejo será cumprido!”
21“Louvado seja o Senhor!”, disse Saul. “Até que enfim alguém teve piedade de mim! 22Vão e verifiquem melhor, para terem a certeza do sítio onde ele está, e tomem nota de quem é que o viu. Olhem que ele é muito astuto. 23Vejam bem onde é que se esconde, depois voltem para me dar um relato detalhado da situação. Depois irei convosco. Se realmente ele se encontrar ali achá-lo-ei de certeza, nem que tenha de verificar cada centímetro de terreno!”
24Os homens de Zife regressaram adiante de Saul. Entretanto, David e os seus homens estavam no deserto de Maom, na península arábica, a sul do deserto. 25David soube que Saul tinha intenções de vir a Zife, por isso, resolveu sair com os companheiros para mais longe, para o deserto de Maom, para os lados do sul. 26Saul seguiu-os até lá. A certa altura, David e Saul encontravam-se nas vertentes opostas da mesma montanha. Saul começou a cercá-lo e David procurava, com os seus, escapar-lhe, sem o conseguir. 27Nisto chegou a Saul uma mensagem que os filisteus atacavam de novo a Israel. Por isso, desistiu da perseguição e foi combater os outros. 28Desde então o lugar onde acampara ficou a chamar-se Rochedo da Separação. 29David foi dali viver para as grutas de En-Gedi.
