David Saves the People of Keilah
1David was told, “The Philistines are fighting against the town of Keilah. They are stealing grain from the threshing floors.” 2So he asked the Lord for advice. He said, “Should I go and attack those Philistines?”
The Lord answered him, “Go and attack them. Save Keilah.”
3But David’s men said to him, “We’re afraid here in Judah. Suppose we go to Keilah and fight against the Philistine army. Then we’ll be even more afraid.”
4Once again David asked the Lord what he should do. The Lord answered him, “Go down to Keilah. I am going to hand the Philistines over to you.” 5So David and his men went to Keilah. They fought against the Philistines and carried off their livestock. David wounded and killed large numbers of Philistines. And he saved the people of Keilah. 6Abiathar, the son of Ahimelek, had brought down the sacred linen apron with him from Nob. He did it when he ran away to David at Keilah.
Saul Chases David
7Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah. He said, “God has handed him over to me. David has trapped himself by entering a town that has gates with metal bars.” 8So Saul brought together all his soldiers to go to battle. He ordered them to go down to Keilah. He told them to surround David and his men. He told them to get ready to attack them.
9David learned that Saul was planning to attack him. So he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the linen apron.” 10Then David said, “Lord, you are the God of Israel. I know for sure that Saul plans to come to Keilah. He plans to destroy the town because of me. 11Will the citizens of Keilah hand me over to him? Will Saul come down here, as I’ve heard he would? Lord, you are the God of Israel. Please answer me.”
The Lord said, “He will come down.”
12Again David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah hand me and my men over to Saul?”
And the Lord said, “They will.”
13So David and his men left Keilah. The total number of them was about 600. They kept moving from place to place. Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah. So he didn’t go there.
14Sometimes David stayed in places of safety in the desert. At other times he stayed in the hills of the Desert of Ziph. Day after day Saul looked for him. But God didn’t hand David over to him.
15David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph. There he learned that Saul had come out to kill him. 16Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh. He told David that God would make him strong. 17“Don’t be afraid,” he said. “My father Saul won’t harm you. You will be king over Israel. And I will be next in command. Even my father Saul knows this.” 18The two of them made a covenant of friendship in front of the Lord. Then Jonathan went home. But David remained at Horesh.
19The people of Ziph went up to Saul at Gibeah. They said, “David is hiding among us. He’s hiding in places of safety at Horesh. Horesh is south of Jeshimon on the hill of Hakilah. 20Your Majesty, come down when it pleases you to come. It will be our duty to hand David over to you.”
21Saul replied, “May the Lord bless you because you were concerned about me. 22Make sure you are right. Go and check things out again. Find out where David usually goes. Find out who has seen him there. People tell me he’s very tricky. 23Find out about all the hiding places he uses. Come back to me with all the facts. I’ll go with you. Suppose he’s in the area. Then I’ll track him down among all the family groups of Judah.”
24So they started out. They went to Ziph ahead of Saul. David and his men were in the Desert of Maon. Maon is south of Jeshimon in the Arabah Valley. 25Saul and his men started out to look for David. David was told about it. So he went down to a rock in the Desert of Maon to hide. Saul heard he was there. So he went into the Desert of Maon to chase David.
26Saul was going along one side of the mountain. David and his men were on the other side. They were hurrying to get away from Saul. Saul and his army were closing in on David and his men. They were about to capture them. 27Just then a messenger came to Saul. He said, “Come quickly! The Philistines are attacking the land.” 28So Saul stopped chasing David. He went to fight against the Philistines. That’s why they call that place Sela Hammahlekoth. 29David left that place. He went and lived in places of safety near En Gedi.
Dawudi Awonya Keyira
123:1 Yos 15:44Awo Dawudi bwe yategeezebwa nti, “Laba, Abafirisuuti balwana ne Keyira, era banyagulula amawuuliro,” 223:2 nny 4, 12; 1Sa 30:8; 2Sa 5:19, 23ne yeebuuza ku Mukama nti, “Ŋŋende nnumbe Abafirisuuti abo?” Mukama n’amuddamu nti, “Genda olumbe Abafirisuuti owonye Keyira.” 3Naye abasajja ba Dawudi ne bamugamba nti, “Wano mu Yuda tuli mu ntiisa. Naye ate bwe tuligenda e Keyira okulwanyisa Abafirisuuti, kiriba kitya?”
423:4 Yos 8:7; Bal 7:7Dawudi n’addayo nate okwebuuza ku Mukama. Mukama n’amuddamu nti, “Golokoka oserengete e Keyira, kubanga ŋŋenda kuwaayo Abafirisuuti mu mukono gwo.” 5Awo Dawudi n’abasajja be ne balaga e Keyira, ne balwana n’Abafirisuuti, ne batwala ente zaabwe, era ne batta bangi ku bo. Dawudi n’awonya abatuuze b’e Keyira. 623:6 1Sa 22:20Mu biro ebyo Abiyasaali mutabani wa Akimereki bwe yaddukira eri Dawudi e Keyira, yagenda ne kkanzu ey’obwakabona eyitibwa efodi.
Sawulo Ayigga Dawudi
7Sawulo n’ategeezebwa nti Dawudi agenze e Keyira, n’ayogera nti, “Katonda awaddeyo Dawudi mu mukono gwange, kubanga Dawudi yesibiddeyo, bw’ayingidde mu kibuga ekiriko wankaaki ow’emitayimbwa.” 8Awo Sawulo n’akuŋŋaanya amaggye ge gonna okweteekerateekera olutalo, n’aserengeta e Keyira okuzingiza Dawudi ne basajja be.
923:9 nny 6; 1Sa 22:20; 30:7Dawudi n’ategeera nga Sawulo ateekateeka okumukola akabi, n’agamba Abiyasaali kabona nti, “Leeta ekkanzu ey’obwakabona eyitibwa efodi wano.” 10Awo Dawudi n’ayogera nti, “Ayi Mukama Katonda wa Isirayiri, omuweereza wo awuliridde ddala Sawulo bw’ateekateeka okujja okusaanyaawo ekibuga Keyira ku lwange. 11Abatuuze b’e Keyira balimpaayo gy’ali? Era Sawulo anaaserengeta n’ajja, ng’omuweereza wo bw’awulidde? Ayi Mukama, Katonda wa Isirayiri, nkwegayiridde, tegeeza omuweereza wo.”
Mukama n’amugamba nti, “Aliserengeta.”
1223:12 nny 20Dawudi n’addamu n’abuuza nti, “Abasajja b’e Keyira balimpaayo nze n’abasajja bange eri Sawulo?”
Mukama n’amuddamu nti, “Balibawaayo gy’ali.” 1323:13 1Sa 22:2; 25:13Awo Dawudi n’abasajja be, abawera nga lukaaga ne bava e Keyira, ne batambulatambulanga wano ne wali nga tebalina kifo kyankalakkalira. Sawulo bwe yategeezebwa nga Dawudi adduse okuva mu Keyira, n’atagendayo.
1423:14 a Yos 15:24, 55 b Zab 54:3-4 c Zab 32:7Dawudi n’abeera mu bifo eby’eddungu, mu nsi ey’ensozi mu ddungu ery’e Zifu. Sawulo n’anoonyanga Dawudi buli lunaku, naye Katonda n’atamuwaayo mu mukono gwe. 15Dawudi ng’ali mu ddungu ery’e Zifu mu kibira ky’e Kolesi, n’ategeera nga Sawulo amunoonya okumutta. 1623:16 1Sa 30:6Awo Yonasaani mutabani wa Sawulo n’agenda eri Dawudi mu kibira, Kolesi, okumugumya mu Mukama. 1723:17 1Sa 20:31; 24:20N’amugamba nti, “Totya, kubanga kitange Sawulo talikukola kabi n’akamu. Gwe oliba kabaka wa Isirayiri, nze ne mbeera omumyuka wo, era n’ekyo kitange akimanyi.” 1823:18 1Sa 18:3; 20:16, 42; 2Sa 9:1; 21:7Awo bombi ne bakola endagaano mu maaso ga Mukama, n’oluvannyuma Yonasaani n’addayo ewuwe, Dawudi n’asigala mu kibira.
1923:19 a 1Sa 26:1 b Zab 54 c 1Sa 26:3Awo ab’e Zifu ne bambuka eri Sawulo e Gibea ne bamutegeeza nti, “Okimanyi nga Dawudi yeekwese mu ffe mu kibira ky’e Kolesi, ku lusozi Kakira oluli ku luuyi olw’obukiikaddyo obwa Yesimoni? 2023:20 nny 12Kaakano, ayi kabaka, serengeta mu bbanga lyonna ly’onoosiima, tujja kumuwaayo gy’oli.”
2123:21 1Sa 22:8Sawulo n’abaddamu nti, “Mukama abawe omukisa, olw’okunkwatirwa ekisa. 22Mugende mweyongere okwetegereza, mumanye, mulabe n’ebifo gy’atera okutambulira, n’abamulabayo, kubanga bantegeeza nti mujagujagu nnyo. 23Noolwekyo munoonye mu bifo mwe yeekweka munkomezeewo amawulire amakakafu. Bw’anaabeera mu kitundu ekyo eky’ensi nnaagenda nammwe munoonye mu bika byonna ebya Yuda.”
2423:24 Yos 15:55; 1Sa 25:2Awo ne bagolokoka ne bakulemberamu Sawulo ne bagenda e Zifu. Mu biro ebyo Dawudi n’abasajja be baali mu ddungu ery’e Mawoni mu Alaba ku luuyi olw’obukiikaddyo obwa Yesimoni. 25Awo Sawulo n’abasajja be ne bagenda okumunoonya. Dawudi n’akiwulira, kyeyava aserengeta awali olwazi mu ddungu ery’e Mawoni n’abeera eyo. Sawulo bwe yakiwulira n’agenda mu ddungu ery’e Mawoni okumunoonya.
2623:26 Zab 17:9Sawulo n’ayambukira ku luuyi olumu olw’olusozi, Dawudi ne basajja be ne bambukira ku luuyi olulala, nga banguwa okudduka Sawulo. Naye Sawulo ne basajja be bwe baali nga banaatera okuzingiza Dawudi n’abasajja be, 27ne wajja omubaka eri Sawulo ng’agamba nti, “Yanguwako! Abafirisuuti balumbye ensi.” 28Awo Sawulo n’alekayo okunoonya Dawudi, n’agenda okulwanyisa Abafirisuuti. Ekifo ekyo kyekyava kituumibwa Serakammalekosi. 2923:29 2By 20:2Awo Dawudi n’avaayo n’agenda n’abeera mu bifo ebya Engedi.
