1 Samuel 23 – NIVUK & CCB

New International Version – UK

1 Samuel 23:1-29

David saves Keilah

1When David was told, ‘Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are looting the threshing-floors,’ 2he enquired of the Lord, saying, ‘Shall I go and attack these Philistines?’

The Lord answered him, ‘Go, attack the Philistines and save Keilah.’

3But David’s men said to him, ‘Here in Judah we are afraid. How much more, then, if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces!’

4Once again David enquired of the Lord, and the Lord answered him, ‘Go down to Keilah, for I am going to give the Philistines into your hand.’ 5So David and his men went to Keilah, fought the Philistines and carried off their livestock. He inflicted heavy losses on the Philistines and saved the people of Keilah. 6(Now Abiathar son of Ahimelek had brought the ephod down with him when he fled to David at Keilah.)

Saul pursues David

7Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, and he said, ‘God has delivered him into my hands, for David has imprisoned himself by entering a town with gates and bars.’ 8And Saul called up all his forces for battle, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men.

9When David learned that Saul was plotting against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, ‘Bring the ephod.’ 10David said, ‘Lord, God of Israel, your servant has heard definitely that Saul plans to come to Keilah and destroy the town on account of me. 11Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me to him? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? Lord, God of Israel, tell your servant.’

And the Lord said, ‘He will.’

12Again David asked, ‘Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men to Saul?’

And the Lord said, ‘They will.’

13So David and his men, about six hundred in number, left Keilah and kept moving from place to place. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he did not go there.

14David stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God did not give David into his hands.

15While David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he learned that23:15 Or he was afraid because Saul had come out to take his life. 16And Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him to find strength in God. 17‘Don’t be afraid,’ he said. ‘My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You shall be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this.’ 18The two of them made a covenant before the Lord. Then Jonathan went home, but David remained at Horesh.

19The Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, ‘Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hakilah, south of Jeshimon? 20Now, Your Majesty, come down whenever it pleases you to do so, and we will be responsible for giving him into your hands.’

21Saul replied, ‘The Lord bless you for your concern for me. 22Go and get more information. Find out where David usually goes and who has seen him there. They tell me he is very crafty. 23Find out about all the hiding-places he uses and come back to me with definite information. Then I will go with you; if he is in the area, I will track him down among all the clans of Judah.’

24So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the Desert of Maon, in the Arabah south of Jeshimon. 25Saul and his men began the search, and when David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Desert of Maon. When Saul heard this, he went into the Desert of Maon in pursuit of David.

26Saul was going along one side of the mountain, and David and his men were on the other side, hurrying to get away from Saul. As Saul and his forces were closing in on David and his men to capture them, 27a messenger came to Saul, saying, ‘Come quickly! The Philistines are raiding the land.’ 28Then Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to meet the Philistines. That is why they call this place Sela Hammahlekoth.23:28 Sela Hammahlekoth means rock of parting. 29And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of En Gedi.23:29 In Hebrew texts this verse (23:29) is numbered 24:1.

Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)

撒母耳记上 23:1-29

大卫营救基伊拉

1一天,大卫得知非利士人正在攻打基伊拉,抢掠麦场, 2便求问耶和华:“我可以去攻打非利士人吗?”耶和华答道:“你可以去攻打非利士人,营救基伊拉。” 3大卫的部下却对他说:“我们在犹大这里尚且胆战心惊,何况去基伊拉攻打非利士军队呢!” 4大卫再求问耶和华,耶和华答道:“到基伊拉去吧,我一定把非利士人交在你手里。” 5于是,大卫和部下到基伊拉去攻打非利士人,大败敌人,夺取了他们的牲畜,救出基伊拉人。

6亚希米勒的儿子祭司亚比亚他基伊拉投奔大卫时,把以弗得也带了去。 7扫罗得知大卫基伊拉,就说:“这一次是上帝把他交在我手中了,因为他竟然自投网罗,进入有门有闩的城。” 8扫罗召集全军准备攻打基伊拉,围困大卫和他的部下。 9大卫知道了扫罗的计谋,便吩咐祭司亚比亚他把以弗得带来, 10然后说:“耶和华,以色列的上帝啊,仆人听说扫罗要来毁灭基伊拉,因为我在这里。 11基伊拉的人会不会把我交给扫罗呢?扫罗是不是像我听说的那样要来这里呢?耶和华,以色列的上帝啊,求你告诉我。”耶和华说:“扫罗一定会来。” 12大卫又问耶和华:“基伊拉的人会不会把我和我的部下交给扫罗呢?”耶和华说:“他们一定会。” 13于是,大卫率领自己的六百部下离开基伊拉,到处流浪。扫罗得知大卫已经离开基伊拉,就不去了。

14大卫住在旷野的堡垒或西弗旷野的山区。扫罗天天搜捕大卫,但上帝没有把大卫交在他的手中。 15大卫西弗旷野的何利沙得知扫罗要来杀他。 16扫罗的儿子约拿单何利沙大卫,鼓励大卫坚定地信靠上帝。 17他对大卫说:“不要害怕,我父亲害不了你。你将做以色列的王,我将做你的宰相。我父亲也明白这一点。” 18二人在耶和华面前立了约。之后,大卫仍留在何利沙约拿单则回家去了。

19西弗人去基比亚扫罗,说:“大卫就躲在我们那里,在旷野南面哈基拉山上何利沙的堡垒里。 20王啊,你随时都可以下来,我们一定把他交在王的手里。” 21扫罗说:“愿耶和华赐福给你们!因为你们体恤我。 22我听说他非常狡猾,你们再回去弄清楚他的行踪,谁在那里见过他, 23查明他的藏身之处,回来如实告诉我,然后我会与你们同去。如果他在犹大境内,我要搜遍千家万户,找到他。” 24于是,西弗人先回去了。当时大卫和他的部下在旷野南面的亚拉巴,即玛云旷野。 25大卫听说扫罗和手下正在搜寻他,便率领部下前往玛云旷野的磐石,住在那里。扫罗得知后,便去玛云旷野追赶大卫26扫罗在山这边走,大卫和他的部下在山那边走,急急忙忙地躲避扫罗扫罗和他的手下四面包围过来,眼看就要抓住他们了。 27这时,扫罗的信使前来禀报,说非利士人前来犯境,请王速回。 28扫罗只好放弃追赶大卫,回师迎战非利士人。因此,那地方叫“脱险岩”。 29后来,大卫从那里转移到隐·基底的堡垒里。