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.
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.
