1 Foi dito a Davi: Eis que os filisteus estão pelejando contra Queila, e saqueando as eiras.2 Consultou Davi a Jeová, dizendo: Irei eu e ferirei estes filisteus? Respondeu Jeová a Davi: Vai, e ferirás aos filisteus, e salvarás a Queila.3 Os homens de Davi disseram-lhe: Temos medo aqui em Judá, quanto mais se formos a Queila contra o exército dos filisteus?4 Davi tornou a consultar a Jeová, que lhe respondeu: Levanta-te, desce a Queila; porque eu hei de entregar os filisteus nas tuas mãos.5 Foram Davi e seus homens a Queila, e pelejaram contra os filisteus; Davi levou-lhes os gados e fez uma grande matança entre eles. Assim salvou os habitantes de Queila.6 Ao fugir Abiatar, filho de Aimeleque, para Davi a Queila, desceu levando o efode na mão.7 Foi comunicado a Saul que Davi tinha ido a Queila. Disse Saul: Deus o entregou nas minhas mãos; está encerrado, porque entrou numa cidade que tem portas e ferrolhos.8 Então Saul mandou chamar todo o povo à peleja, para que descessem a Queila e sitiassem a Davi e aos seus homens.9 Sabendo Davi que Saul lhe maquinava o mal, disse ao sacerdote Abiatar: Traze cá o efode.10 Davi disse: O teu servo acaba de ouvir, Jeová, Deus de Israel, que Saul se prepara para vir a Queila a fim de destruir a cidade por minha causa.11 Entregar-me-ão os cidadãos de Queila nas mãos dele? descerá Saul como o teu servo ouviu? Rogo-te, Jeová, Deus de Israel, que o digas ao teu servo. Respondeu Jeová: Descerá.12 Perguntou Davi: Acaso os cidadãos de Queila me entregarão a mim e aos meus homens nas mãos de Saul? Respondeu Jeová: Entregarão.13 Davi e seus homens, que eram cerca de seiscentos, levantaram-se e partiram de Queila, e andaram errantes para cá e para lá. Tendo sido dito a Saul que Davi escapara de Queila, deixou de sair.14 Davi ficou no deserto em lugares seguros, e permaneceu na região montanhosa no deserto de Zife. Saul buscava-o todos os dias, mas Deus não o entregou nas suas mãos.15 Vendo Davi que Saul saíra em busca da sua vida, permaneceu no deserto de Zife em Horesa.16 Levantou-se Jônatas, filho de Saul, e foi ter com Davi em Horesa, e o confortou em Deus.17 Disse-lhe: Não tenhas medo, pois não te achará a mão de Saul, meu pai. Tu reinarás sobre Israel, e eu serei o segundo depois de ti; o que também Saul, meu pai, bem sabe.18 Ambos fizeram aliança diante de Jeová; ficou Davi em Horesa, e Jônatas voltou para sua casa.19 Depois subiram os zifitas a ter com Saul em Gibeá, e disseram: Não se esconde Davi entre nós nos lugares seguros em Horesa, no outeiro de Haquilá, que está ao sul do deserto?20 Agora desce, ó rei, conforme é todo o desejo do teu coração, e a nós, toca-nos entregá-lo nas mãos do rei.21 Disse Saul: Benditos sejais de Jeová, porque vos compadecestes de mim.22 Ide, informai-vos ainda melhor, sabei e notai o lugar que freqüenta e quem o tenha visto ali; pois se me diz que ele é muito astuto.23 Vede e informai-vos acerca de todos os esconderijos em que ele se oculta, e tornai a vir ter comigo sem falta, e eu irei convosco. Se ele estiver na terra, eu o buscarei entre todos os milhares de Judá.24 Eles se levantaram e foram para Zife adiante de Saul; Davi, e seus homens, porém, estavam no deserto de Maom, na Arabá ao sul de Jesimom.25 Saul e seus homens foram em busca dele. Isto foi dito a Davi. Pelo que desceu para a penha, e ficou no deserto de Maom. O que tendo Saul ouvido, entrou no deserto para perseguir a Davi.26 Saul ia duma banda do monte, e Davi e seus homens da outra banda do monte. Davi fugiu apressadamente para escapar de Saul, porque Saul e seus homens cercavam a Davi e aos seus para os prender.27 Porém chegou um mensageiro a Saul dizendo: Apressa-te e vem, porque os filisteus acabam de invadir a terra.28 Tornou-se Saul, deixando de perseguir a Davi, e marchou contra os filisteus. Por isso se chamou àquele lugar Sela-Hamalequote.29 Davi subiu dali, e habitou nos lugares seguros de En-Gedi.
1 David heard that the Philistines attacked the town of Keilah. They robbed the threshing floors of the newly harvested grain.2 He asked Jehovah: »Shall I go and attack the Philistines?« Jehovah answered: »Yes, Attack them and save Keilah.«3 Davids men said to him: »We have enough to be afraid of here in Judah. It will be worse if we go to Keilah and attack the Philistine forces!«4 David consulted Jehovah once again, and Jehovah said to him: »Go attack Keilah! I will give you victory over the Philistines.«5 David and his men went to Keilah and fought the Philistines. They drove off their livestock, and overwhelmingly defeated them. So David rescued the people who lived in Keilah.6 When Ahimelechs son Abiathar fled to David at Keilah, Abiathar brought a priestly ephod with him.7 When Saul was told that David went to Keilah, Saul said: »God has delivered him into my hands. He has trapped himself by going into a city which has a gate with a double door held shut by a bar.«8 So Saul called all the troops to go to war. They wanted to blockade Keilah, where David and his men were.9 David learned that Saul was planning to harm him. He told the priest Abiathar: »Bring the ephod!«10 Then David said: »Jehovah God of Israel, I have actually heard that Saul is going to come to Keilah and destroy the city on account of me.11 »Will the citizens of Keilah hand me over to him? Will Saul come here as I have heard? Jehovah God of Israel, please tell me.« Jehovah answered: »He will come.«12 »Will the citizens of Keilah hand my men and me over to Saul?« David asked. Jehovah answered: »They will hand you over.«13 David and his men, about six hundred in all, left Keilah. They went wherever they could go. Then Saul was told: »David has escaped from Keilah! So he gave up the campaign.«14 David lived in fortified camps in the desert. He lived in fortified camps in the mountains of the desert of Ziph. Saul was always searching for him. But God did not let him capture David.15 David was afraid because Saul had come to kill him at Horesh in the desert of Ziph.16 Jonathan went to see David. God helped him encourage David.17 »Do not be afraid,« Jonathan said. »My father Saul will never get his hands on you. In fact, you are going to be the next king of Israel. I will be your highest official. Even my father knows it is true.«18 They both promised Jehovah that they would always be loyal to each other. Then Jonathan went home while David stayed at Horesh.19 Some people from the town of Ziph went to Saul at Gibeah. They said: »Your Majesty, David has a hideout not far from us! It is near Horesh. It is somewhere on Mount Hachilah south of Jeshimon.20 »We know how much you want to capture him. Come to our territory and we will make sure you catch him.«21 Saul answered: »May Jehovah bless you for being so kind to me!22 »Go and make sure once more. Find out for certain where he is and who has seen him there. I hear that he is very cunning.23 »Find out exactly the places where he hides. Be sure to bring back a report to me right away. Then I will go with you. If he is still in the region, I will hunt him down, even if I have to search the whole land of Judah.«24 So they left and returned to Ziph ahead of Saul. David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon. They were in a desolate valley in the southern part of the Judean wilderness.25 Saul and his men set out to look for David. David heard about it and went to a rocky hill in the wilderness of Maon and stayed there. When Saul heard about this he went after David.26 Saul and his men were on one side of the hill. They were separated from David and his men, who were on the other side. They were hurrying to get away from Saul and his men, who were closing in on them and were about to capture them.27 Just then a messenger arrived and said to Saul: »Come back at once! The Philistines are invading the country!«28 Saul stopped pursuing David and went to fight the Philistines. That is why that place is called Separation Hill.29 From there David went to stay in the fortified camps of En Gedi.