David Rescues the Town of Keilah
1 One day some people told David, “The Philistines keep attacking the town of Keilah and stealing grain from the threshing place.”
2 David asked the Lord, “Should I attack these Philistines?”
“Yes,” the Lord answered. “Attack them and rescue Keilah.”
3 But David's men said, “Look, even here in Judah we're afraid of the Philistines. We will be terrified if we try to fight them at Keilah!”
4 David asked the Lord about it again. “Leave at once,” the Lord answered. “I will give you victory over the Philistines at Keilah.”
5 David and his men went there and fiercely attacked the Philistines. They killed many of them, then led away their cattle, and rescued the people of Keilah.
6-8 Meanwhile, Saul heard that David was in Keilah. “God has let me catch David,” Saul said. “David is trapped inside a walled town where the gates can be locked.” Saul decided to go there and surround the town, in order to trap David and his men. He sent messengers who told the towns and villages, “Send men to serve in Saul's army!”
By this time, Abiathar had joined David in Keilah and had brought along everything he needed to get answers from God.
9 David heard about Saul's plan to capture him, and he told Abiathar, “Let's ask God what we should do.”
10 David prayed, “Lord God of Israel, I was told that Saul is planning to come here. What should I do? Suppose he threatens to destroy the town because of me. 11 Would the leaders of Keilah turn me over to Saul? Or is he really coming? Please tell me, Lord.”
“Yes, he will come,” the Lord answered.
12 David asked, “Would the leaders of Keilah hand me and my soldiers over to Saul?”
“Yes, they would,” the Lord answered.
13 David and his 600 men got out of there fast and started moving from place to place. Saul heard that David had left Keilah, and he decided not to go after him.
Jonathan Says David Will Be King
14 David stayed in hideouts in the hill country of Ziph Desert. Saul kept searching, but God never let Saul catch him.
15 One time, David was at Horesh in Ziph Desert. He was afraid because Saul had come to the area to kill him. 16 But Jonathan went to see David, and God helped him encourage David. 17 “Don't be afraid,” Jonathan said. “My father Saul will never get his hands on you. In fact, you're going to be the next king of Israel, and I'll be your highest official. Even my father knows it's true.”
18 They both promised the Lord that they would always be loyal to each other. Then Jonathan went home, but David stayed at Horesh.
David Escapes from Saul
19 Some people from the town of Ziph went to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Your Majesty, David has a hideout not far from us! It's near Horesh, somewhere on Mount Hachilah south of Jeshimon. 20 If you come, we will help you catch him.”
21 Saul told them:
You've done me a big favor, and I pray that the Lord will bless you. 22 Now please do just a little more for me. Find out exactly where David is, as well as where he goes, and who has seen him there. I've been told that he's very tricky. 23 Find out where all his hiding places are and come back when you're sure. Then I'll go with you. If he is still in the area, or anywhere among the clans of Judah, I'll find him.
24 The people from Ziph went back ahead of Saul, and they found out that David and his men were still south of Jeshimon in the Maon Desert. 25 Saul and his army set out to find David. But David heard that Saul was coming, and he went to a place called The Rock, one of his hideouts in Maon Desert.
Saul found out where David was and started closing in on him. 26 Saul was going around a hill on one side, and David and his men were on the other side, trying to get away. Saul and his soldiers were just about to capture David and his men, 27 when a messenger came to Saul and said, “Come quickly! The Philistines are attacking Israel and taking everything.”
28 Saul stopped going after David and went back to fight the Philistines. That's why the place is called “Escape Rock.”
29 David left and went to live in the hideouts at En-Gedi.
David ma yama otjihuro Keila
1 David wa raerwa kutja Ovafilisti mave rwisa otjihuro Keila, nokutja mave pundu ovikokotwa ovipe. 2 Neye otja pura ku Muhona a tja: “Hi karwise Ovafilisti?”
Nu Muhona we mu zira a tja: “Ii, twende u karwise Ovafilisti, nu u kayame otjihuro Keila.”
3 Nungwari ovarumendu va David va tja nai ku ye: “Tara, muno mOjuda nai twa mumapara. Nu matu yenene vi okuyenda kOkeila okukarwisa ovimbumba vyOvafilisti vyovita?” 4 Nu David otja kapura ku Muhona rukwao, nu Muhona we mu zira a tja: “Rirongera u yende kOkeila, orondu ami me ku pe outoṋi kombanda yOvafilisti.” 5 David arire tja i puna ovarumendu ve kOkeila na karwisa Ovafilisti, a huura otupanda twawo ne ve havere tjinene. Komuhingo mbwi David otja yama ovature va Keila.
6 Abiatar, omuzandu wa Ahimelek, tja taura, wa ya ku David kOkeila, e nombanda ye yokoviṱuve youpristeri.
7 Saul tja zuva kutja David weya kOkeila arire tja tja: “Ndjambi we mu yandja momake wandje. David we ripatera omuini motjihuro tji tji notumbo nomivero ominamasa.” 8 Saul otja woronganisa otjimbumba tje atjihe tjovita okurauka kOkeila kutja a kovere David novarumendu ve.
9 David tja zuva kutja Saul we ripura okumurwisa arire tja tja komupristeri Abiatar: “Eta ombanda yokoviṱuve youpristeri.” 10 David arire tja kumbu nai: “Muhona, Ndjambi wa Israel! Omukarere woye, tjiri, wa zuu kutja Saul we ripura okuya kOkeila okunyona otjihuro hi mena randje. 11 Ovature va Keila mave ndji yandja puna ovarumendu vandje ku Saul are? Nu Saul, tjiri, meya, otja omukarere woye pa zuu ingee? Muhona, Ndjambi wa Israel, arikana tjivisa omukarere woye!”
Muhona arire tja ziri a tja: “Ii, eye, tjiri, meya.”
12 David otja pura rukwao nai: “Ovature va Keila mave ndji yandja puna ovarumendu vandje ku Saul are?” Muhona arire tja ziri a tja: “Ii, mave mu yandja.”
13 David otja sekama novarumendu ve mangara omasere hamboumwe, ave hene mOkeila nave karyanga ngamwa akuhe kuyave sora. Nu Saul otja zuva kutja David wa hena mOkeila, arire tja isa okuyenda ngo.
David mEhi rOzondundu
14 David wa kaṱara mokuti onguza, okutja mozondundu zokuti ongaango Sif. Saul we mu paha omayuva aehe, nungwari Ndjambi ke mu yandjere momake we. 15 David wa tjiza kutja Saul wa sekama okumuzepa.
Nu David wa ri mokuti onguza Sif mOhoresa. 16 Nu Jonatan, omuzandu wa Saul, wa sekama na i ku David kOhoresa, ne kemuzeuparisa mu Ndjambi. 17 Neye wa tja ku ye: “O tira! Tate kamaa yenene okukutjita otjipo, nungwari ove mo rire ombara yOvaisrael, nami me rire outjavari wokehi yoye. Ihi tate me tji tjiwa nawa.” 18 Tjazumba David na Jonatan otji va tjita kumwe omakwizikiro omayapuke woupanga; nu David wa kara mOhoresa, nu Jonatan wa yaruka koye.
19 Ovandu tjiva votjihuro Sif va ya ku Saul kOgibea, nave katja nai: “David wa kaṱara mehi retu mOhoresa, kondundu Hakila, ndji ri keyuva kokumuho mokuti onguza kwa Judea. 20 Tji u nombango okuya, mbara, indjo! Neṱe matu mu yandja momake wombara.”
21 Saul arire tja tja: “Muhona nga sere eṋe ondaya, tjinga amwa ṱondjenda na ami. 22 Nambano, twendeye mu kakonḓonone nawa komeho, nu mu katjiwe kutja okeri, nokutja owaṋi ngwe mu muna ngo, tjinga amba raerwa kutja eye omurumendu omunatjurutjutju. 23 Kakonḓononeye nawa moṋa amuhe me ṱara, mu kotoke ku ami nouatjiri; indino ami me i puna eṋe. Nu ndoovazu u ri mehi ndi, ami me mu tjingi mokati komihoko avihe vya Juda.”
24 Ovasif otji va kumuka nave ka wondja komurungu wa Saul kOvasif. Nungwari David novarumendu vevari mokuti onguza kwa Maon, morutjandja rwokeyuva kokumuho kwokuti onguza kwa Judea. 25 Saul novarumendu ve tji va kumuka okukemupaha, David otja tjivisiwa; eye opa ira koruuwa mokuti onguza kwa Maon na kakara ngo. Nungwari Saul wa zuva otjiṋa hi narere David novandu ve nga mokuti onguza kwa Maon na kakara ngo. Nungwari Saul wa zuva otjiṋa hi na tezere David novandu ve nga mokuti onguza kwa Maon. 26 Nu Saul novandu vevari munda mbuno wondundu, nungwari David novandu vevari munda mbwina, David wa taura ku Saul, Saul novandu ve ngunda ave mu kovere kutja ve mu kambure. 27 Kamanga otji pe ya omuhindwa ku Saul na tja: “Indjo tjimanga! Ovafilisti va taurire mehi.” 28 Saul otja isa okutezera David, na karwisa Ovafilisti. Poṋa mbo opu pa rukirwa kutja Oruuwa rOmahaṋikiro. 29 Okuzambo David wa karonda na kakara mozondundu za Engedi.
