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.
Dawidi Pa 'Ba'desi Keila rote
1 Tu alo azasi iti tate Dawidi ri ekye: “Felesete'bai kayite kyila oye 'ba'desi Keila be, ago topayi inya teni kaladri yasi.” 2 Ndi Dawidi eji OPI te ekye: “Inye'do moyina ndi Felesete'bai se kwoi gotane ya?”
Ago OPI atate Dawidi ri ekye: “Nyoyi ri Felesete'bai gotane, ago mipa Keila.”
3 Oko lidri Dawidi ro atayite ndäri ekye: “Mindre, noŋwa Yuda ya, mùturi tawi, ondro ka'do mòyi be te Keila ya kyila oyene kyila'bai Felesete'bai robe, kozi ta ro a'dona ko ndra ya?” 4 'Dooko Dawidi go eji OPI te kpa to'dina. Ago OPI zatadri ndaro te ekye: “Miŋga, nyoyi ri Keila ya; tana mozona Felesete'bai ndi drì miro ya.” 5 Ago Dawidi ndi lidri ndaro be oyiyite Keila ya, ago yeyi kyila te Felesete'bai be, ago fuyi amba ànyaro te, ago ruyi koronyai'ba ro ànyaro te. Ta'doro Dawidi pa lidri Keila rote.
6 Ondro Abiatara ŋgwa Aimeleke ro kumute Dawidi re Keila ya oko, nda ikyite boŋgo gajuṛuŋwa kätätidri robe. 7 Ago iti tate Saulo ri ekye, Dawidi ikyite Keila ya. Ago Saulo atate ekye: “Lu ozo nda te drì maro ya. Tana Dawidi sekala andivo ndaro rote ocisi 'ba'desi se tiṛina obeobero ago dereŋwa na logo si ono ya.” 8 Ndi Saulo zi kyila'bai cini ndaro te, oyine Keila ya, drî Dawidi ro umune ndi mànoago ndaro be.
9 Dawidi nite Saulo ratate koziro nda lomvo; ago nda atate kohani Abiatara ri ekye: “Nyezi boŋgo gajuṛuŋwa kätäti dri ro noŋwa.” 10 'Dooko Dawidi atate ekye: “Äye OPI, Lu Yisaraele ro, endaro ruindu'ba miro eri tate ekye Saulo ka tavouṛi ikyine Keila ya, 'ba'desi ono perene ta maro si. 11 Inye'do lidri Keila ro ozona ma ndi drì Saulo ro ya ya? Inye'do Saulo ikyina ndi, oso ruindu'ba miro keri tana be ono ronye ya? Äye OPI, Lu Yisaraele ro, molo'baru miri, nyiti ta ruindu'ba miro ri.”
Ago OPI atate ekye: “Saulo ka oye ikyine.”
12 'Dooko Dawidi atate kpa to'di ekye: “Inye'do lidri Keila ro ozona ma ndi lidri maro be gindi drì Saulo ro ya ya?”
Ago OPI atate ekye: “Ànya ozonayi ami ndi.”
13 'Dooko Dawidi ndi lidri ndaro se orivoya oso kama njidrialo (600) ronye kai be ŋgayite ago oyiyite ni Keila yasi, ago ànya oyiyite vose ànya niyibe oyine kigye ya. Ondro iti tate Saulo ri ekye Dawidi mute ni Keila yasi oko, nda e'be ta oyiro lau ana te.
Dawidi 'Bädri Lutu roya
14 Dawidi rite vo ruda'doda'do roya vocowa ya, 'bädri lutu ro vocowa Zifa roya. Saulo ojote Dawidi uṛine tu cini si, oko Lu ozo Dawidi kote drì ndaro ya.
15 Ago ondro Dawidi dri orivoya Oresa ya vocowa Zifa ro ya oko, Dawidi eri tate ekye Saulo efote nda uṛine ufune. 16 Ago Jonatana ŋgwa Saulo ro ŋgate ago oyite Dawidi re Oresa ya, ago ozo agoago te ndäri ävuru Lu rosi. 17 Ndi Jonatana atate ndäri ekye: “Nyuturi ko; drì täpi maro Saulo ro ri mi odone i'do. Nya'dona 'da 'bädri'ba ro Yisaraele dri, ago ma'dona 'da mikundu; ago täpi maro Saulo ni kpa ṛote.” 18 Ago ànya riti 'bayi tao'baro te OPI kandra. Dawidi rite Oresa ya, ago Jonatana oyite 'bäru.
19 'Dooko lidri azaka ni Zifa yasi oyiyite Saulo re Gibea ya, ago atayite ekye: “Mèri ta be ekye Dawidi orivoya ruda'dovoya ama lako vo ruda'doda'do roya Oresa ya lutu Akila roya, se ogone ŋgäṛiŋwadri Jesimona roya ana. 20 Ka'do inye äye 'bädri'ba, mä̀nite mi ya cini si mile nda urune, nyikyi noŋwa wari amaro ya ago ama orivoya mbara be nda ozone drì miro ya.”
21 Ago Saulo atate ekye: “Ka'do inye OPI käṛu ami; tana ŋgalu gi nyaka'da be märi ono tana ro. 22 Nyoyi ago nyèji tavona ŋgyero; mìni ago mìndre vose nda da'do yi be kigye 'do, ago kode a'diyi ndreyi nda ni lau. Tana iti tate märi ekye nda orivoya tauni amba be. 23 Ka'do inye, mìndre vose cini nda kabe yi da'do kigyesi iyi, ago nyègo taŋgyena be märi. 'Dooko moyina ndi ami yibe; ondro nda ka'do dri gindi orivoya wari ana ya, mäṛina nda ndi käläsi kala cini Yuda ro lakosi.”
24 Ago ànya ŋgayite, ago goyite kovole Zifa ya käti ni Saulo ri. Ago Dawidi ndi lidri ndaro be orivoya vocowa Maona roya, Araba ya ogone ŋgäṛiŋwadri Jesimona roya. 25 Ondro Saulo ndi lidri ndaro be koyiyite Dawidi uṛine oko, ago iti tana te Dawidi ri, ta'doro nda oyite le luutu se orivoya vocowa Maona roya ana ya. Ago ondro Saulo keri tana te oko, nda sote Dawidi vo vocowa Moana roya. 26 Saulo oyite lama telesi lutu ro yasi ago Dawidi ndi lidri ndaro be lama telesi aza lutu ro yasi. Ago Dawidi abate foroforo oyine lozo ni Saulo risi; Saulo ndi mànoago ndaro be uguyi ishwete loto ti Dawidi ndi lidri ndaro be urune. 27 Oko lazo'ba aza imute Saulo re ago atate ekye: “Nyikyi ri foroforo, tana Felesete'bai kayite eziidi 'bädri dri.” 28 Ago Saulo tadrite ni osovoya Dawidi vo, ago oyite Felesete'bai dri. Tana ta'doro äzi ävuru vo ana rote Lutu Ruoparo. 29 Ndi Dawidi oyite ni nasi, ago rite wari Eŋgedi roya ruda'doda'do ro.