My Daily Meditation
Today’s Reading
The First Book of Samuel
Chapter 23:1-28
1 Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and spoil the barns.
2 Therefore David asked counsel of the Lord, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the Lord answered David, Go and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah.
3 And David’s men said unto him, See, we be afraid here in [Judah, how much more if we come to Keilah against the host of the Philistines?
4 Then David asked counsel of the Lord again. And the Lord answered him, and said, Arise, go down to Keilah: for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand.
5 So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter: thus David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.
6 (And when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, he brought an Ephod with him.)
7 And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah, and Saul said, God hath delivered him into mine hand: for he is shut in, seeing he is come into a city that hath gates and bars.
8 Then Saul called all the people together to war for to go down to Keilah, and to besiege David and his men.
9 And David having knowledge that Saul imagined mischief against him, said to Abiathar the Priest, Bring the Ephod.
10 Then said David, O Lord God of Israel, thy servant hath heard, that Saul is about to come to Keilah to destroy the city for my sake.
11 Will the lords of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? and will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O Lord God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And the Lord said, He will come down.
12 Then said David, Will the lords of Keilah deliver me up, and the men that are with me, into the hand of Saul? And the Lord said, They will deliver thee up.
13 Then David and his men, which were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whither they could. And it was told Saul, that David was fled from Keilah, and he left off his journey.
14 And David abode in the wilderness in the holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand.
15 And David saw that Saul was come out for to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in the wood.
16 And Jonathan Saul’s son arose and went to David into the wood, and comforted him in God,
17 And said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee, and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee: and also Saul my father knoweth it.
18 So they twain made a covenant before the Lord: and David did remain in the wood: but Jonathan went to his house.
19 Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself by us in holds, in the wood in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the right side of Jeshimon?
20 Now therefore, O king, come down according to all that thine heart can desire, and our part shall be to deliver him into the King’s hands.
21 Then Saul said, Be ye blessed of the Lord: for ye have had compassion on me.
22 Go, I pray you, and prepare ye yet better: know and see his place where he haunteth, and who hath seen him there: for it is said to me, He is subtle, and crafty.
23 See therefore and know all the secret places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you: and if he be in the land, I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah.
24 Then they arose and went to Ziph before Saul, but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the right hand of Jeshimon.
25 Saul also and his men went to seek him, and they told David: wherefore he came down unto a rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he followed after David in the wilderness of Maon.
26 And Saul and his men went on the one side of the mountain: and David and his men on the other side of the mountain: and David made haste to get from the presence of Saul: for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about, to take them.
27 But there came a messenger to Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come: for the Philistines have invaded the land.
28 Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing David, and went against the Philistines. Therefore they called that place, Sela Hammahlekoth.
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