1 Samuel 23 – read and compare multiple versions of the Bible

World English Bible

1 Samuel 23 (WEBP)

[1] David was told, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and are robbing the threshing floors.”
[2] Therefore David inquired of Yahweh, saying, “Shall I go and strike these Philistines?” Yahweh said to David, “Go strike the Philistines, and save Keilah.”
[3] David’s men said to him, “Behold, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?”
[4] Then David inquired of Yahweh yet again. Yahweh answered him, and said, “Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into your hand.”
[5] David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their livestock, and killed them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.
[6] When Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, he came down with an ephod in his hand.
[7] Saul was told that David had come to Keilah. Saul said, “God has delivered him into my hand, for he is shut in by entering into a town that has gates and bars.”
[8] Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men.
[9] David knew that Saul was devising mischief against him. He said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.”
[10] Then David said, “O Yahweh, the God of Israel, your servant has surely heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah to destroy the city for my sake.
[11] Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? Yahweh, the God of Israel, I beg you, tell your servant.” Yahweh said, “He will come down.”
[12] Then David said, “Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul?” Yahweh said, “They will deliver you up.”
[13] Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah and went wherever they could go. Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah; and he gave up going there.
[14] David stayed in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but God didn’t deliver him into his hand.
[15] David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. David was in the wilderness of Ziph in the woods.
[16] Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David into the woods, and strengthened his hand in God.
[17] He said to him, “Don’t be afraid, for the hand of Saul my father won’t find you; and you will be king over Israel, and I will be next to you; and Saul my father knows that also.”
[18] They both made a covenant before Yahweh. Then David stayed in the woods and Jonathan went to his house.
[19] Then the Ziphites came up to Saul to Gibeah, saying, “Doesn’t David hide himself with us in the strongholds in the woods, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of the desert?
[20] Now therefore, O king, come down. According to all the desire of your soul to come down; and our part will be to deliver him up into the king’s hand.”
[21] Saul said, “You are blessed by Yahweh, for you have had compassion on me.
[22] Please go make yet more sure, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who has seen him there; for I have been told that he is very cunning.
[23] See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hides himself; and come again to me with certainty, and I will go with you. It shall happen, if he is in the land, that I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.”
[24] They arose, and went to Ziph before Saul; but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah on the south of the desert.
[25] Saul and his men went to seek him. When David was told, he went down to the rock, and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. When Saul heard that, he pursued David in the wilderness of Maon.
[26] Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain; and David hurried to get away for fear of Saul, for Saul and his men surrounded David and his men to take them.
[27] But a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, for the Philistines have made a raid on the land!”
[28] So Saul returned from pursuing David, and went against the Philistines. Therefore they called that place Sela Hammahlekoth.
[29] David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of En Gedi.

1 Samuel 23:28 “Sela Hammahlekoth” means “rock of parting”.

Scripture quotations are taken from The World English Bible™ of eBible.org, 2020 stable text edition. It is in the public domain.

King James w/Strong’s #s

1 Samuel 23 (KJVS)

[1] Then they told () David, saying, () Behold, the Philistines fight () against Keilah, and they rob () the threshingfloors.
[2] Therefore David enquired () of the Lord, saying, () Shall I go () and smite () these Philistines? And the Lord said () unto David, Go, () and smite () the Philistines, and save () Keilah.
[3] And David’s men said () unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come () to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?
[4] Then David enquired () of the Lord yet 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. So David saved () the inhabitants () of Keilah.
[6] And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled () to David to Keilah, that he came down () with an ephod in his hand.
[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, () by entering () into a town that hath gates and bars.
[8] And Saul called all the people together () to war, to go down () to Keilah, to besiege () David and his men.
[9] And David knew () that Saul secretly practised () mischief against him; and he said () to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither () the ephod.
[10] Then said () David, O Lord God of Israel, thy servant hath certainly () heard () that Saul seeketh () to come () to Keilah, to destroy () the city for my sake.
[11] Will the men of Keilah deliver me up () into his hand? 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 men of Keilah deliver () me and my men 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 () whithersoever they could go. () And it was told () Saul that David was escaped () from Keilah; and he forbare () to go forth. ()
[14] And David abode () in the wilderness in strong 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 () to seek () his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.
[16] And Jonathan Saul’s son arose, () and went () to David into the wood, and strengthened () his hand in God.
[17] And he 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 that also Saul my father knoweth. ()
[18] And they two made () a covenant before the Lord: and David abode () in the wood, and Jonathan went () to his house.
[19] Then came up () the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, () Doth not David hide () himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon?
[20] Now therefore, O king, come down () according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; () and our part shall be to deliver () him into the king’s hand.
[21] And Saul said, () Blessed () be ye of the Lord; for ye have compassion () on me.
[22] Go, () I pray you, prepare () yet, and know () and see () his place where his haunt is, and who hath seen () him there: for it is told () me that he dealeth very () subtilly. ()
[23] See () therefore, and take knowledge () of all the lurking places where he hideth () himself, and come ye again () to me with the certainty, () and I will go () with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search () him out throughout all the thousands of Judah.
[24] And they arose, () and went () to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the south of Jeshimon.
[25] Saul also and his men went () to seek () him. And they told () David: wherefore he came down () into a rock, and abode () in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard () that, he pursued () after David in the wilderness of Maon.
[26] And Saul went () on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste () to get away () for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about () to take () them.
[27] But there came () a messenger unto Saul, saying, () Haste () thee, and come; () for the Philistines have invaded () the land.
[28] Wherefore Saul returned () from pursuing () after David, and went () against () the Philistines: therefore they called () that place Sela-hammahlekoth.
[29] And David went up () from thence, and dwelt () in strong holds at En-gedi.

1 Samuel 23:12 Heb. shut up
1 Samuel 23:19a Heb. on the right hand
1 Samuel 23:19b Or, the wilderness?
1 Samuel 23:22 Heb. foot shall be
1 Samuel 23:27 Heb. spread themselves upon, etc
1 Samuel 23:28 That is, the rock of divisions

Scripture quotations from The Authorized King James Version of the Holy Bible, using the standardized text of 1769. It is in the public domain.

Greek Bible (LXX/BYZ)

1 Samuel 23 (BYZ)

[1] Καὶ () ἀπηγγέλη () τῷ () Δαυιδ () λέγοντες () Ἰδοὺ () οἱ () ἀλλόφυλοι () πολεμοῦσιν () ἐν () τῇ () Κειλα, καὶ () αὐτοὶ () διαρπάζουσιν, () καταπατοῦσιν () τοὺς () ἅλω. ()
[2] Καὶ () ἐπηρώτησεν () Δαυιδ () διὰ () τοῦ () κυρίου () λέγων () Εἰ () πορευθῶ () καὶ () πατάξω () τοὺς () ἀλλοφύλους () τούτους; () Καὶ () εἶπεν κύριος () Πορεύου () καὶ () πατάξεις () ἐν () τοῖς () ἀλλοφύλοις () τούτοις () καὶ () σώσεις () τὴν () Κειλα.
[3] Καὶ () εἶπαν οἱ () ἄνδρες () τοῦ () Δαυιδ () πρὸς () αὐτόν () Ἰδοὺ () ἡμεῖς () ἐνταῦθα ἐν () τῇ () Ιουδαίᾳ () φοβούμεθα, καὶ () πῶς () ἔσται () ἐὰν () πορευθῶμεν () εἰς () Κειλα; Εἰς () τὰ () σκῦλα () τῶν () ἀλλοφύλων () εἰσπορευσόμεθα. ()
[4] Καὶ () προσέθετο () Δαυιδ () ἐρωτῆσαι () ἔτι () διὰ () τοῦ () κυρίου, () καὶ () ἀπεκρίθη () αὐτῷ () κύριος () καὶ () εἶπεν πρὸς () αὐτόν () Ἀνάστηθι () καὶ () κατάβηθι () εἰς () Κειλα, ὅτι () ἐγὼ () παραδίδωμι () τοὺς () ἀλλοφύλους () εἰς () χεῖράς () σου. ()
[5] Καὶ () ἐπορεύθη () Δαυιδ () καὶ () οἱ () ἄνδρες () οἱ () μετ’ () αὐτοῦ () εἰς () Κειλα καὶ () ἐπολέμησεν () ἐν () τοῖς () ἀλλοφύλοις, () καὶ () ἔφυγον () ἐκ () προσώπου () αὐτοῦ, () καὶ () ἀπήγαγεν () τὰ () κτήνη () αὐτῶν () καὶ () ἐπάταξεν () ἐν () αὐτοῖς () πληγὴν () μεγάλην, () καὶ () ἔσωσεν () Δαυιδ () τοὺς () κατοικοῦντας () Κειλα.
[6] Καὶ () ἐγένετο () ἐν () τῷ () φυγεῖν () Αβιαθαρ () υἱὸν () Αβιμελεχ πρὸς () Δαυιδ () καὶ () αὐτὸς () μετὰ () Δαυιδ () εἰς () Κειλα κατέβη () ἔχων () εφουδ ἐν () τῇ () χειρὶ () αὐτοῦ. ()
[7] Καὶ () ἀπηγγέλη () τῷ () Σαουλ () ὅτι () ἥκει () Δαυιδ () εἰς () Κειλα, καὶ () εἶπεν Σαουλ () Πέπρακεν () αὐτὸν () ὁ () θεὸς () εἰς () χεῖράς () μου, () ὅτι () ἀποκέκλεισται () εἰσελθὼν () εἰς () πόλιν () θυρῶν () καὶ () μοχλῶν.
[8] Καὶ () παρήγγειλεν () Σαουλ () παντὶ () τῷ () λαῷ () εἰς () πόλεμον () καταβαίνειν () εἰς () Κειλα συνέχειν () τὸν () Δαυιδ () καὶ () τοὺς () ἄνδρας () αὐτοῦ. ()
[9] Καὶ () ἔγνω () Δαυιδ () ὅτι () οὐ () παρασιωπᾷ Σαουλ () περὶ () αὐτοῦ () τὴν () κακίαν, () καὶ () εἶπεν Δαυιδ () πρὸς () Αβιαθαρ () τὸν () ἱερέα () Προσάγαγε () τὸ () εφουδ κυρίου. ()
[10] Καὶ () εἶπεν Δαυιδ () Κύριε () ὁ () θεὸς () Ισραηλ, () ἀκούων () ἀκήκοεν () ὁ () δοῦλός () σου () ὅτι () ζητεῖ () Σαουλ () ἐλθεῖν () ἐπὶ () Κειλα διαφθεῖραι () τὴν () πόλιν () δι’ () ἐμέ. ()
[11] Εἰ () ἀποκλεισθήσεται; () Καὶ () νῦν () εἰ () καταβήσεται () Σαουλ, () καθὼς () ἤκουσεν () ὁ () δοῦλός () σου; () Κύριε () ὁ () θεὸς () Ισραηλ, () ἀπάγγειλον () τῷ () δούλῳ () σου. () Καὶ () εἶπεν κύριος () Ἀποκλεισθήσεται. () …
[13] Καὶ () ἀνέστη () Δαυιδ () καὶ () οἱ () ἄνδρες () οἱ () μετ’ () αὐτοῦ () ὡς () τετρακόσιοι () καὶ () ἐξῆλθον () ἐκ () Κειλα καὶ () ἐπορεύοντο () οὗ () ἐὰν () ἐπορεύθησαν· () καὶ () τῷ () Σαουλ () ἀπηγγέλη () ὅτι () διασέσωται () Δαυιδ () ἐκ () Κειλα, καὶ () ἀνῆκεν () τοῦ () ἐξελθεῖν. ()
[14] Καὶ () ἐκάθισεν () Δαυιδ () ἐν () τῇ () ἐρήμῳ () ἐν () Μασερεμ ἐν () τοῖς () στενοῖς () καὶ () ἐκάθητο () ἐν () τῇ () ἐρήμῳ () ἐν () τῷ () ὄρει () Ζιφ ἐν () τῇ () γῇ () τῇ () αὐχμώδει· καὶ () ἐζήτει () αὐτὸν () Σαουλ () πάσας () τὰς () ἡμέρας, () καὶ () οὐ () παρέδωκεν () αὐτὸν () κύριος () εἰς () τὰς () χεῖρας () αὐτοῦ. ()
[15] Καὶ () εἶδεν () Δαυιδ () ὅτι () ἐξέρχεται () Σαουλ () τοῦ () ζητεῖν () τὸν () Δαυιδ· () καὶ () Δαυιδ () ἐν () τῷ () ὄρει () τῷ () αὐχμώδει ἐν () τῇ () Καινῇ Ζιφ.
[16] Καὶ () ἀνέστη () Ιωναθαν υἱὸς () Σαουλ () καὶ () ἐπορεύθη () πρὸς () Δαυιδ () εἰς () Καινὴν καὶ () ἐκραταίωσεν () τὰς () χεῖρας () αὐτοῦ () ἐν () κυρίῳ. ()
[17] Καὶ () εἶπεν πρὸς () αὐτόν () Μὴ () φοβοῦ, ὅτι () οὐ () μὴ () εὕρῃ () σε () ἡ () χεὶρ () Σαουλ () τοῦ () πατρός () μου, () καὶ () σὺ () βασιλεύσεις () ἐπὶ () Ισραηλ, () καὶ () ἐγὼ () ἔσομαί () σοι () εἰς () δεύτερον· () καὶ () Σαουλ () ὁ () πατήρ () μου () οἶδεν () οὕτως. ()
[18] Καὶ () διέθεντο () ἀμφότεροι () διαθήκην () ἐνώπιον κυρίου. () Καὶ () ἐκάθητο () Δαυιδ () ἐν () Καινῇ, καὶ () Ιωναθαν ἀπῆλθεν () εἰς () οἶκον () αὐτοῦ. ()
[19] Καὶ () ἀνέβησαν () οἱ () Ζιφαῖοι ἐκ () τῆς () αὐχμώδους πρὸς () Σαουλ () ἐπὶ () τὸν () βουνὸν () λέγοντες () Οὐκ () ἰδοὺ () Δαυιδ () κέκρυπται () παρ’ () ἡμῖν () ἐν () Μεσσαρα ἐν () τοῖς () στενοῖς () ἐν () τῇ () Καινῇ ἐν () τῷ () βουνῷ () τοῦ () Εχελα τοῦ () ἐκ () δεξιῶν () τοῦ () Ιεσσαιμουν;
[20] Καὶ () νῦν () πᾶν () τὸ () πρὸς () ψυχὴν () τοῦ () βασιλέως () εἰς () κατάβασιν () καταβαινέτω () πρὸς () ἡμᾶς· () κεκλείκασιν () αὐτὸν () εἰς () τὰς () χεῖρας () τοῦ () βασιλέως. ()
[21] Καὶ () εἶπεν αὐτοῖς () Σαουλ () Εὐλογημένοι () ὑμεῖς () τῷ () κυρίῳ, () ὅτι () ἐπονέσατε περὶ () ἐμοῦ· ()
[22] πορεύθητε () δὴ () καὶ () ἑτοιμάσατε () ἔτι () καὶ () γνῶτε () τὸν () τόπον () αὐτοῦ, () οὗ () ἔσται () ὁ () ποὺς () αὐτοῦ, () ἐν () τάχει () ἐκεῖ () οὗ () εἴπατε, μήποτε () πανουργεύσηται·
[23] καὶ () ἴδετε () καὶ () γνῶτε, () καὶ () πορευσόμεθα () μεθ’ () ὑμῶν, () καὶ () ἔσται () εἰ () ἔστιν () ἐπὶ () τῆς () γῆς, () καὶ () ἐξερευνήσω () αὐτὸν () ἐν () πάσαις () χιλιάσιν () Ιουδα.
[24] Καὶ () ἀνέστησαν () οἱ () Ζιφαῖοι καὶ () ἐπορεύθησαν () ἔμπροσθεν () Σαουλ· () καὶ () Δαυιδ () καὶ () οἱ () ἄνδρες () αὐτοῦ () ἐν () τῇ () ἐρήμῳ () τῇ () Μααν καθ’ () ἑσπέραν () ἐκ () δεξιῶν () τοῦ () Ιεσσαιμουν.
[25] Καὶ () ἐπορεύθη () Σαουλ () καὶ () οἱ () ἄνδρες () αὐτοῦ () ζητεῖν () αὐτόν· () καὶ () ἀπήγγειλαν () τῷ () Δαυιδ, () καὶ () κατέβη () εἰς () τὴν () πέτραν () τὴν () ἐν () τῇ () ἐρήμῳ () Μααν· καὶ () ἤκουσεν () Σαουλ () καὶ () κατεδίωξεν () ὀπίσω () Δαυιδ () εἰς () τὴν () ἔρημον () Μααν.
[26] Καὶ () πορεύονται () Σαουλ () καὶ () οἱ () ἄνδρες () αὐτοῦ () ἐκ () μέρους () τοῦ () ὄρους () τούτου, () καὶ () ἦν () Δαυιδ () καὶ () οἱ () ἄνδρες () αὐτοῦ () ἐκ () μέρους () τοῦ () ὄρους () τούτου· () καὶ () ἦν () Δαυιδ () σκεπαζόμενος πορεύεσθαι () ἀπὸ () προσώπου () Σαουλ, () καὶ () Σαουλ () καὶ () οἱ () ἄνδρες () αὐτοῦ () παρενέβαλον ἐπὶ () Δαυιδ () καὶ () τοὺς () ἄνδρας () αὐτοῦ () συλλαβεῖν () αὐτούς. ()
[27] Καὶ () ἄγγελος () πρὸς () Σαουλ () ἦλθεν () λέγων () Σπεῦδε () καὶ () δεῦρο, () ὅτι () ἐπέθεντο () οἱ () ἀλλόφυλοι () ἐπὶ () τὴν () γῆν. ()
[28] Καὶ () ἀνέστρεψεν () Σαουλ () μὴ () καταδιώκειν () ὀπίσω () Δαυιδ () καὶ () ἐπορεύθη () εἰς () συνάντησιν () τῶν () ἀλλοφύλων· () διὰ () τοῦτο () ἐπεκλήθη () ὁ () τόπος () ἐκεῖνος () Πέτρα () ἡ () μερισθεῖσα. ()
[29] Καὶ () ἀνέβη () Δαυιδ () ἐκεῖθεν () καὶ () ἐκάθισεν () ἐν () τοῖς () στενοῖς () Εγγαδδι.

1 Samuel 23:29 Originally verse 24:1.

Old Testament scripture quotations and versification from Septuaginta, edited by Alfred Rahlfs (Stuttgart: Württembergische Bibelanstalt, 1935). New Testament quotations are from the Byzantine Text (Guardian Press, Inc., Robinson-Pierpont Byzantine Textform, 2026). Both are in the public domain.