1Quando disseram a Davi que os filisteus estavam atacando a cidade de Queila e saqueando as eiras,2ele perguntou ao SENHOR: “Devo atacar esses filisteus?” O SENHOR lhe respondeu: “Vá, ataque os filisteus e liberte Queila”.3Os soldados de Davi, porém, lhe disseram: “Aqui em Judá estamos com medo. Quanto mais, se formos a Queila lutar contra as tropas dos filisteus!”4Davi consultou o SENHOR novamente. “Levante-se”, disse o SENHOR, “vá à cidade de Queila, pois estou entregando os filisteus em suas mãos.”5Então Davi e seus homens foram a Queila, combateram os filisteus e se apoderaram de seus rebanhos, impondo-lhes grande derrota e libertando o povo daquela cidade.6Ora, Abiatar, filho de Aimeleque, tinha levado o colete sacerdotal quando fugiu para se juntar a Davi, em Queila.
Saul Persegue Davi
7Foi dito a Saul que Davi tinha ido a Queila, e ele disse: “Deus o entregou nas minhas mãos, pois Davi se aprisionou ao entrar numa cidade com portas e trancas”.8E Saul convocou todo o seu exército para a batalha, para irem a Queila e cercarem Davi e os homens que o seguiam.9Quando Davi soube que Saul tramava atacá-lo, disse a Abiatar: “Traga o colete sacerdotal”.10Então orou: “Ó SENHOR, Deus de Israel, este teu servo ouviu claramente que Saul planeja vir a Queila e destruir a cidade por minha causa.11Será que os cidadãos de Queila me entregarão a ele? Saul virá de fato, conforme teu servo ouviu? Ó SENHOR, Deus de Israel, responde-me”. E o SENHOR lhe disse: “Ele virá”.12E Davi, novamente, perguntou: “Será que os cidadãos de Queila entregarão a mim e a meus soldados a Saul?” E o SENHOR respondeu: “Entregarão”.13Então Davi e seus soldados, que eram cerca de seiscentos, partiram de Queila, e ficaram andando sem direção definida. Quando informaram a Saul que Davi tinha fugido de Queila, ele interrompeu a marcha.14Davi permaneceu nas fortalezas do deserto e nas colinas do deserto de Zife. Dia após dia Saul o procurava, mas Deus não entregou Davi em suas mãos.15Quando Davi estava em Horesa, no deserto de Zife, soube que Saul tinha saído para matá-lo.16E Jônatas, filho de Saul, foi falar com ele, em Horesa, e o ajudou a encontrar forças em Deus.17“Não tenha medo”, disse ele, “meu pai não porá as mãos em você. Você será rei de Israel, e eu serei o seu segundo em comando. Até meu pai sabe disso.”18Os dois fizeram um acordo perante o SENHOR. Então, Jônatas foi para casa, mas Davi ficou em Horesa.19Alguns zifeus foram dizer a Saul, em Gibeá: “Davi está se escondendo entre nós nas fortalezas de Horesa, na colina de Haquilá, ao sul do deserto de Jesimom.20Agora, ó rei, vai quando quiseres, e nós seremos responsáveis por entregá-lo em tuas mãos”.21Saul respondeu: “O SENHOR os abençoe por terem compaixão de mim.22Vão e façam mais preparativos. Descubram aonde Davi geralmente vai e quem o tem visto ali. Dizem que ele é muito astuto.23Descubram todos os esconderijos dele e voltem aqui com informações exatas[1]. Então irei com vocês; se ele estiver na região, eu o procurarei entre todos os clãs de Judá”.24E eles voltaram para Zife, antes de Saul. Davi e seus soldados estavam no deserto de Maom, na Arabá, ao sul do deserto de Jesimom.25Depois, Saul e seus soldados saíram e começaram a busca, e, ao ser informado, Davi desceu à rocha e permaneceu no deserto de Maom. Sabendo disso, Saul foi para lá em perseguição a Davi.26Saul ia por um lado da montanha, e, pelo outro, Davi e seus soldados fugiam depressa para escapar de Saul. Quando Saul e suas tropas estavam cercando Davi e seus soldados para capturá-los,27um mensageiro veio dizer a Saul: “Venha depressa! Os filisteus estão atacando Israel”.28Então Saul interrompeu a perseguição a Davi e foi enfrentar os filisteus. Por isso chamam esse lugar Selá-Hamalecote[2].29E Davi saiu daquele lugar e foi viver nas fortalezas de En-Gedi.
1Now they told David, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are robbing the threshing floors.” (Js 15:44)2Therefore David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” And the Lord said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah.” (1 Sm 22:10)3But 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?”4Then David inquired of the Lord again. And the Lord answered him, “Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand.” (Js 24:11; Jz 7:7; Jz 20:28; 1 Sm 23:2; 1 Sm 23:14)5And David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines and brought away their livestock and struck them with a great blow. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.6When Abiathar the son of Ahimelech had fled to David to Keilah, he had come down with an ephod in his hand. (1 Sm 22:20)7Now it was told Saul that David had come to Keilah. And Saul said, “God has given him into my hand, for he has shut himself in by entering a town that has gates and bars.”8And Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.9David knew that Saul was plotting harm against him. And he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.” (Nm 27:21; 1 Sm 30:7)10Then David said, “O Lord, the God of Israel, your servant has surely heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah, to destroy the city on my account.11Will the men of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? O Lord, the God of Israel, please tell your servant.” And the Lord said, “He will come down.”12Then David said, “Will the men of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?” And the Lord said, “They will surrender you.” (1 Sm 23:20)13Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed from Keilah, and they went wherever they could go. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up the expedition. (1 Sm 22:2; 1 Sm 25:13; 1 Sm 27:2; 1 Sm 30:9; 2 Sm 15:20)14And David remained in the strongholds in the wilderness, in the hill country of the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God did not give him into his hand. (Js 15:24)
Saul Pursues David
15David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh.16And Jonathan, Saul’s son, rose and went to David at Horesh, and strengthened his hand in God.17And he said to him, “Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Saul my father also knows this.” (1 Sm 20:31; 1 Sm 24:20)18And the two of them made a covenant before the Lord. David remained at Horesh, and Jonathan went home. (1 Sm 18:3; 1 Sm 20:8; 1 Sm 20:16; 1 Sm 20:42; 2 Sm 21:7)19Then the Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah, which is south of Jeshimon? (Nm 21:20; 1 Sm 26:1)20Now come down, O king, according to all your heart’s desire to come down, and our part shall be to surrender him into the king’s hand.” (1 Sm 23:12)21And Saul said, “May you be blessed by the Lord, for you have had compassion on me. (Rt 2:20; 1 Sm 22:8)22Go, make yet more sure. Know and see the place where his foot is, and who has seen him there, for it is told me that he is very cunning.23See therefore and take note of all the lurking places where he hides, and come back to me with sure information. Then I will go with you. And if he is in the land, I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.”24And they arose and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah to the south of Jeshimon. (Dt 1:1; Js 15:55; 1 Sm 23:19; 1 Sm 25:2)25And Saul and his men went to seek him. And David was told, so he went down to the rock and lived in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.26Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side of the mountain. And David was hurrying to get away from Saul. As Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them,27a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, for the Philistines have made a raid against the land.”28So Saul returned from pursuing after David and went against the Philistines. Therefore that place was called the Rock of Escape.[1]29[2] And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of Engedi. (Js 15:62; 2 Cr 20:2; Ct 1:14; Ez 47:10)