1Um dia, chegou aos ouvidos de David que os filisteus estavam em Queila a saquear as eiras.2E perguntou ao SENHOR: “Deverei ir atacá-los?” O SENHOR respondeu-lhe: “Sim, vai e salva Queila.”3Mas os homens de David disseram: “Nós aqui em Judá vivemos constantemente amedrontados, quanto mais se formos atacar todo o exército dos filisteus!”4David tornou a consultar o SENHOR e a obter a mesma resposta: “Vai a Queila, pois ajudar-te-ei a vencer os filisteus.”5Foram até lá e conseguiram, na verdade, matar os filisteus e confiscar-lhes gado. Dessa forma, o povo de Queila foi salvo.6Abiatar, filho de Aimeleque, o sacerdote, acompanhou David nessa expedição, levando consigo o éfode para obter as respostas que Deus dava a David.
Saul persegue David
7Saul em breve soube que David estava em Queila. “Ótimo!”, exclamou. “Apanhámo-lo. Deus entregou-mo, pois ficará encurralado numa cidade murada!”8Mobilizou todo o exército e marchou em direção a Queila para sitiar David com os seus homens.9David teve conhecimento dos planos de Saul e disse a Abiatar para trazer o éfode, a fim de consultar o SENHOR sobre o que deveria fazer.10“Ó SENHOR, Deus de Israel”, disse David, “ouvi que Saul planeia destruir Queila por eu estar aqui.11Será que a gente de Queila me entregará na sua mão? E será que Saul vem mesmo cá como ouvi dizer? Peço-te, SENHOR, Deus de Israel, que me respondas.” E o SENHOR respondeu-lhe: “Sim, ele virá.”12“A população de Queila entregar-me-á a Saul?”, insistiu David. “Entregar-te-ão.”13Então David e os seus homens, que eram agora uns 600, deixaram Queila e andaram a vaguear por aquela região. Saul depressa soube que David escapara; por isso, não chegou a ir até lá.14David vivia agora nas grutas do deserto, na região das colinas de Zife. Saul andava dia após dia à procura dele, mas o SENHOR não permitia que o encontrasse.15Um dia, perto de Hores, teve conhecimento de que Saul se dirigia a Zife, procurando matá-lo.16O seu filho Jónatas foi ter com David e encontrou-se com ele em Hores, encorajando-o a ter confiança em Deus.17“Não tenhas receio. O meu pai nunca te encontrará! Tu virás a ser rei em Israel e eu serei o segundo no reino, ao teu lado, e meu pai sabe muito bem disso.”18Assim, ambos renovaram a sua aliança de amizade, tomando o SENHOR como testemunha. David ficou em Hores e Jónatas voltou para casa.19Mas os homens de Zife foram ter com Saul a Gibeá e traíram David: “Sabemos onde é que ele se esconde. Está nas grutas de Hores nas colinas de Haquila, para o sul do deserto.20Vem, que nós o apanharemos para to entregar e assim o teu maior desejo será cumprido!”21“Louvado seja o SENHOR!”, disse Saul. “Até que enfim alguém teve piedade de mim!22Vão e verifiquem melhor, para terem a certeza do sítio onde ele está, e tomem nota de quem é que o viu. Olhem que ele é muito astuto.23Vejam bem onde é que se esconde, depois voltem para me dar um relato detalhado da situação. Depois irei convosco. Se realmente ele se encontrar ali achá-lo-ei de certeza, nem que tenha de verificar cada centímetro de terreno!”24Os homens de Zife regressaram adiante de Saul. Entretanto, David e os seus homens estavam no deserto de Maom, na península arábica, a sul do deserto.25David soube que Saul tinha intenções de vir a Zife, por isso, resolveu sair com os companheiros para mais longe, para o deserto de Maom, para os lados do sul.26Saul seguiu-os até lá. A certa altura, David e Saul encontravam-se nas vertentes opostas da mesma montanha. Saul começou a cercá-lo e David procurava, com os seus, escapar-lhe, sem o conseguir.27Nisto chegou a Saul uma mensagem que os filisteus atacavam de novo a Israel. Por isso, desistiu da perseguição e foi combater os outros.28Desde então o lugar onde acampara ficou a chamar-se Rochedo da Separação.29David foi dali viver para as grutas 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)