וַיַּגִּדוּ לְדָוִד לֵאמֹר הִנֵּה פְלִשְׁתִּים נִלְחָמִים בִּקְעִילָה וְהֵמָּה שֹׁסִים אֶת הַגֳּרָנוֹת

They told David, saying: Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Ke’ila, a city in the portion of Judah, and they are plundering the threshing floors. This was not an actual war, but the invasion of a single Philistine battalion in order to plunder Israel. Apparently, there was not much property in Ke’ila, and the Philistines therefore preferred to raid the grain in the threshing floors.

וַיִּשְׁאַל דָּוִד בַּה' לֵאמֹר הַאֵלֵךְ וְהִכֵּיתִי בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּים הָאֵלֶּה וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל דָּוִד לֵךְ וְהִכִּיתָ בַפְּלִשְׁתִּים וְהוֹשַׁעְתָּ אֶת קְעִילָה

David inquired of the Lord through the Urim and the Tumim, as evident from the continuation of the narrative, saying: Shall I go and smite these Philistines, who are close to my present location and are oppressing my tribe? Since the battalion was large enough to frighten the people of Ke’ila, they allowed the Philistines to plunder freely. However, David and his entourage stood a chance of rebuffing them. The Lord said to David: Go and smite the Philistines, and save Ke’ila.

וַיֹּאמְרוּ אַנְשֵׁי דָוִד אֵלָיו הִנֵּה אֲנַחְנוּ פֹה בִּיהוּדָה יְרֵאִים וְאַף כִּי נֵלֵךְ קְעִלָה אֶל מַעַרְכוֹת פְּלִשְׁתִּים

When he related God’s response to his men, David’s men said to him: Behold, here in Judah we are afraid for our lives due to Saul; all the more so will we be fearful if we go to Ke’ila, to the Philistine armies, without the assistance of Saul and his large force.

וַיּוֹסֶף עוֹד דָּוִד לִשְׁאֹל בַּה' וַיַּעֲנֵהוּ ה' וַיֹּאמֶר קוּם רֵד קְעִילָה כִּי אֲנִי נֹתֵן אֶת פְּלִשְׁתִּים בְּיָדֶךָ

David continued to inquire of the Lord yet again, in response to his men’s argument, and the Lord answered him. He said: Rise, go forth to Ke’ila, for I am delivering the Philistines into your hand; you have no reason to fear.

וַיֵּלֶךְ דָּוִד וַאֲנָשָׁיו קְעִילָה וַיִּלָּחֶם בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּים וַיִּנְהַג אֶת מִקְנֵיהֶם וַיַּךְ בָּהֶם מַכָּה גְדוֹלָה וַיֹּשַׁע דָּוִד אֵת יֹשְׁבֵי קְעִילָה

David and his men went to Ke’ila, and he fought with the Philistines, and he led away their cattle, which the Philistines had brought there to consume the crops in the fields. The presence of cattle indicates that the Philistines had not set out on an expedition of war. And he, David, smote them a great blow. David saved the inhabitants of Ke’ila. This was the first time that David acted in his own name, with his own forces. In the long term, this would stand David in good stead, as through this and similar operations he created a base of support for himself, as the people owed him a debt of gratitude for defending them.

וַיְהִי בִּבְרֹחַ אֶבְיָתָר בֶּן אֲחִימֶלֶךְ אֶל דָּוִד קְעִילָה אֵפוֹד יָרַד בְּיָדוֹ

It was when Evyatar son of Ahimelekh the High Priest fled to David to Ke’ila, he brought down an ephod with him. He likely had taken the ephod and breast piece from the garments of his father the High Priest. By means of the Urim and the Tumim that were in the breast piece that was attached to the ephod, he was able to receive guidance from God.

וַיֻּגַּד לְשָׁאוּל כִּי בָא דָוִד קְעִילָה וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל נִכַּר אֹתוֹ אֱלֹהִים בְּיָדִי כִּי נִסְגַּר לָבוֹא בְּעִיר דְּלָתַיִם וּבְרִיחַ

Meanwhile it was told to Saul that David had come to Ke’ila, and Saul said: God has delivered him into my hand, or God has abandoned him and left him for my hand; as he has been trapped by entering a city with gates and a bar, which can be besieged, thereby preventing his escape.

וַיְשַׁמַּע שָׁאוּל אֶת כָּל הָעָם לַמִּלְחָמָה לָרֶדֶת קְעִילָה לָצוּר אֶל דָּוִד וְאֶל אֲנָשָׁיו

Saul summoned all the warriors among the people to war, to go forth to Ke’ila to besiege David and his men.

וַיֵּדַע דָּוִד כִּי עָלָיו שָׁאוּל מַחֲרִישׁ הָרָעָה וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל אֶבְיָתָר הַכֹּהֵן הַגִּישָׁה הָאֵפוֹד

David knew that Saul was plotting evil against him, and he said to Evyatar the priest: Bring the ephod, in order to inquire from God, by means of the Urim and the Tumim, how to proceed.

וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד ה' אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שָׁמֹעַ שָׁמַע עַבְדְּךָ כִּי מְבַקֵּשׁ שָׁאוּל לָבוֹא אֶל קְעִילָה לְשַׁחֵת לָעִיר בַּעֲבוּרִי

David himself said, requesting of God: Lord, God of Israel, Your servant has heard that Saul is seeking to come to Ke’ila, to destroy the city on my account.

הֲיַסְגִּרֻנִי בַעֲלֵי קְעִילָה בְיָדוֹ הֲיֵרֵד שָׁאוּל כַּאֲשֶׁר שָׁמַע עַבְדֶּךָ ה' אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הַגֶּד נָא לְעַבְדֶּךָ וַיֹּאמֶר ה' יֵרֵד

Will the masters of Ke’ila deliver me into his hand? Will Saul go forth, as Your servant has heard? Lord, God of Israel, please, tell Your servant. David did not ask his questions in the proper sequence, as he should have first inquired whether Saul would descend to Ke’ila and only afterward what the reaction of the men of Ke’ila would be. Consequently, he received only a partial answer. The Lord said: He will go forth.

וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד הֲיַסְגִּרוּ בַּעֲלֵי קְעִילָה אֹתִי וְאֶת אֲנָשַׁי בְּיַד שָׁאוּל וַיֹּאמֶר ה' יַסְגִּירוּ

David inquired again, this time in the proper sequence. David said: Will the masters of Ke’ila deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? If they support me, perhaps I will be able to withstand a lengthy siege, but if they deliver me into the hands of Saul, I have no chance of resistance. The Lord said: They will deliver you to Saul, despite the fact that you defended them from the Philistines.

וַיָּקָם דָּוִד וַאֲנָשָׁיו כְּשֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת אִישׁ וַיֵּצְאוּ מִקְּעִלָה וַיִּתְהַלְּכוּ בַּאֲשֶׁר יִתְהַלָּכוּ וּלְשָׁאוּל הֻגַּד כִּי נִמְלַט דָּוִד מִקְּעִילָה וַיֶּחְדַּל לָצֵאת

David and his men, some six hundred men, as more men had joined him following his success, rose and exited Ke’ila, and they went wherever they went. They resumed wandering from place to place. Saul was told that David had escaped from Ke’ila, and he ceased his preparations to go out in pursuit of David.

וַיֵּשֶׁב דָּוִד בַּמִּדְבָּר בַּמְּצָדוֹת וַיֵּשֶׁב בָּהָר בְּמִדְבַּר זִיף וַיְבַקְשֵׁהוּ שָׁאוּל כָּל הַיָּמִים וְלֹא נְתָנוֹ אֱלֹהִים בְּיָדוֹ

David dwelled in the wilderness, in the citadels on the peaks of the mountains, places used for shelter by shepherds and the like, and he dwelled on the mountain in the wilderness of Zif. Saul sought him incessantly all the days, but God did not deliver him into his hand.

וַיַּרְא דָּוִד כִּי יָצָא שָׁאוּל לְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת נַפְשׁוֹ וְדָוִד בְּמִדְבַּר זִיף בַּחֹרְשָׁה

David saw that Saul had gone out to seek his life, and David was in the wilderness of Zif, in the copse.

וַיָּקָם יְהוֹנָתָן בֶּן שָׁאוּל וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל דָּוִד חֹרְשָׁה וַיְחַזֵּק אֶת יָדוֹ בֵּאלֹהִים

Yehonatan son of Saul rose, and went to David, to the copse. Since Yehonatan maintained ties with David’s men, he knew the location of his friend’s hideout. He traveled there as the son of the king and as an ally, and he, Yehonatan, encouraged him, David, by the words of God. Alternatively, the verse means that he encouraged him by assuring him that God was with him.

וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אַל תִּירָא כִּי לֹא תִמְצָאֲךָ יַד שָׁאוּל אָבִי ואַתָּה תִּמְלֹךְ עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָנֹכִי אֶהְיֶה לְּךָ לְמִשְׁנֶה וְגַם שָׁאוּל אָבִי יֹדֵעַ כֵּן

He said to him: Do not fear, as the hand of Saul my father will not find you. Saul will never manage to capture you. Ultimately, you will reign over Israel, in accordance with God’s promise, and I, your dear friend, will be your viceroy, and Saul my father knows in his heart that it is so too, even if he will not admit it publicly. This is why he is so angry and pursues you.

וַיִּכְרְתוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם בְּרִית לִפְנֵי ה' וַיֵּשֶׁב דָּוִד בַּחֹרְשָׁה וִיהוֹנָתָן הָלַךְ לְבֵיתוֹ

The two of them again established a mutual covenant before the Lord, to maintain the agreements, obligations, and ties of affection between them. David stayed in the copse, and Yehonatan went to his home.

וַיַּעֲלוּ זִפִים אֶל שָׁאוּל הַגִּבְעָתָה לֵאמֹר הֲלוֹא דָוִד מִסְתַּתֵּר עִמָּנוּ בַמְּצָדוֹת בַּחֹרְשָׁה בְּגִבְעַת הַחֲכִילָה אֲשֶׁר מִימִין הַיְשִׁימוֹן

The Zifites, who lived in that wilderness, went up to Saul to Giva, Givat Shaul, saying: Truly, David is hiding among us in the citadels in the copse, on the hill of Hakhila that is to the south of the wasteland, a desert region which lacks all vegetation.

וְעַתָּה לְכָל אַוַּת נַפְשְׁךָ הַמֶּלֶךְ לָרֶדֶת רֵד וְלָנוּ הַסְגִּירוֹ בְּיַד הַמֶּלֶךְ

Now, according to all your heart’s desire to go forth to us, king, go forth, and it is an obligation for us to deliver him into the king’s hand.

וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל בְּרוּכִים אַתֶּם לַה' כִּי חֲמַלְתֶּם עָלָי

Saul said: Blessed are you to the Lord, as you have had compassion upon me.

לְכוּ נָא הָכִינוּ עוֹד וּדְעוּ וּרְאוּ אֶת מְקוֹמוֹ אֲשֶׁר תִּהְיֶה רַגְלוֹ מִי רָאָהוּ שָׁם כִּי אָמַר אֵלַי עָרוֹם יַעְרִם הוּא

Please go, prepare further, and know and see his location where he sets foot, and clarify who has seen him there; it is not enough for me to have information on his general whereabouts, as one of my men said to me: He acts with cunning. When David might appear to be in one place, he has sneakily already moved elsewhere.

וּרְאוּ וּדְעוּ מִכֹּל הַמַּחֲבֹאִים אֲשֶׁר יִתְחַבֵּא שָׁם וְשַׁבְתֶּם אֵלַי אֶל נָכוֹן וְהָלַכְתִּי אִתְּכֶם וְהָיָה אִם יֶשְׁנוֹ בָאָרֶץ וְחִפַּשְׂתִּי אֹתוֹ בְּכֹל אַלְפֵי יְהוּדָה

See and know of all the hideouts where he would hide, and return to me with confirmation of his location, and I will go with you. It will be, if he is still in the land, I will search for him with you among all the thousands of Judah. The tribes were internally divided into thousands of tiny subunits and families.

וַיָּקוּמוּ וַיֵּלְכוּ זִיפָה לִפְנֵי שָׁאוּל וְדָוִד וַאֲנָשָׁיו בְּמִדְבַּר מָעוֹן בָּעֲרָבָה אֶל יְמִין הַיְשִׁימוֹן

They, the inhabitants of Zif, arose and they went to Zif before Saul. David and his men were already in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arava, which is also located to the south of the wasteland.

וַיֵּלֶךְ שָׁאוּל וַאֲנָשָׁיו לְבַקֵּשׁ וַיַגִּדוּ לְדָוִד וַיֵּרֶד הַסֶּלַע וַיֵּשֶׁב בְּמִדְבַּר מָעוֹן וַיִּשְׁמַע שָׁאוּל וַיִּרְדֹּף אַחֲרֵי דָוִד מִדְבַּר מָעוֹן

Saul and his men went to seek, to search. They told David of Saul’s approach, and he went down to the rock [hasela] located nearby; alternatively, hasela is the name of that place, called after a large rock that was located there, and he, David, stayed in the wilderness of Maon. Saul heard, and he pursued David to the wilderness of Maon as well.

וַיֵּלֶךְ שָׁאוּל מִצַּד הָהָר מִזֶּה וְדָוִד וַאֲנָשָׁיו מִצַּד הָהָר מִזֶּה וַיְהִי דָוִד נֶחְפָּז לָלֶכֶת מִפְּנֵי שָׁאוּל וְשָׁאוּל וַאֲנָשָׁיו עֹטְרִים אֶל דָּוִד וְאֶל אֲנָשָׁיו לְתָפְשָׂם

Saul was walking on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain, in close proximity to one another, and David was making haste to go away as quickly as possible from Saul, but Saul and his men were surrounding David and his men to capture them.

וּמַלְאָךְ בָּא אֶל שָׁאוּל לֵאמֹר מַהֲרָה וְלֵכָה כִּי פָשְׁטוּ פְלִשְׁתִּים עַל הָאָרֶץ

But a messenger came to Saul, saying: Hurry and go, as the Philistines have invaded the land.

וַיָּשָׁב שָׁאוּל מִרְדֹף אַחֲרֵי דָוִד וַיֵּלֶךְ לִקְרַאת פְּלִשְׁתִּים עַל כֵּן קָרְאוּ לַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא סֶלַע הַמַּחְלְקֹת

Saul returned from his private mission of pursuing David, and he went toward the Philistines; therefore they called that place Sela HaMahlekot, the rock around which the two camps separated [hitḥalku].

וַיַּעַל דָּוִד מִשָּׁם וַיֵּשֶׁב בִּמְצָדוֹת עֵין גֶּדִי

David went up from there and resided in the citadels of Ein Gedi.