1. And they informed Dawiḏ, saying, “See, the Philistines are fighting against Qe‛ilah, and they are plundering the threshing-floors.”
2. So Dawiḏ inquired of יהוה, saying, “Shall I go and smite these Philistines?” And יהוה said to Dawiḏ, “Go and smite the Philistines, and save Qe‛ilah.”
3. And Dawiḏ’s men said to him, “See, we here in Yehuḏah are afraid. How much more, then, if we go to Qe‛ilah against the armies of the Philistines?”
4. And Dawiḏ inquired of יהוה once again. And יהוה answered him and said, “Arise, go down to Qe‛ilah, for I am giving the Philistines into your hand.”
5. So Dawiḏ and his men went to Qe‛ilah and fought with the Philistines, and he led away their livestock and smote them, a great smiting. Thus Dawiḏ saved the inhabitants of Qe‛ilah.
6. And it came to be, when Eḇyathar son of Aḥimeleḵ fled to Dawiḏ at Qe‛ilah, that he went down with a shoulder garment in his hand.
7. And Sha’ul was informed that Dawiḏ had gone to Qe‛ilah. Then Sha’ul said, “Elohim has estranged him into my hand, for he has shut himself in by entering a town that has gates and bars.”
8. And Sha’ul summoned all the people to battle, to go down to Qe‛ilah to besiege Dawiḏ and his men.
9. And Dawiḏ knew that Sha’ul was plotting evil against him, and said to Eḇyathar the priest, “Bring the shoulder garment here.”
10. And Dawiḏ said, “O יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl, Your servant has heard for certain that Sha’ul seeks to come to Qe‛ilah to destroy the city for my sake.
11. “Are the landowners of Qe‛ilah going to surrender me into his hand? Is Sha’ul coming down, as Your servant has heard? O יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl, I pray, let Your servant know.” And יהוה said, “He is coming down.”
12. And Dawiḏ said, “Are the landowners of Qe‛ilah going to surrender me and my men into the hand of Sha’ul?” And יהוה said, “They are going to surrender you.”
13. Then Dawiḏ and his men, about six hundred, arose and left Qe‛ilah and went wherever they could go. And Sha’ul was informed that Dawiḏ had escaped from Qe‛ilah, and he ceased to go out.
14. And Dawiḏ remained in the wilderness, in strongholds, and remained in the hill country in the Wilderness of Ziph. And Sha’ul sought him every day, but Elohim did not give him into his hand.
15. And Dawiḏ saw that Sha’ul had come out to seek his life while Dawiḏ was in the Wilderness of Ziph at Ḥoresh.
16. And Yehonathan, Sha’ul’s son, arose and went to Dawiḏ at Ḥoresh and strengthened his hand in Elohim,