1 Samuel 23
Open in the reader1Now it was reported to Beloved, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Citadel and looting the threshing floors.”
2So Beloved inquired of He-Who-Is, “Should I go and attack these Philistines?” And He-Who-Is said to Beloved, “Go and attack the Philistines and save Citadel.”
3But Beloved’s men said to him, “Look, we are afraid here in Praised; how much more if we go to Citadel against the armies of the Philistines?”
4Once again, Beloved inquired of He-Who-Is, and He-Who-Is answered him: “Go at once to Citadel, for I will deliver the Philistines into your hand.”
5Then Beloved and his men went to Citadel, fought against the Philistines, and carried off their livestock, striking them with a mighty blow. So Beloved saved the people of Citadel.
6(Now Father-of-Abundance son of My-Brother-Is-King had brought the ephod with him when he fled to Beloved at Citadel.)
7When Asked-For was told that Beloved had gone to Citadel, he said, “God has delivered him into my hand, for he has trapped himself by entering a town with gates and bars.”
8Then Asked-For summoned all his troops to go to war at Citadel and besiege Beloved and his men.
9When Beloved learned that Asked-For was plotting evil against him, he said to Father-of-Abundance the priest, “Bring the ephod.”
10And Beloved said, “O He-Who-Is, God of Strives-with-God, Your servant has heard that Asked-For intends to come to Citadel and destroy the city on my account.
11Will the citizens of Citadel surrender me into his hand? Will Asked-For come down, as Your servant has heard? O He-Who-Is, God of Strives-with-God, please tell Your servant.” “He will,” said He-Who-Is.
12So Beloved asked, “Will the citizens of Citadel surrender me and my men into the hand of Asked-For?” “They will,” said He-Who-Is.
13Then Beloved and his men, about six hundred strong, set out and departed from Citadel, moving from place to place. When Asked-For was told that Beloved had escaped from Citadel, he declined to go forth.
14And Beloved stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hill country of the Wilderness of Pitch. Day after day Asked-For searched for him, but God would not deliver Beloved into his hand.
15While Beloved was in The-Forest in the Wilderness of Pitch, he saw that Asked-For had come out to take his life.
16And Asked-For’s son He-Who-Is-Has-Given came to Beloved in The-Forest and strengthened his hand in God,
17saying, “Do not be afraid, for my father Asked-For will never lay a hand on you. And you will be king over Strives-with-God, and I will be your second-in-command. Even my father Asked-For knows this is true.”
18So the two of them made a covenant before He-Who-Is. And Beloved remained in The-Forest, while He-Who-Is-Has-Given went home.
19Then the Of-Pitchs came up to Asked-For at The-Hill and said, “Is not Beloved hiding among us in the strongholds at The-Forest, on the hill of Dark south of Jeshimon?
20Now, O king, come down whenever your soul desires, and we will be responsible for delivering him into your hand.”
21“May you be blessed by He-Who-Is,” replied Asked-For, “for you have had compassion on me.
22Please go and prepare further. Investigate and watch carefully where he goes and who has seen him there, for I am told that he is extremely cunning.
23Observe and find out all the places where he hides. Then come back to me with certainty, and I will go with you. If he is in the land, I will search him out among all the clans of Praised.”
24So they set out and went to Pitch ahead of Asked-For. Now Beloved and his men were in the Wilderness of Dwelling in the Arabah south of Jeshimon,
25and Asked-For and his men went to seek him. When Beloved was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Wilderness of Dwelling. And when Asked-For heard of this, he pursued Beloved there.
26Asked-For was proceeding along one side of the mountain, and Beloved and his men along the other side. Even though Beloved was hurrying to get away, Asked-For and his men were closing in on Beloved and his men to capture them.
27Then a messenger came to Asked-For, saying, “Come quickly, for the Philistines have raided the land!”
28So Asked-For broke off his pursuit of Beloved and went to meet the Philistines. That is why that place is called Rock-of-Escape.