1 Samuel 23

23 ¹Dem come tell David say, “Look, di Philistine people dey fight against Keilah, dem dey loot di threshing floor dem.”

²David come ask our Papa, “Make I go attack dis Philistine people?” And our Papa answer am, “Go, attack di Philistine people and rescue Keilah.”

³David im men talk say, “Look, fear dey catch us for here for Judah—how much more if we go Keilah go meet di Philistine battle line dem!”

⁴David ask our Papa again, and our Papa answer: “Get up, go down to Keilah, because I dey give di Philistine people into your hand.”

⁵So David and im men go Keilah, dem fight di Philistine people, drive comot dem animal dem, and beat dem well well—dem rescue di people wey dey Keilah.

⁶Abiathar, di pikin of Ahimelech, don run go meet David for Keilah; e reach with ephod for im hand.

⁷Wen Saul hear say David dey Keilah, e talk say, “God don hand David give me; e don trap imsef, e enter town wey get gate and bar.” ⁸Saul come call all di people to war: make dem go down to Keilah, surround David and im men. ⁹David come know say Saul dey plan bad tin against am, so e tell Abiathar di priest, “Bring di ephod come here.” ¹⁰David talk say, “O my Papa, di God of Israel, your servant don hear am for sure: Saul dey plan to come Keilah and destroy di city because of me.

¹¹Di people of Keilah, dem go hand me give am? Saul go come down, as your servant don hear? O my Papa, di God of Israel, abeg tell your servant.” And our Papa talk say, “E go come down.”

¹²David ask, “Di people of Keilah, dem go hand me and my men give Saul?” And our Papa talk say, “Dem go hand una over.”

¹³So David and im men, wey be like 600 people, comot from Keilah and waka from place to place. Wen dem tell Saul say David don escape from Keilah, e stop to dey chase am. ¹⁴David stay for di strong hiding place dem for wilderness and for di hill country of di wilderness of Ziph. Saul dey search for am every day, but our Papa no give am into im hand. ¹⁵David dey Horesh for di wilderness of Ziph wen e see say Saul don come out to take im life. ¹⁶Jonathan, Saul im pikin, come waka go meet David for Horesh, and e strengthen am for our Papa. ¹⁷“No dey fear,” e talk. “Di hand of my papa Saul no go find you. You go be king over Israel, and I go be number two to you. Even my papa Saul sabi am.” ¹⁸Di two of dem come make Covenant before our Papa. David stay for Horesh; Jonathan go im house.

¹⁹Den di Ziph people go up to Saul for Gibeah, dem talk say, “No be for our side David dey hide for di strong hiding place dem for Horesh, on di hill of Hachilah wey dey south of Jeshimon? ²⁰So now, king, come down, come down anytime wey you want; na our work to hand am over to di king.”

²¹Saul answer, “Make our Papa bless una, because una don show me pity. ²²Go, prepare more well; find out di place wey im foot dey step, na who don see am for there—dem tell me say e dey very sharp with cunning. ²³Find out all di hiding place dem wia e dey hide, den bring solid true tin come give me. I go go with una, and if e dey inside di land, I go search am out among all di family of Judah.”

²⁴Dem come set out go Ziph before Saul. Now David and im men dey for di wilderness of Maon, for di Arabah wey dey south of Jeshimon. ²⁵Saul and im men set out to search, and dem tell David. So e go down to di rock and stay for di wilderness of Maon. Wen Saul hear am, e chase David enter di wilderness of Maon. ²⁶Saul dey waka for one side of di mountain, David and im men dey for di other side, David dey hurry to escape from Saul while Saul and im men dey close in to catch David and im men. ²⁷But one messenger come meet Saul, e talk say, “Come quick! Di Philistine people dey raid di land.” ²⁸So Saul stop to dey chase David and go against di Philistine people. Na why dem call dat place Sela-hammahlekoth. ^a a v28 Sela-hammahlekoth mean “di rock of parting”—di place wey Saul and David divide comot from each other wen di Philistine raid force Saul to stop di chase. ²⁹And David come go up from there and stay for di strong hiding place dem for En Gedi.