Study Desk

Then they informed David, saying, "Behold, the Philistines are fighting against ^(C1)Keilah and are plundering the threshing floors."

So David ^(C1)inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall I go and ^(F1)attack these Philistines?" And the LORD said to David, "Go and ^(F1)attack the Philistines and save Keilah."

But David's men said to him, "Behold, we are fearful here in Judah. How much more then if we go to Keilah against the ranks of the Philistines?"

So David inquired of the LORD once more. And the LORD answered him and said, "Arise, go down to Keilah, for ^(C1)I am going to hand the Philistines over to you."

Then David and his men went to Keilah and fought the Philistines; and he drove away their livestock and struck them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

Now it came about, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech ^(C1)fled to David at Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand.

When it was reported to Saul that David had come to Keilah, Saul said, "God has handed him over to me, for he shut himself in by entering a city with double gates and bars."

So Saul summoned all the people for war, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men.

But David knew that Saul was plotting evil against him; so he said to ^(C1)Abiathar the priest, "^(C2)Bring the ephod here."

Then David said, "LORD God of Israel, Your servant has heard for certain that Saul is seeking to come to Keilah to destroy the city on my account.

"Will the citizens of Keilah hand me over to him? Will Saul come down just as Your servant has heard? LORD God of Israel, please, tell Your servant." And the LORD said, "He will come down."

Then David said, "Will the citizens of Keilah hand me and my men over to Saul?" And the LORD said, "^(C1)They will hand you over."

Then David and his men, ^(C1)about six hundred, rose up and departed from Keilah, and they went ^(C2)wherever they could go. When it was reported to Saul that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up ^(F1)the pursuit.