1 Samuel 23:1-13

Legacy Standard Bible

David Saves Keilah

23 Then they told David, saying, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against ^(A)Keilah and are pillaging the threshing floors.” ² So David ^(B)asked of Yahweh, saying, “Shall I go and strike these Philistines?” And Yahweh said to David, “Go and strike the Philistines and save Keilah.” ³ But David’s men said to him, “Behold, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more then if we go to Keilah against the battle lines of the Philistines?” ⁴ Then David asked of Yahweh once more. And Yahweh answered him and said, “Arise, go down to Keilah, for ^(C)I will give the Philistines into your hand.” ⁵ So David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines; and he led away their livestock and struck them with a great slaughter. Thus David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

⁶ Now it happened when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech ^(D)fled to David at Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand. ⁷ Then it was told to Saul that David had come to Keilah, so Saul said, “God has ^[a]delivered him into my hand, for he shut himself in by entering a city with double gates and bars.” ⁸ Then Saul summoned all the people for battle, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men. ⁹ But David knew that Saul was plotting evil against him; so he said to ^(E)Abiathar the priest, “^(F)Bring the ephod here.” ¹⁰ Then David said, “O Yahweh, the God of Israel, Your slave has heard for certain that Saul is seeking to come to Keilah to make the city a ruin on my account. ¹¹ Will the men of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down just as Your slave has heard? O Yahweh, the God of Israel, I pray, tell Your slave.” And Yahweh said, “He will come down.” ¹² Then David said, “Will the men of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?” And Yahweh said, “^(G)They will surrender you.” ¹³ Then David and his men, ^(H)about six hundred, arose and departed from Keilah, and they went ^(I)wherever they could go. Now it was told to Saul that David had escaped from Keilah, so he ceased going out in pursuit.