23David heard that the Philistines were attacking the town of Keilah and were stealing the newly harvested corn. ²So he asked the Lord, “Shall I go and attack the Philistines?”

“Yes,” the Lord answered. “Attack them and save Keilah.”

³But David’s men said to him, “We have enough to be afraid of here in Judah; it will be much worse if we go to Keilah and attack the Philistine forces!” ⁴So David consulted the Lord again, and the Lord said to him, “Go and attack Keilah, because I will give you victory over the Philistines.” ⁵So David and his men went to Keilah and attacked the Philistines; they killed many of them and took their livestock. And that was how David saved the town.

⁶When Abiathar son of Ahimelech escaped and joined David in Keilah, he took the ephod with him.

⁷Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, and he said, “God has put him in my power. David has trapped himself by going into a walled town with fortified gates.” ⁸So Saul called his troops to war, to march against Keilah and besiege David and his men.

⁹When David heard that Saul was planning to attack him, he said to the priest Abiathar, “Bring the ephod here.” ¹⁰Then David said, “Lord, God of Israel, I have heard that Saul is planning to come to Keilah and destroy it on account of me, your servant. ¹¹Will the citizens of Keilah hand me over to Saul? Will Saul really come, as I have heard? Lord, God of Israel, I beg you to answer me!”

The Lord answered, “Saul will come.”

¹²“And will the citizens of Keilah hand my men and me over to Saul?” David asked again. “They will,” the Lord answered.

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