1 Samuel 23:1–12

David Delivers Keilah

¹Then they told David, saying, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against ^aKeilah and are plundering the threshing floors.”

²So David ^ainquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go and ¹attack these Philistines?” And the Lord said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and deliver Keilah.”

³But David’s men said to him, “Behold, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more then if we go to Keilah against the ranks of the Philistines?”

⁴Then David inquired of the Lord once more. And the Lord answered him and said, “Arise, go down to Keilah, for ^aI will give the Philistines into your hand.”

⁵So 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 delivered the inhabitants of Keilah.

⁶Now it came about, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech ^afled to David at Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand.

⁷When it was told Saul that David had come to Keilah, Saul said, “God has ¹delivered him into my hand, for he shut himself in by entering a city with double gates and bars.”

⁸So Saul summoned all the people for war, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men.

⁹Now David knew that Saul was plotting evil against him; so he said to ^aAbiathar the priest, “^bBring the ephod here.”

¹⁰Then David said, “O 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.

¹¹“Will the men of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down just as Your servant has heard? O Lord God of Israel, I pray, tell Your servant.” And the Lord said, “He will come down.”

¹²Then David said, “Will the men of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?” And the Lord said, “^aThey will surrender you.”