1 Samuel 23:1-13 ▼

1 David was told, |Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and are robbing the threshing floors.|

2 Therefore David inquired of the LORD, saying, |Shall I go and strike these Philistines?| Then the LORD replied, |Go strike the Philistines, and save Keilah.|

3 David's men said to him, |Look, we are afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?|

4 Then David inquired of the LORD yet again. The LORD answered him, and said, |Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into your hand.|

5 David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their livestock, and killed them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

6 It happened, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David, that he went down with David to Keilah, having an ephod in his hand.

7 Now it was told Saul that David had come to Keilah. So Saul said, |God has sold him into my hand, for he has shut himself in by entering into a town that has gates and bars.|

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

9 David knew that Saul was devising mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, |Bring the ephod here.|

10 Then David said, |LORD, God of Israel, your servant has surely heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake.

11 And now, will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? LORD, God of Israel, tell your servant.| And the LORD said, |He will come down.|

12 Then David said, |Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul?| The LORD said, |They will deliver you up.|

13 Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went wherever they could go. And Saul was told that David had escaped Keilah; so he gave up the pursuit.