David Protects the Town of Keilah
Review David’s travels (Chapters 19-22)
Take note of how often David prays to God in these 13 verses.
1 Samuel 23:1-13 NLT
David Protects the Town of Keilah
23:1 One day news came to David that the Philistines were at Keilah stealing grain from the threshing floors. 2 David asked the Lord, “Should I go and attack them?”
“Yes, go and save Keilah,” the Lord told him.
3 But David’s men said, “We’re afraid even here in Judah. We certainly don’t want to go to Keilah to fight the whole Philistine army!”
4 So David asked the Lord again, and again the Lord replied, “Go down to Keilah, for I will help you conquer the Philistines.”
5 So David and his men went to Keilah. They slaughtered the Philistines and took all their livestock and rescued the people of Keilah. 6 Now when Abiathar son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, he brought the ephod with him.
7 Saul soon learned that David was at Keilah. “Good!” he exclaimed. “We’ve got him now! God has handed him over to me, for he has trapped himself in a walled town!” 8 So Saul mobilized his entire army to march to Keilah and besiege David and his men.
9 But David learned of Saul’s plan and told Abiathar the priest to bring the ephod and ask the Lord what he should do. 10 Then David prayed, “O Lord, God of Israel, I have heard that Saul is planning to come and destroy Keilah because I am here. 11 Will the leaders of Keilah betray me to him? And will Saul actually come as I have heard? O Lord, God of Israel, please tell me.”
And the Lord said, “He will come.”
12 Again David asked, “Will the leaders of Keilah betray me and my men to Saul?”
And the Lord replied, “Yes, they will betray you.”
13 So David and his men—about 600 of them now—left Keilah and began roaming the countryside. Word soon reached Saul that David had escaped, so he didn’t go to Keilah after all.
Examine the Scriptures
1 Samuel 23:1-13 NLT
David Protects the Town of Keilah
23:1 One day news came to David that the Philistines were at Keilah stealing grain from the threshing floors.
- Keilah, a fortified city in the Judean plain, was being terrorized by the Philistines and was in need of help.
The Philistines were a constant enemy of Israel.
Not much is known about Keilah.
In addition to being mentioned in 1 Samuel 23, Keilah is also mentioned in Joshua 15:44 and Nehemiah 3:17-18.
2 David asked the Lord, “Should I go and attack them?”
Four times in this lesson (vv. 2, 4, 10, 11), David inquired of the Lord.
This is something Saul did not do.
As Saul’s disregard for God’s law increased, David’s submission to the LORD increased.
David in chapter 23 acts much differently than he did in chapter 21 (two lessons ago).
At this time, David was fleeing from Saul.
David led a band of about 600 men who served to protect David as well as making themselves available to fight against enemies of the Israelites.
We read about David and his men going on the offensive against other enemies of the Israelites in chapters 27 and 30.
- While in flight from Saul, David and his men sought to defend their countrymen from their hostile foreign enemy.
- It is clear that David inquired of the Lord before engaging in battle with the Philistines. It is not clear as to exactly how he did this.
Skip ahead to verses 6 and 9.
6 Now when Abiathar son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, he brought the ephod with him.
9 But David learned of Saul’s plan and told Abiathar the priest to bring the ephod and ask the Lord what he should do.
Abiathar, the High Priest, could use the Urim and Thummim to determine the Lord’s will for His people.
Exodus 28:30 NLT
30 Insert the Urim and Thummim into the sacred chestpiece so they will be carried over Aaron’s heart when he goes into the Lord’s presence. In this way, Aaron will always carry over his heart the objects used to determine the Lord’s will for his people whenever he goes in before the Lord.
It seems that David was inquiring of the Lord before Abiathar met up with him at Keilah.
“Yes, go and save Keilah,” the Lord told him.
Saul should have come to the rescue of Keilah, since he was the king of Israel, but there is no mention of him doing so.
3 But David’s men said, “We’re afraid even here in Judah. We certainly don’t want to go to Keilah to fight the whole Philistine army!”
David’s men had a reason to fear the Philistine army.
Keilah appears to be less than 10 miles from the Philistine border.
David’s band of men, now numbering 600, in human terms would be no match for a larger, better trained Philistine army.
4 So David asked the Lord again,
and again the Lord replied, “Go down to Keilah, for I will help you conquer the Philistines.”
5 So David and his men went to Keilah. They slaughtered the Philistines and took all their livestock and rescued the people of Keilah.
- God gave David and his men victory over the Philistines.
6 Now when Abiathar son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, he brought the ephod with him.
Again Abiathar joins up with David.
Apparently Abiathar had remained in the forest of Hereth when David took his men to attack the Philistines in Keilah. (See 22:5)
7 Saul soon learned that David was at Keilah. “Good!” he exclaimed. “We’ve got him now!
Thanks to informants Saul was able to stay on David’s trail.
Saul soon learned that David was at Keilah. (v.7)
Word soon reached Saul that David had escaped, (v. 13)
David also had informants.
One day news came to David that the Philistines were at Keilah stealing grain from the threshing floors. (v. 1)
David’s primary advantage was his access to divine guidance which Saul no longer had.
God has handed him over to me, for he has trapped himself in a walled town!”
Keilah evidently had only one gate by which people could enter and exit the town. Saul felt confident that he could control the gate and so trap David. (Dr. Constable’s Notes)
“God has handed him over to me” wasn’t true.
1 Samuel 23:14 NLT
14 David now stayed in the strongholds of the wilderness and in the hill country of Ziph. Saul hunted him day after day, but God didn’t let Saul find him.
8 So Saul mobilized his entire army to march to Keilah and besiege David and his men.
Saul planned to go to Keilah to capture David.
9 But David learned of Saul’s plan and told Abiathar the priest to bring the ephod and ask the Lord what he should do.
Ask the Lord by means of the Urim and Thummim through the High Priest.
Exodus 28:30 NLT
30 Insert the Urim and Thummim into the sacred chestpiece so they will be carried over Aaron’s heart when he goes into the Lord’s presence. In this way, Aaron will always carry over his heart the objects used to determine the Lord’s will for his people whenever he goes in before the Lord.
10 Then David prayed, “O Lord, God of Israel, I have heard that Saul is planning to come and destroy Keilah because I am here.
- David believed that Saul would destroy Keilah, just to get to him.
11 Will the leaders of Keilah betray me to him? And will Saul actually come as I have heard? O Lord, God of Israel, please tell me.”
Again David inquired of the Lord.
And the Lord said, “He will come.”
Again the Lord answered David’s prayer.
- Pray about everything.
Philippians 4:6-7 NLT
6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
12 Again David asked, “Will the leaders of Keilah betray me and my men to Saul?”
And the Lord replied, “Yes, they will betray you.”
David and his men had gone to Keilah to protect them from the Philistines who were stealing their grain from the threshing floor.
David and his men had “slaughtered the Philistines and took all their livestock and rescued the people of Keilah”.
- After defeating the Philistines and rescuing the people of Keilah, the people of Keilah were about to betray David and his men to Saul.
Galatians 6:9-10 NLT
9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. 10 Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.
- Do not get tired of doing what is good.
Galatians 1:10 NLT
10 Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.
13 So David and his men—about 600 of them now—left Keilah and began roaming the countryside. Word soon reached Saul that David had escaped, so he didn’t go to Keilah after all.
Saul did not show any concern for the people living in Keilah. He only wanted to capture and kill David.
The number of David’s men stayed at 600.
Bible scholars think that David was on the run from Saul for a period of 7 to 10 years.
