1 Samuel 23:5

5 Then David and his soldiers went to Keilah and fought the Philistines, driving off their cattle and defeating them decisively. And that's how David saved the residents of Keilah.

1 Samuel 23:5 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 23:5

So David and his men went to Keilah
Animated by a commission from God, and a promise of success by him:

and fought with the Philistines;
encamped before Keilah:

and brought away their cattle;
which they had brought with them for the support of their army; or having routed them, they pursued them into their own country, and brought off their cattle from thence:

and smote them with a great slaughter;
killed great numbers of them, and put the rest to flight:

so David saved the inhabitants of Keilah;
from falling into the hands of the Philistines, by timely raising the siege of the city.

1 Samuel 23:5 In-Context

3 But David's men said to him, "Look how frightened we are here in Judah. It'll be worse if we go to Keilah against Philistine forces!"

4 So David questioned the LORD again, and the LORD reaffirmed, "Yes, go down to Keilah, because I will hand the Philistines over to you.

5 Then David and his soldiers went to Keilah and fought the Philistines, driving off their cattle and defeating them decisively. And that's how David saved the residents of Keilah.

6 Now after Abiathar, Ahimelech's son, fled to David, he had accompanied David to Keilah, bringing a priestly vest with him.

7 When Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, he said, "God has handed him over to me now because he has trapped himself by entering a town with gates and bars!"