1 Samuel 23:12

12 Again David asked, "Will the leaders of Keilah hand me and my men over to Saul?" The Lord answered, "They will."

1 Samuel 23:12 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 23:12

Then said David, will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men
into the hand of Saul?
&c.] That is, the lords and great men of the place, the governor of the city, and the heads of it, the chief magistrates in it:

and the Lord said, they will deliver [thee] up:
that is, provided he stayed there; for the Lord knew the dispositions and affections of their minds, that they were inclined to do it, and would do it, if he continues among them till Saul came down; which showed the great ingratitude of this people to their deliverer.

1 Samuel 23:12 In-Context

10 David prayed, "Lord, God of Israel, I have heard that Saul plans to come to Keilah to destroy the town because of me.
11 Will the leaders of Keilah hand me over to Saul? Will Saul come down to Keilah, as I heard? Lord, God of Israel, tell me, your servant!" The Lord answered, "Saul will come down."
12 Again David asked, "Will the leaders of Keilah hand me and my men over to Saul?" The Lord answered, "They will."
13 So David and his six hundred men left Keilah and kept moving from place to place. When Saul found out that David had escaped from Keilah, he did not go there.
14 David stayed in the desert hideouts and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph. Every day Saul looked for David, but the Lord did not surrender David to him
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.