1 Samuel 23:1

David Defeats the Philistines at Keilah

1 Now they told David, "Look, [the] Philistines [are] fighting in Keilah and they [are] raiding the threshing floors."

1 Samuel 23:1 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 23:1

Then they told David
Either the men of Keilah sent to him, being near them, or some well wishers of theirs, and of their country, acquainted him with their case:

saying, behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah;
had laid siege to it, being a fortified place, ( 1 Samuel 23:7 ) ; it was a city in the tribe of Judah, on the borders of the Philistines; of which (See Gill on Joshua 15:44);

and they rob the threshing floors;
took away the corn upon them, which they were threshing and winnowing, which were usually done without the city for the sake of wind, see ( Judges 6:11 ) ( Ruth 3:2 Ruth 3:15 ) ; it was harvest time when the three mighty men came to David in the cave of Adullam, and so now it might be the time of threshing, harvest being over, see ( 1 Samuel 22:1 ) ; compared with ( 2 Samuel 23:13 ) .

1 Samuel 23:1 In-Context

1 Now they told David, "Look, [the] Philistines [are] fighting in Keilah and they [are] raiding the threshing floors."

2 So David inquired of Yahweh, saying, "Shall I go and attack these Philistines?" And Yahweh said to David, "Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah."

3 But David's men said to him, "Look, we [are] afraid here in Judah. {How much more} [if] we go [to] Keilah to the battle lines of [the] Philistines?"

4 So David again inquired of Yahweh, and Yahweh answered him and said, "Get up, go down [to] Keilah, for I [am] giving [the] Philistines into your hand.

5 So David and his men went to Keilah and fought with [the] Philistines. They drove off their livestock and {dealt them a heavy blow}. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.