1 Samuel 23:5

5 So David and his men went to Keilah and fought the Philistines and took their cattle. David killed many Philistines and saved the people 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, "We're afraid here in Judah. We will be more afraid if we go to Keilah where the Philistine army is."

4 David again asked the Lord, and the Lord answered, "Go down to Keilah. I will help you defeat the Philistines.

5 So David and his men went to Keilah and fought the Philistines and took their cattle. David killed many Philistines and saved the people of Keilah.

6 (Now Abiathar son of Ahimelech had brought the holy vest with him when he came to David at Keilah.)

7 Someone told Saul that David was now at Keilah. Saul said, "God has handed David over to me! He has trapped himself, because he has entered a town with gates and bars."