1 Samuel 23:1

1 One day news came to David that the Philistines were at Keilah stealing grain from 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 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.