1 Samuel 23:1

1 And they told David, saying: Behold the Philistines fight against Ceila, and they rob the barns.

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 And they told David, saying: Behold the Philistines fight against Ceila, and they rob the barns.

2 Therefore David consulted the Lord, saying: Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the Lord said to David: Go, and thou shalt smite the Philistines, and shalt save Ceila.

3 And the men that were with David, said to him: Behold we are in fear here in Judea, how much more if we go to Ceila against the bands of the Philistines?

4 Therefore David consulted the Lord again. And he answered and said to him: Arise, and go to Ceila: for I will deliver the Philistines into thy hand

5 David, therefore, and his men, went to Ceila, and fought against the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and made a great slaughter of them: and David saved the inhabitants of Ceila.