1 Samuel 23:5

5 So David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle and smote them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants 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 And David's men said unto him, "Behold, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?"

4 Then David inquired of the LORD yet again. And the LORD answered him and said, "Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand.

5 So David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle and smote them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

6 And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand.

7 And it was told Saul that David had come to Keilah. And Saul said, "God hath delivered him into mine hand, for he is shut in by entering into a town that hath gates and bars."