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1 Samuel 23:1-29 — David Saves Keilah

1Sam.23.1-29

¹David was told, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and looting the threshing floors.” ²So David inquired of the LORD, saying, “Shall I go and strike these Philistines?” And the LORD said to David, “Go and strike the Philistines, and save Keilah.” ³But David's men said to him, “Look, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more, then, if we go to Keilah against the forces of the Philistines?” ⁴Then David inquired of the LORD again, and the LORD answered him, “Arise, go down to Keilah, for I am giving the Philistines into your hand.” ⁵So David and his men went to Keilah and fought against the Philistines. He drove off their livestock and struck them with a great slaughter. Thus David saved the inhabitants of Keilah. ⁶(Now when Abiathar son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, he came down with an ephod in his hand.) ⁷When Saul was told that David had come to Keilah, he said, “God has delivered him into my hand, for he has shut himself in by entering a city with gates and bars.” ⁸Then Saul summoned all the people for war, to go down to Keilah and besiege David and his men. ⁹When David knew that Saul was plotting evil against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.” ¹⁰And David said, “O LORD, God of Israel, your servant has surely heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah to destroy the city because of me.” ¹¹“Will the leaders of Keilah hand me over into his hand? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? O LORD, God of Israel, please tell your servant.” And the LORD said, “He will come down.” ¹²Then David said, “Will the leaders of Keilah hand me and my men over into Saul's hand?” And the LORD said, “They will hand you over.” ¹³Then David and his men, about six hundred in number, arose and departed from Keilah, going wherever they could go. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up the expedition. ¹⁴And David stayed in the wilderness strongholds and remained in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him continually, but God did not give him into his hand. ¹⁵David became aware that Saul had come out to seek his life while David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh. ¹⁶And Jonathan son of Saul arose and went to David at Horesh, and strengthened his hand in God. ¹⁷He said to him, “Do not be afraid, for the hand of Saul my father will not find you. You shall reign over Israel, and I shall be second to you. Even Saul my father knows that.” ¹⁸So the two of them made a covenant before the LORD. Then David remained at Horesh, and Jonathan went home. ¹⁹Then the Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah, south of Jeshimon?” ²⁰Now then, O king, come down whenever it is your heart's desire to come, and our part will be to hand him over into the king's hand. ²¹Saul said, “Blessed are you by the LORD, for you have had compassion on me.” ²²Please go and make further preparation. Learn and see the place where he sets foot, and who has seen him there, for I am told that he is very cunning. ²³So look and learn about all the hiding places where he conceals himself, and come back to me with certainty. Then I will go with you; and if he is in the land, I will search him out among all the clans of Judah. ²⁴So they arose and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah, south of Jeshimon. ²⁵Then Saul and his men went to seek him. When David was told, he went down to the rock and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard it, he pursued David in the wilderness of Maon. ²⁶Saul was going along one side of the mountain, and David and his men along the other side of the mountain. David was hurrying to get away from Saul, while Saul and his men were closing in around David and his men to seize them. ²⁷But a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, for the Philistines have raided the land.” ²⁸So Saul returned from pursuing David and went to meet the Philistines. Therefore that place was called Sela-hammahlekoth . ²⁹And David went up from there and stayed in the strongholds of En-gedi .

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4/11/2026

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