1
They told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and are robbing the threshing floors.
2
Therefore David inquired of Yahweh, saying, Shall I go and strike these Philistines? Yahweh said to David, Go, and strike the Philistines, and save Keilah.
3
David`s men said to him, Behold, we are afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?
4
Then David inquired of Yahweh yet again. Yahweh answered him, and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into your hand.
5
David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and killed them with a great slaughter. So David save the inhabitants of Keilah.
6
It happened, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand.
7
It was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. Saul said, God has delivered him into my hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that has gates and bars.
8
Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.
9
David knew that Saul was devising mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring here the ephod.
10
Then said David, O Yahweh, the God of Israel, your servant has surely heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake.
11
Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? Yahweh, the God of Israel, I beg you, tell your servant. Yahweh said, He will come down.
12
Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver up to me and my men into the hand of Saul? Yahweh said, They will deliver you up.
13
Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went wherever they could go. It was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he gave up going there.
14
David abode in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill-country in the wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but God didn`t deliver him into his hand.