[23:1] David heard that the Philistines were attacking the town of Keilah and were stealing the newly harvested grain.
[23:2] So he asked the Lord, “Shall I go and attack the Philistines?” “Yes,” the Lord answered. “Attack them and save Keilah.”
[23:3] But David's men said to him, “We have enough to be afraid of here in Judah; it will be much worse if we go to Keilah and attack the Philistine forces!”
[23:4] So David consulted the Lord again, and the Lord said to him, “Go and attack Keilah, because I will give you victory over the Philistines.”
[23:5] So David and his men went to Keilah and attacked the Philistines; they killed many of them and took their livestock. And so it was that David saved the town.
[23:6] When Abiathar son of Ahimelech escaped and joined David in Keilah, he took the ephod with him.
[23:7] Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, and he said, “God has put him in my power. David has trapped himself by going into a walled town with fortified gates.”
[23:8] So Saul called his troops to war, to march against Keilah and besiege David and his men.
[23:9] When David heard that Saul was planning to attack him, he said to the priest Abiathar, “Bring the ephod here.”
[23:10] Then David said, “Lord, God of Israel, I have heard that Saul is planning to come to Keilah and destroy it on account of me, your servant.
[23:11] Will the citizens of Keilah hand me over to Saul? Will Saul really come, as I have heard? Lord, God of Israel, I beg you to answer me!” The Lord answered, “Saul will come.”
[23:12] “And will the citizens of Keilah hand my men and me over to Saul?” David asked again. “They will,” the Lord answered.
[23:13] So David and his men—about six hundred in all—left Keilah at once and kept on the move. When Saul heard that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up his plan.