VERSE STUDY • KJV

1 Samuel 23:1-8

¹ Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors. ² Therefore David inquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the LORD said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah. ³ And David’s men said unto him, Behold, we be 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 to Keilah, [that] he came down [with] an ephod in his hand. ⁷ And it was told Saul that David was 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. ⁸ And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.

Read it in 5 translations

KJV King James Version

¹ Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors. ² Therefore David inquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the LORD said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah. ³ And David’s men said unto him, Behold, we be 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 to Keilah, [that] he came down [with] an ephod in his hand. ⁷ And it was told Saul that David was 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. ⁸ And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.

BSB Berean Standard Bible

¹ Now it was reported to David, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and looting the threshing floors.” ² So David inquired of the LORD, “Should I go and attack these Philistines?” And the LORD said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah.” ³ But David’s men said to him, “Look, we are afraid here in Judah; how much more if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?” ⁴ Once again, David inquired of the LORD, and the LORD answered him: “Go at once to Keilah, for I will deliver the Philistines into your hand.” ⁵ Then David and his men went to Keilah, fought against the Philistines, and carried off their livestock, striking them with a mighty blow. So David saved the people of Keilah. ⁶ (Now Abiathar son of Ahimelech had brought the ephod with him when he fled to David at Keilah.) ⁷ When Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, he said, “God has delivered him into my hand, for he has trapped himself by entering a town with gates and bars.” ⁸ Then Saul summoned all his troops to go to war at Keilah and besiege David and his men.

WEB World English Bible

¹ David was told, “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 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 livestock, and killed them with a great slaughter. So David saved 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 had 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.

ASV American Standard Version

¹ And they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and are robbing the threshing-floors. ² Therefore David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And Jehovah said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah. ³ And David’s men said unto 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 Jehovah yet again. And Jehovah answered him, and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thy hand. ⁵ And David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and slew 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 to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand. ⁷ And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said, God hath delivered him into my hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars. ⁸ And Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.

YLT Young’s Literal Translation

¹ And they declare to David, saying, ‘Lo, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and they are spoiling the threshing-floors.’ ² And David asketh at Jehovah, saying, ‘Do I go?—and have I smitten among these Philistines?’ And Jehovah saith unto David, ‘Go, and thou hast smitten among the Philistines, and saved Keilah.’ ³ And David’s men say unto him, ‘Lo, we here in Judah are afraid; and how much more when we go to Keilah, unto the ranks of the Philistines?’ ⁴ And David addeth again to ask at Jehovah, and Jehovah answereth him, and saith, ‘Rise, go down to Keilah, for I am giving the Philistines into thy hand.’ ⁵ And David goeth, and his men, to Keilah, and fighteth with the Philistines, and leadeth away their cattle, and smiteth among them—a great smiting, and David saveth the inhabitants of Keilah. ⁶ And it cometh to pass, in the fleeing of Abiathar son of Ahimelech unto David, to Keilah, an ephod came down in his hand. ⁷ And it is declared to Saul that David hath come in to Keilah, and Saul saith, ‘God hath made him known for my hand, for he hath been shut in, to enter into a city of doors and bar.’ ⁸ And Saul summoneth the whole of the people to battle, to go down to Keilah, to lay siege unto David and unto his men.

Surrounding context — 1 Samuel 23

1 Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors.

2 Therefore David inquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the LORD said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah.

3 And David’s men said unto him, Behold, we be 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 to Keilah, [that] he came down [with] an ephod in his hand.

7 And it was told Saul that David was 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.

8 And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.

9 And David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod.

10 Then said David, O LORD God of Israel, thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh 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 thy servant hath heard? O LORD God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And the LORD said, He will come down.

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