1 Samuel 23:4

_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?_ No JFB commentary on these verses....

1-6 When princes persecute God's people, let them expect vexation on all sides. The way for any country to be quiet, is to let God's church be quiet in it: if Saul fight against David, the Philistines fight against his country. David considered himself the protector of the land. Thus did the Saviour Jesus, and left us an example. Those are unlike David, who sullenly decline to do good, if they are not rewarded for services....

Verse 1 Samuel 23:4. _DAVID INQUIRED OF THE LORD YET AGAIN_] This was to satisfy his men, who made the strong objections mentioned in the preceding verse....

If Gad was with David at the forest of Hareth 1 Samuel 22:5, and there inquired for him of the Lord 1 Samuel 23:2,1 Samuel 23:4, but did not accompany him to Keilah, and if Abiathar’s flight occurred at the time of David’s being at Keilah, we have an additional striking instance of God’s watchful providential care of David in thus sending Abiathar to supply the place of Gad at so critical a moment....

ADVENTURES OF DAVID AT KEILAH AND IN THE WILDERNESS OF ZIPH (1 Samuel 23:1). EXPOSITION DAVID RESCUES KEILAH, BUT HAS TO ESCAPE FROM THE TREACHERY OF ITS INHABITANTS (1 Samuel 23:1). 1 SAMUEL 23:1 THEY TOLD DAVID, etc. The return of David into his own

THEN DAVID INQUIRED OF THE LORD YET AGAIN,.... Not for his own sake, who firmly believed it was the will of God he should go and succeed, but for the sake of his men, and to remove the doubts and fears that hung on their minds: AND THE LORD ANSWERED HIM, AND SAID, ARISE, GO DOWN TO KEILAH; immediately, make no stay, nor hesitate about it, but go with all haste to the relief of the place: FOR I WILL DELIVER THE PHILISTINES INTO THINE HANDS; which is still more explicit, and is a promise not only of delivering Keilah out of the hands of the Philistines, but of delivering them into David's hands, and so of an entire: victory; and therefore none of David's men had anything to fear after such a declaration of the will of God....

CHAPTER 23 _ 1. The victory over the Philistines at Keilah (1 Samuel 23:1)_ 2. In the wilderness of Ziph (1 Samuel 23:14) 3. Saul's return (1 Samuel 23:27) Keilah was about six miles southeast of Adullam. David heard of the invasion of the Philistines that they were fighting against this walled city. And he inquired of the Lord, through Abiathar, who had an ephod (verse 6). David's inquiry of the Lord shows the man of faith in his submission to the Lord. He had his lapses, but at heart he owned the Lord and wanted to glorify Him. Twice he asked the Lord; the second time evidently to quiet the fears of the six hundred men who were now with him. The Lord gave him the victory. The

1 SAMUEL 23. DAVID ESCAPES FROM SAUL (J). 1 Samuel 23:1. David hears that the Philistines are raiding the territory of Keilah (p. 31), a little S. of Adullam. He ascertains by oracles, probably using the ephod and the Urim and Thummim (pp. 100f.), that Yahweh approves of his going to the rescue; he thus overcomes the reluctance of his men. The expedition is entirely successful, but the ungrateful citizens of Keilah offered to surrender David and his men to Saul. It is quite possible that this troop of bandits, now grown to 600, had quartered themselves on Keilah, and were treating it as a conquered city. It would be interesting to hear the story from the point of view of Keilah; they may have felt that this act of treachery was the only way of getting rid of an intolerable burden. David, however, heard rumours, which were confirmed by the oracle, and left the place; so the scheme w

HAND. Some codices, with one early printed edition, Septuagint, and Syriac, read "hands"....

Saul's Pursuit of David to Keilah, 1 Samuel 23:1-29. _Abiathar, the Priest, With David._ 1 Samuel 23:1-6 Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors. 2 Therefore David enquired 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 enquired 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 thei