2. David asked the Lord, “Should I attack these Philistines?”“Yes,” the Lord answered. “Attack them and rescue Keilah.”
3. But David's men said, “Look, even here in Judah we're afraid of the Philistines. We will be terrified if we try to fight them at Keilah!”
4. David asked the Lord about it again. “Leave at once,” the Lord answered. “I will give you victory over the Philistines at Keilah.”
5. David and his men went there and fiercely attacked the Philistines. They killed many of them, then led away their cattle, and rescued the people of Keilah.
6-8. Meanwhile, Saul heard that David was in Keilah. “God has let me catch David,” Saul said. “David is trapped inside a walled town where the gates can be locked.” Saul decided to go there and surround the town, in order to trap David and his men. He sent messengers who told the towns and villages, “Send men to serve in Saul's army!”By this time, Abiathar had joined David in Keilah and had brought along everything he needed to get answers from God.
9. David heard about Saul's plan to capture him, and he told Abiathar, “Let's ask God what we should do.”
10. David prayed, “Lord God of Israel, I was told that Saul is planning to come here. What should I do? Suppose he threatens to destroy the town because of me.
11. Would the leaders of Keilah turn me over to Saul? Or is he really coming? Please tell me, Lord.”“Yes, he will come,” the Lord answered.
12. David asked, “Would the leaders of Keilah hand me and my soldiers over to Saul?”“Yes, they would,” the Lord answered.
13. David and his six hundred men got out of there fast and started moving from place to place. Saul heard that David had left Keilah, and he decided not to go after him.