1. David heard that the Philistines were attacking the town of Keilah and were stealing the newly harvested corn.
2. So he asked the Lord, “Shall I go and attack the Philistines?”“Yes,” the Lord answered. “Attack them and save Keilah.”
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!”
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.”
5. So David and his men went to Keilah and attacked the Philistines; they killed many of them and took their livestock. And that was how David saved the town.
6. When Abiathar son of Ahimelech escaped and joined David in Keilah, he took the ephod with him.
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.”