1. People told David, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against the city of Keilah. They are robbing grain from the threshing floors.”
2. David asked the Lord, “Should I go and fight these Philistines?” The Lord answered David, “Yes, go attack the Philistines. Save Keilah.”
3. But David’s men said to him, “Look, our men are afraid here in Judah. Just think how afraid we will be if we go to Keilah, where the Philistine army is lined up and ready for battle.”
4. David again asked the Lord. And the Lord answered David, “Go down to Keilah. I will help you defeat the Philistines.”
5. So David and his men went to Keilah. David’s men fought the Philistines. They defeated them and took their cattle. In this way David saved the people of Keilah.
6. (When Abiathar ran away to David, Abiathar took an ephod with him.)
7. People told Saul that David was now at Keilah. Saul said, “God has given David to me. David trapped himself when he went into a city surrounded by a wall with gates and bars to lock them.”
8. Saul called all his army together for battle. They prepared to go down to Keilah to attack David and his men.
9. David learned that Saul was making plans against him. David then said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod.”