1 Samuel 23:1 Meaning and Explanation
“Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Word reaches David that the Philistines are attacking Keilah and plundering its harvest.
What Does 1 Samuel 23:1 Mean?
David is hiding from Saul in the wilderness of Judah when news arrives that Keilah, a walled town near the Philistine border, is under raid. The enemy is seizing grain from the threshingfloors, the very food the town needs to survive the coming year.
Though he is himself a fugitive, hunted and homeless, David hears the cry of a town that is not his own. The plight of others reaches him in his own distress. The Lord's anointed shepherd still listens for the needs of the flock, a foreshadowing of the Shepherd who lays down comfort to seek and save those in danger.
1 Samuel 23:1 in the Original Language
Keilah (קְעִילָה) -- a fortified town in the lowlands of Judah, near the Philistine frontier.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Samuel 23:1
What does 1 Samuel 23:1 mean?
Word reaches David that the Philistines are attacking Keilah and plundering its harvest.