1 Samuel 23 · Verse 1

1 Samuel 23:1

Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors.
1 Samuel 23:1, King James Version

1 Samuel 23:1 in other translations

BSBNow it was reported to David, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and looting the threshing floors.”
WEBDavid was told, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and are robbing the threshing floors.”
ASVAnd they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and are robbing the threshing-floors.
YLTAnd they declare to David, saying, ‘Lo, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and they are spoiling the threshing-floors.'
DARBYAnd they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshing-floors.
BBEAnd they sent word to David, saying, The Philistines are fighting against Keilah and taking the grain from the grain-floors.
WebsterThen they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshing-floors.

What does 1 Samuel 23:1 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
1Sa 23:1-6. David Rescues Keilah. 1. Then they told David--rather, "now they had told"; for this information had reached him previous to his hearing (1Sa 23:6) of the Nob tragedy. Keilah--a city in the west of Judah (Jos 15:44), not far from the forest of Hareth. and they rob the threshing-floors--These were commonly situated on the fields and were open to the wind (Jud 6:11; Ru 3:2).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Introduction

David succours Keilah, besieged by the Philistines; defeats them, and delivers the city, 1Sam 23:1-6. Saul, hearing that David was at Keilah, determines to come and seize him, 1Sam 23:7, 1Sam 23:8. David inquires of the Lord concerning the fidelity of the men of Keilah towards him; is informed that if he stays in the city, the men of Keilah will betray him to Saul, 1Sam 23:9-12. David and his men escape from the city, and come to the wilderness of Ziph, 1Sam 23:13-15. Jonathan meets David in the wood of Ziph, strengthens his hand in God, and they renew their covenant, 1Sam 23:16-18. The Ziphites endeavor to betray David to Saul, but he and his men escape to Maon, 1Sam 23:19-22. Saul comes to Maon; and having surrounded the mountain on which David and his men were, they must inevitably have fallen into his hands, had not a messenger come to call Saul to the succor of Judah, then invaded by the Philistines, 1Sam 23:25-27. Saul leaves the pursuit of David, and goes to succor the land; and David escapes to En-gedi, 1Sam 23:28, 1Sam 23:29. Verse 1 The Philistines fight against Keilah - Keilah was a fortified town in the tribe of Judah near to Eleutheropolis, on the road to Hebron. Rob the threshing-floors - This was an ancient custom of the Philistines, Midianites, and others. See Jdg 6:4. When the corn was ripe and fit to be threshed, and they had collected it at the threshing-floors, which were always in the open field, then their enemies came upon them and spoiled them of the fruits of their harvest.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 23:1-6
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.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

1 Samuel 23:1 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיַּגִּ֥דוּvai.ya.Gi.duand people toldH5046
לְדָוִ֖דle.da.Vidto DavidH1732
לֵאמֹ֑רle.Mor<to> sayingH559
הִנֵּ֤הhi.Nehthere!H2009
פְלִשְׁתִּים֙fe.lish.Tim[the] PhilistinesH6430
נִלְחָמִ֣יםnil.cha.Mim[are] fightingH3898
בִּקְעִילָ֔הbik.'i.Lahagainst KeilahH7084
וְהֵ֖מָּהve.He.mahand theyH1992
שֹׁסִ֥יםsho.Sim[are] plunderingH8154
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
הַגֳּרָנֽוֹת\׃ha.go.ra.Notthe threshing floorsH1637

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Samuel 23:1

  • Joshua 15:44

    And Keilah, and Achzib, and Mareshah; nine cities with their villages:

  • Nehemiah 3:17-18

    After him repaired the Levites, Rehum the son of Bani. Next unto him repaired Hashabiah, the ruler of the half part of Keilah, in his part. After him repaired their brethren, Bavai the son of Henadad, the ruler of the half part of Keilah.

  • Micah 6:15

    Thou shalt sow, but thou shalt not reap; thou shalt tread the olives, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil; and sweet wine, but shalt not drink wine.

  • Deuteronomy 28:33

    The fruit of thy land, and all thy labours, shall a nation which thou knowest not eat up; and thou shalt be only oppressed and crushed alway:

  • Deuteronomy 28:51

    And he shall eat the fruit of thy cattle, and the fruit of thy land, until thou be destroyed: which also shall not leave thee either corn, wine, or oil, or the increase of thy kine, or flocks of thy sheep, until he have destroyed thee.

  • Judges 6:4

    And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass.

  • Leviticus 26:16

    I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.

  • Judges 6:11

    And there came an angel of the Lord, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abi–ezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1 David, enquiring of the Lord by Abiathar, rescues Keilah.
7 God shewing him the coming of Saul, and the treachery of the Keilites, he escapes from Keilah.
14 In Ziph Jonathan comes and comforts him.
19 The Ziphites discover him to Saul.
25 At Maon he is rescued from Saul by the invasion of the Philistines.
29 He dwells at En-gedi.

Keilah.Keilah was a city of Judah, situated, according to Eusebius, eight miles from Eleutheropolis, towards Hebron. Sozomen says that the prophet Habakkuk's tomb was shewn there.
Jos 15:44; Ne 3:17,18
rob the.
Le 26:16; De 28:33,51; Jud 6:4,11; Mic 6:15

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Samuel 23:1

    Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors.

  • 1 Samuel 23:2

    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.

Read all of 1 Samuel 23

1 Samuel 23:1 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y DIERON aviso á David, diciendo: He aquí que los Filisteos combaten á Keila, y roban las eras.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		*Et on rapporta à David, en disant: Voici, les Philistins font la guerre à Kehila et pillent les aires.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und man berichtete David und sprach: Siehe, die Philister streiten wider Kehila, und sie plündern die Tennen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et annuntiaverunt David, dicentes: Ecce Philisthiim oppugnant Ceilam et diripiunt areas.