Bible Strands
1 Samuel 23:4
Once again, David inquired of the LORD, and the LORD answered him: “Go at once to Keilah, for I will deliver the Philistines into your hand.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — David inquires of Yahweh after his men voice fear about attacking the Philistines at Keilah. Yahweh answers David directly, commanding him to proceed immediately to the city.
The words — וַ/יּ֨וֹסֶף (va/i.Yo.sef) "and he repeated" paired with ע֤וֹד (od) "again" marks this as David’s second formal inquiry. לִ/שְׁאֹל (li/sh.'Ol) "to enquire" denotes the specific request for divine military direction.
The thread — The promise to "deliver into your hand" runs through Joshua 8:7 and Judges 7:7, where Yahweh explicitly guarantees enemy forces will fall to Israel’s commanders.
Why it lands — The text requires immediate obedience to a specific divine command despite surrounding fear. It establishes that military action depends on direct Yahweh authorization rather than human assessment.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Then David enquired of the Lord yet again. And the Lord answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand.
Cross-references
- Judges 7:7 Then the LORD said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men who lapped the water I will save you and deliver the Midianites into your hand. But all the others are to go home.”
- Joshua 8:7 you are to rise from the ambush and seize the city, for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand.
- Judges 6:39 Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me; let me speak one more time. Please allow me one more test with the fleece. This time let it be dry, and the ground covered with dew.”
- 1 Samuel 28:6 He inquired of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets.
- 2 Samuel 5:19 So David inquired of the LORD, “Should I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?” “Go up,” replied the LORD, “for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hand.”
- 2 Kings 3:18 This is a simple matter in the sight of the LORD, and He will also deliver the Moabites into your hand.