So David inquired of the LORD, “Should I go and attack these Philistines?” And the LORD said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah.”
Parallel translations
- WEB Therefore David inquired of Yahweh, saying, “Shall I go and strike these Philistines?” Yahweh said to David, “Go strike the Philistines, and save Keilah.”
- KJV 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.
- NKJV Therefore David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” And the Lord said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines, and save Keilah.”
- NASB So David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” And the Lord said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah.”
- NLT David asked the Lord, “Should I go and attack them?” “Yes, go and save Keilah,” the Lord told him.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
David inquires of the LORD, who commands him to attack the Philistines and save Keilah.
Overview
Rather than act on impulse, David seeks the LORD's will and receives clear direction to fight and rescue Keilah. His pattern of inquiring of God contrasts sharply with Saul, who no longer hears from the LORD. David's God-dependence models the believer's call to seek divine guidance before acting.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- 1 Sam 23:4Once 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.”
- 2 Sam 5:19So David inquired of the LORD, “Should I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?” “Go,” replied the LORD, “for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hand.”
- 2 Sam 5:23So David inquired of the LORD, who answered, “Do not march straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the balsam trees.
- Josh 9:14Then the men of Israel sampled their provisions, but did not seek the counsel of the LORD.
- Jer 10:23I know, O LORD, that a man’s way is not his own; no one who walks directs his own steps.
- 1 Sam 30:8and David inquired of the LORD: “Should I pursue these raiders? Will I overtake them?” “Pursue them,” the LORD replied, “for you will surely overtake them and rescue the captives.”
- 1 Sam 23:6(Now Abiathar son of Ahimelech had brought the ephod with him when he fled to David at Keilah.)
- 1 Sam 23:9–12When David learned that Saul was plotting evil against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod.”
- Num 27:21He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who will seek counsel for him before the LORD by the judgment of the Urim. At his command, he and all the Israelites with him—the entire congregation—will go out and come in.”
- Prov 3:5–6Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;
- Ps 32:8I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will give you counsel and watch over you.
- Judg 1:1After the death of Joshua, the Israelites inquired of the LORD, “Who will be the first to go up and fight for us against the Canaanites?”
- 1 Chr 14:10So David inquired of God, “Should I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?” “Go,” replied the LORD, “for I will deliver them into your hand.”
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Christ at the center
The rise of the anointed king after Israel's failed first choice points to the true Anointed One (Messiah means 'anointed'), the shepherd-king after God's own heart from Bethlehem.
How 1 Samuel 23:2 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.