1 Samuel 23:4

1 Samuel 23:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)Once again David inquired of the Lord, and the Lord answered him, “Go down to Keilah, for I am going to give the Philistines into your hand.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then David inquired of the Lord again. And the Lord answered him, "Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then David inquired of the Lord once again. And the Lord answered him and said, “Arise, go down to Keilah. For I will deliver the Philistines into your hand.”

Context of 1 Samuel 23:4

2So 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.” 3But David’s men said to him, “Behold, we are fearful here in Judah. How much more then if we go to Keilah against the ranks of the Philistines?” So David inquired of the Lord once more. And the Lord answered him and said, “Arise, go down to Keilah, for I am going to hand the Philistines over to you.” 5Then David and his men went to Keilah and fought the Philistines; and he drove away their livestock and struck them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah. 6Now it came about, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand.

1 Samuel 23:4 word by word

וַיּ֨וֹסֶף ע֤וֹד דָּוִד֙ לִשְׁאֹ֣ל בַּֽיהוָ֔ה ס וַֽיַּעֲנֵ֖הוּ יְהוָ֑ה וַיֹּ֗אמֶר ק֚וּם רֵ֣ד קְעִילָ֔ה כִּֽי־אֲנִ֥י נֹתֵ֛ן אֶת־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים בְּיָדֶֽךָ׃Read the interlinear

• So Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• inquiredשָׁאַלshâ'al shâ'êl · to askH7592
• of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• onceיָסַףyâsaph · to add: againH3254
• onceעוֹד‛ôd ‛ôd · stillH5750
• answeredעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030
• him and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Ariseקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
• goיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
• to Keilahקְעִילָהqe‛îylâh · KeilahH7084
• I am going to handנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• I am going to handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
• the Philistinesפְּלִשְׁתִּיpelishtîy · PhilistineH6430

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 23:4

• 1 Samuel 28:6So Saul inquired of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him, either in dreams, or by the Urim, or by the prophets.
• Judges 6:39Then Gideon said to God, “Do not let Your anger burn against me, so that I may speak only one more time; please let me put You to the test only one more time with the fleece: let it now be dry only on the fleece, and let there be dew on all the ground.”
• Joshua 8:7Then you shall rise from your ambush and take possession of the city, for the Lord your God will hand it over to you.
• Judges 7:7And the Lord said to Gideon, “I will save you with the three hundred men who lapped, and will hand the Midianites over to you; so have all the other people go, each man to his home.”
• 2 Samuel 5:19So David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You hand them over to me?” And the Lord said to David, “Go up, for I will certainly hand the Philistines over to you.”
• 2 Kings 3:18And this is an insignificant thing in the sight of the Lord; He will also give the Moabites into your hand.

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 23:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4David inquired of the Lord yet again - This was to satisfy his men, who made the strong objections mentioned in the preceding verse.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2-4Verses 2-4 If Gad was with David at the forest of Hareth 1 Samuel 22:5, and there inquired for him of the Lord 1Samuel 23:2,1 Samuel 23:4, but did not accompany him to Keilah, and if Abiathar‘s flight occurred at the time of David‘s being at Keilah, we have an additional striking instance of God‘s watchful providential care of David in thus sending Abiathar to supply the place of Gad at so critical a moment.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4David asked the Lord for guidance, either by praying directly or by using the ephod (a priestly garment used to seek God’s will), as described in 1 Samuel 23:6, 9; 2 Samuel 2:1; and 2 Samuel 5:23–24. God’s answers were a sign of his blessing and protection (compare 1 Samuel 28:6).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2-52-5. David inquired of the Lord--most probably through Gad (2Sa 24:11; 1Ch 21:9), who was present in David's camp (1Sa 22:5), probably by the recommendation of Samuel. To repel unprovoked assaults on unoffending people who were engaged in their harvest operations, was a humane and benevolent service. But it was doubtful how far it was David's duty to go against a public enemy without the royal commission; and on that account he asked, and obtained, the…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 23:4

• Armies
• David
• Keilah

In the dictionaries

• David
• Philistines
• High priest
• Keilah
• Town
• Palestine
• Samuel, Books of
• Urim and Thummim
• Shunem

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings