1 Samuel 22:17-23:1217And the king said unto the footmen that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of the Lord; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not show it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the Lord. 18And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod. 19And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword. 20And one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David. 21And Abiathar showed David that Saul had slain the Lord's priests. 22And David said unto Abiathar, I knew it that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned the death of all the persons of thy father's house. 23Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: but with me thou shalt be in safeguard. 1Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors. 2Therefore David inquired 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. 3And David's men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines? 4Then David inquired 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. 5So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah. 6And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand. 7And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said, God hath delivered him into mine hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars. 8And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men. 9And David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod. 10Then said David, O Lord God of Israel, thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake. 11Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O Lord God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And the Lord said, He will come down. 12Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the Lord said, They will deliver thee up. (1 Samuel 22:17‑23:12).
Saul told his footmen to kill the priests of the Lord because they had helped David as he fled from Saul, but his footmen were afraid (and well they might be!) to kill them. He then told Doeg to do it, and Doeg killed eighty-five priests as well as destroying the city of Nob with all its inhabitants. How dreadful this was, and all because of bad company. The very man whom they had sheltered (Doeg) turned against them, and so it always is. The world wants a Christian only for what it can get from him, but will soon show its enmity (especially in the presence of other unbelievers) when Christ is confessed.
One of the priests, a man named Abiathar, escaped this terrible slaughter and fled to David. Surely this is a lesson for us too, for it is a great thing in time of trouble to flee to our David, the Lord Jesus Christ, and to tell Him all, just as Abiathar did here. The Lord knows what we have to bear in the path of following Him, and He alone can sustain and comfort us. And so David said to Abiathar, “Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: but with me thou shalt be in safeguard.” What an encouragement this must have been to Abiathar in the difficult and trying days ahead of him.
David heard at this time that the Philistines were fighting against the city of Keilah and robbing their threshingfloors, and it concerned him. He loved the people of God, and all the trials that had come into his life through King Saul had not made him bitter. Often we have to watch lest trouble should make us bitter in our souls, and cause us to give up the path of devotedness to Christ and service to His own. There are few who retain fresh energy when in trial, but how beautiful it is to see it here.
David asked the Lord if he should go up against the Philistines and diver Keilah, and the Lord told him to go. His men, however, advised him not to go so he asked the Lord again.
I believe this is a beautiful lesson to us, for while we are to look to the Lord to direct us in serving Him, we are not to close our ears to the advice of others. If we feel the Lord has given us some service to do, and others advise us against it, let us ask the Lord again. It could easily be our own wills instead of the will of God, but if we seek only His will, He will surely make it clear to us. Let us not be stubborn, for God says “stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.” 1 Samuel 15:2323For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king. (1 Samuel 15:23). Let us quietly seek the Lord’s mind again, as David did. He knows our hearts and whether we desire to do His will only.
When the Lord told David the send time that he was to go out against Keilah, then his men were persuaded and were ready to go with him. The Lord will never fail those who look to and count upon Him. When they went up there, they defeated the Philistines and delivered Keilah.
Saul soon heard that David was in Keilah, and in spite of the fact that David had fought against the Philistines and delivered the city, he still hated him. Immediately he came out against him to besiege the city where he was. When David heard this he called for the ephod and asked the Lord if Saul would really come, and if the men of Keilah would deliver him up to Saul. He did not trust in man, or in fair promises, but in the Lord, so he left Keilah and went to hide in the wilderness.
ML 12/05/1954