1 Samuel 23:7-13
7 When it was reported to Saul that David had come to Keilah, Saul said, “God has handed him over to me, for he shut himself in by entering a city with double gates and bars.”
8 So Saul summoned all the people for war, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men.
9 But David knew that Saul was plotting evil against him; so he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.”
10 Then David said, “Lord God of Israel, Your servant has heard for certain that Saul is seeking to come to Keilah to destroy the city on my account. 11Will the citizens of Keilah hand me over to him? Will Saul come down just as Your servant has heard? Lord God of Israel, please, tell Your servant.” And the Lord said, “He will come down.”
12 Then David said, “Will the citizens of Keilah hand me and my men over to Saul?” And the Lord said, “They will hand you over.”
13 Then David and his men, about six hundred, rose up and departed from Keilah, and they went wherever they could go. When it was reported to Saul that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up the pursuit.
Betrayal of the People of Keilah
Spiritual blindness of Saul
News reached Saul that David and his army had marched to Keilah and were staying there. This information must have come from either the people of Keilah or Saul’s spies. (1) Saul was pleased, hearing this news. He exclaimed, “God has handed him (David) over to me,” which reflects a misguided spirituality. Saul had become spiritually blind, interpreting everything in a way that suited him. We must remember and stay cautious, that we too can make the same mistake. (2) Saul’s strategy was to trap David in the city and capture him. (3) David then receives a news that Saul was preparing an attack. So, David once again seeks guidance from the Lord through Ahimelech the priest.
The answer from the Lord
David asked the Lord two questions. (1) Would the people of Keilah betray David, who saved them from the Philistines, and hand him over to Saul? (2) Would Saul come to Keilah as rumored? Abiathar the priest used the Urim and Thummim to seek an answer from the Lord. The Urim and Thummim could only provide a yes-or-no answers. Therefore, only the answer to the last question was returned. To the question of whether Saul would come to attack, the answer was “Yes.” Consequently, David posed the first question again regarding whether the residents of Keilah would betray him, to which the answer also was “Yes.” Having received the Lord’s answer, David left Keilah before Saul’s arrival and headed to the wilderness of Ziph. At that time, David’s army numbered about 600 men. When faced with a crossroads, David called Abiathar the priest and confirmed the Lord’s will through the Urim and Thummim he possessed. We are given something greater than the Urim and Thummim: the Bible and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We too may find ourselves at crossroads in life. In such times, let’s seek guidance from the Bible, the word of God. Let’s trust in the Holy Spirit who speaks to our hearts.
Today's prayer
Heavenly Father, when I am uncertain about which direction to take, please provide me with Your guidance. I thank You for the Bible and for the Holy Spirit who speaks to me. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.