1 Samuel - Odessa, Missouri Community of Christ

88 Dr. Constable's Notes on 1 Samuel 2007 Edition2. Saul's pursuit of David ch. 23The literary spotlight now moves back from Saul to David and his activities."We have just witnessed how Saul, in an outburst of rage, becameresponsible for the destruction of the priestly city of Nob. In ch. 23, David,even while on the run from Saul, is shown saving a city from Philistineattack." 258David at Keilah 23:1-14David went to rescue the people of Keilah from the Philistines, but then he had to fleefrom that town because the citizens were going to hand him over to Saul.David's rescue of Keilah 23:1-5Keilah was about three miles southeast of Adullam in the Shephelah, the foothillsbetween the coastal plain on the west and the hill country of Judah on the east. ThePhilistines were plundering the threshing floors there. The threshing floors where placeswhere the Israelites stored their threshed grain after threshing it (cf. 2 Kings 6:27; Joel3:24). David sought to defend his countrymen and fellow Judahites from their hostileforeign enemy even though he was also watching out for Saul. Saul should have come totheir rescue since he was the king, but there is no mention of him doing so.The writer recorded in this passage that David inquired of the Lord four times (vv. 2, 4,10, 11). He placed himself under God's authority, though Saul did not. For this reasonGod could and did work through David as His vice-regent. God manifested His willthrough the Urim and Thummim in the priestly ephod (vv. 6, 9; cf. Exod. 28:28). 259Evidently Abiathar interpreted the will of God for David.David was not just defending himself during this period of his life. He was aggressivelycarrying out the will of God by defeating Israel's enemies as the Lord's anointed servant.God told David to go against the Philistines first. Then in response to David's secondprayer, He promised that He (emphatic in the Hebrew text) would give the Philistinesinto David's hand. David's 600 men (v. 13) were understandably afraid to attack thePhilistines who had greater numbers and stronger forces. Nevertheless David attackedand soundly defeated the Philistines because of God's promise and power. The writergave credit to David for the victory (v. 5), but clearly it was God who enabled him to winagainst such a daunting foe (v. 4).258 Gordon, I & II Samuel . . ., p. 175.259 The Urim (lit. lights) and Thummim (lit. perfections) were evidently two stones or similar objects, onelight and the other dark in color. The high priest carried them in the pocket on the front of his ephod(apron). He ascertained God's will by drawing one out after mentally assigning a meaning to each.