The Israelite city of Keilah is under attack from the Philistines (v1). David seeks God’s will and is told to go and fight against the Philistines (v2). David’s men though are afraid to do this; they see it as too dangerous (v3). David seeks God’s will again and when he has it confirmed that this is God’s will (v4), he leads his men to fight and have a great victory (v5).

Here we something of the importance of seeking God’s will. It is foolishness to put ourselves in danger when it is not God’s will, but to put ourselves in danger when it is God’s will is faith.

Abiathar who had fled from Nob is now a great help to David in determining God’s will (v6). When Saul hears that David is in Keilah he seeks to come to defeat him (v7-8), but David through Abiathar learns that this will happen (v11) and also that the men of Keilah would hand him over (v12). David and his 600 men depart to the safety of the wilderness of Ziph (v13-14).

In spiritual warfare, victory comes when we know and follow God’s will. We need to take time like what David did to seeking God’s will in His Word.