Keilah, a town in the Shephelah of Judah, was rescued by David from Philistine attack but later threatened to betray him to Saul (Joshua 15:44; 1Samuel 23).
Keilah was a town located in the Shephelah, or lowland region, of Judah (Joshua 15:44). During the time of King Saul, the Philistines attacked Keilah and robbed the threshing floors. David, who was fleeing from Saul at the time, inquired of the Lord and was directed to go and save Keilah (1Sa.23.1-5). David and his men successfully defended the town against the Philistines. However, when Saul heard that David was in Keilah, he planned to besiege the city and capture him. David again sought the Lord's guidance and learned that the people of Keilah would surrender him to Saul. As a result, David and his men left Keilah and continued to evade Saul (1Sa.23.7-13). Keilah is also mentioned in the genealogies of Judah (1Ch.4.19) and in the context of the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls during the time of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 3:17-18). The exact location of Keilah is uncertain, but it is believed to be in the western foothills of Judah, possibly at the site of Khirbet Qila, about 8 miles northwest of Hebron.
Approximate location: 31.614, 35.003 · view on a map · on the Bible atlas
Citadel, a city in the lowlands of Judah (Josh. 15:44). David rescued it from the attack of the Philistines (1 Sam. 23:1-8); but the inhabitants proving unfaithful to him, in that they sought to deliver him up to Saul (13), he and his men “departed from Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go.” They fled to the hill Hareth, about 3 miles to the east, and thence through Hebron to Ziph (q.v.). “And David was in the wilderness of Ziph, in a wood” (1 Sam. 23:15). Here Jonathan sought him out, “and strengthened his hand in God.” This was the last interview between David and Jonathan (23:16-18). It is the modern Khurbet Kila. Others identify it with Khuweilfeh, between Beit Jibrin (Eleutheropolis) and Beersheba, mentioned in the Amarna tablets.
(fortress), a city of the Shefelah, or lowland district of Judah. (Joshua 15:44) Its main interest consists in its connection with David. (1 Samuel 23:7-13) It is represented by Kila, a site with ruins, on the lower road from Beit Jibria to Hebron.
KEI'LAH (fortress), a city in the lowland of Judah, near the Philistine frontier. Josh 15:44. When captured and plundered by a Philistine invasion David came to its rescue, but the inhabitants treacherously plotted with Saul for his betrayal. 1 Sam 23:1-13. After the Captivity its rulers aided in restoring the walls of Jerusalem. Neh 3:17-18; now Kila, 7 miles east of Beit Jibrin.
KEI'LAH (fortress), a city in the lowland of Judah, near the Philistine frontier. Josh 15:44. When captured and plundered by a Philistine invasion David came to its rescue, but the inhabitants treacherously plotted with Saul for his betrayal. 1 Sam 23:1-13. After the Captivity its rulers aided in restoring the walls of Jerusalem. Neh 3:17-18; now Kila, 7 miles east of Beit Jibrin.
Easton (1897), Smith (1863), Hitchcock (1869), Hastings (1898) and Schaff are in the public domain. Parsed text: neuu-org/bible-dictionary-dataset (CC BY 4.0). Headwords and whitespace normalised for this site.
16 verses in 4 books · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H7084
Keilah, Achzib, and Mareshah—nine cities, along with their villages.
Now it was reported to David, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and looting the threshing floors.”
So David inquired of the LORD, “Should I go and attack these Philistines?” And the LORD said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah.”
But Davidʼs men said to him, “Look, we are afraid here in Judah; how much more if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?”
Once again, David inquired of the LORD, and the LORD answered him: “Go at once to Keilah, for I will deliver the Philistines into your hand.”
Then David and his men went to Keilah, fought against the Philistines, and carried off their livestock, striking them with a mighty blow. So David saved the people of Keilah.
(Now Abiathar son of Ahimelech had brought the ephod with him when he fled to David at Keilah.)
When Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, he said, “God has delivered him into my hand, for he has trapped himself by entering a town with gates and bars.”
Then Saul summoned all his troops to go to war at Keilah and besiege David and his men.
And David said, “O LORD, God of Israel, Your servant has heard that Saul intends to come to Keilah and destroy the city on my account.
Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as Your servant has heard? O LORD, God of Israel, please tell Your servant.” “He will,” said the LORD.
So David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?” “They will,” said the LORD.
Then David and his men, about six hundred strong, set out and departed from Keilah, moving from place to place. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he declined to go forth.
The sons of Hodiahʼs wife, the sister of Naham, were the fathers of Keilah the Garmite and of Eshtemoa the Maacathite.
Next to him, the Levites made repairs under Rehum son of Bani, and next to him, Hashabiah, ruler of a half-district of Keilah, made repairs for his district.
Next to him, their countrymen made repairs under Binnui son of Henadad, ruler of the other half-district of Keilah.
Names, family links and references: STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Short descriptions were drafted with AI assistance by STEPBible. Family links follow STEPBible’s scholarly decisions where genealogies are ambiguous.