⁴ Then David asked of Yahweh once more. And Yahweh answered him and said, “Arise, go down to Keilah, for ^(A)I will give the Philistines into your hand.”

⁶ Now it happened when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech ^(A)fled to David at Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand.

⁹ But David knew that Saul was plotting evil against him; so he said to ^(A)Abiathar the priest, “^(B)Bring the ephod here.” ¹⁰ Then David said, “O Yahweh, the God of Israel, Your slave has heard for certain that Saul is seeking to come to Keilah to make the city a ruin on my account. ¹¹ Will the men of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down just as Your slave has heard? O Yahweh, the God of Israel, I pray, tell Your slave.” And Yahweh said, “He will come down.” ¹² Then David said, “Will the men of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?” And Yahweh said, “^(C)They will surrender you.”

¹⁹ Then ^(A)David asked of Yahweh, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You give them into my hand?” And ^(B)Yahweh said to David, “Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.”

²³ So ^(A)David asked of Yahweh, and He said, “You shall not go directly up; circle around behind them and come at them in front of the ^[a]balsam trees.