Keilah

Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:

(fortress). (1) Lowland town of Judah (Josh. 15:4444And Keilah, and Achzib, and Mareshah; nine cities with their villages: (Joshua 15:44); 1 Sam. 23:1-131Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors. 2Therefore David inquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the Lord said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah. 3And David's men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines? 4Then David inquired of the Lord yet again. And the Lord answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand. 5So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah. 6And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand. 7And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said, God hath delivered him into mine hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars. 8And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men. 9And David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod. 10Then said David, O Lord God of Israel, thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake. 11Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O Lord God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And the Lord said, He will come down. 12Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the Lord said, They will deliver thee up. 13Then David and his men, which were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbare to go forth. (1 Samuel 23:1‑13); Neh. 3:17-1817After him repaired the Levites, Rehum the son of Bani. Next unto him repaired Hashabiah, the ruler of the half part of Keilah, in his part. 18After him repaired their brethren, Bavai the son of Henadad, the ruler of the half part of Keilah. (Nehemiah 3:17‑18)). (2) Person or place (1 Chron. 4:1919And the sons of his wife Hodiah the sister of Naham, the father of Keilah the Garmite, and Eshtemoa the Maachathite. (1 Chronicles 4:19)).

Concise Bible Dictionary:

1. City in the lowlands of Judah. It was delivered by David from an attack of the Philistines. He and Abiathar with the ephod took shelter there; but warned by God that the people of the city would deliver him up to Saul, they escaped (Josh. 15:4444And Keilah, and Achzib, and Mareshah; nine cities with their villages: (Joshua 15:44); 1 Sam. 23:1-131Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors. 2Therefore David inquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the Lord said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah. 3And David's men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines? 4Then David inquired of the Lord yet again. And the Lord answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand. 5So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah. 6And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand. 7And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said, God hath delivered him into mine hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars. 8And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men. 9And David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod. 10Then said David, O Lord God of Israel, thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake. 11Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O Lord God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And the Lord said, He will come down. 12Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the Lord said, They will deliver thee up. 13Then David and his men, which were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbare to go forth. (1 Samuel 23:1‑13); Neh. 3:17-1817After him repaired the Levites, Rehum the son of Bani. Next unto him repaired Hashabiah, the ruler of the half part of Keilah, in his part. 18After him repaired their brethren, Bavai the son of Henadad, the ruler of the half part of Keilah. (Nehemiah 3:17‑18)). Identified with Kila, 31° 37' N, 35° E.

Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew Words:

Number:
7084 (find all occurrences in KJV Bible)
Transliteration:
Q`iylah
Phonic:
keh-ee-law’
Meaning:
perhaps from 7049 in the sense of inclosing; citadel; Keilah, a place in Palestine
KJV Usage:
Keilah

Jackson’s Dictionary of Scripture Proper Names:

let the faint be alienated

Potts’ Bible Proper Names:

Fortification; castle; voice of God:―name of a place in Palestine and of an Israelite [EN-HAKKORE], Josh. 15:44. {Munimentum}