The Meaning of 1 Samuel 23:1 Explained

1 Samuel 23:1

KJV: Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors.

YLT: And they declare to David, saying, 'Lo, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and they are spoiling the threshing-floors.'

Darby: And they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshing-floors.

ASV: And they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and are robbing the threshing-floors.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then they told  David,  saying,  Behold, the Philistines  fight  against Keilah,  and they rob  the threshingfloors. 

What does 1 Samuel 23:1 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 23:1-14 - Success And Safety Under God's Guidance
We learn here that those who are called to walk in the maze of human life need to look constantly upward for direction. "It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps." Our eyes need to be fixed constantly on the Lord. "Lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." We have no priestly ephod to direct us. But if we roll the responsibility of our way on God and wait for Him, the conviction of His plan will steal into our hearts, and this will be corroborated by the advice of experienced friends and the trend of circumstances.
The recompense of the people of Keilah for David's noble interposition on their behalf was very base, and warns us not to trust in human safeguards, which are so liable to be broken down. The only place of absolute security is in God. Blessed are they whose life is "hid with Christ in God"! David knew that, and in these sad and difficult days, when he was hunted as a partridge on the mountains, he was composing some of his most helpful psalms. See Psalms 11:1-7; Psalms 54:1-7; Psalms 57:1-11. In our own troubled times, how good it is that we should listen to the sweet music of the eternal world which surrounds this one and in which the harried soul may have its abiding-place. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Samuel 23

1  David, enquiring of the Lord by Abiathar, rescues Keilah
7  God showing him the coming of Saul, and the treachery of the Keilites,
13  he escapes from Keilah
14  In Ziph Jonathan comes and comforts him
19  The Ziphites discover him to Saul
25  At Maon he is rescued from Saul by the invasion of the Philistines
29  He dwells at En Gedi

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 23:1 mean?

And they told David saying Look the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and they are robbing - the threshing floors
וַיַּגִּ֥דוּ לְדָוִ֖ד לֵאמֹ֑ר הִנֵּ֤ה פְלִשְׁתִּים֙ נִלְחָמִ֣ים בִּקְעִילָ֔ה וְהֵ֖מָּה שֹׁסִ֥ים אֶת־ הַגֳּרָנֽוֹת

וַיַּגִּ֥דוּ  And  they  told 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: נָגַד  
Sense: to be conspicuous, tell, make known.
לְדָוִ֖ד  David 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
לֵאמֹ֑ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הִנֵּ֤ה  Look 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
פְלִשְׁתִּים֙  the  Philistines 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: פְּלִשְׁתִּי  
Sense: an inhabitant of Philistia; descendants of Mizraim who immigrated from Caphtor (Crete?) to the western seacoast of Canaan.
נִלְחָמִ֣ים  are  fighting 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: לָחַם 
Sense: to fight, do battle, make war.
בִּקְעִילָ֔ה  against  Keilah 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: קְעִילָה  
Sense: a city in the lowlands of Judah northwest of Hebron.
וְהֵ֖מָּה  and  they 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, third person masculine plural
Root: הֵם 
Sense: they, these, the same, who.
שֹׁסִ֥ים  are  robbing 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: שָׁסָה  
Sense: to spoil, plunder, take spoil.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַגֳּרָנֽוֹת  the  threshing  floors 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: גֹּרֶן  
Sense: threshing-floor.