Original Word: קְעִילָה
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Q`iylah
Pronunciation: keh-ee-LAH
Phonetic Spelling: (keh-ee-law')
KJV: Keilah
NASB: Keilah
Word Origin: [perhaps from H7049 (קָלַע - To sling) in the sense of inclosing]

1. citadel
2. Keilah, a place in Israel

Keilah

Perhaps from qala' in the sense of inclosing; citadel; Keilah, a place in Palestine -- Keilah.

see HEBREW qala'

Word Origin
of uncertain derivation
Definition
a city in Judah
NASB Translation
Keilah (18).

קְעִילָה₁₈ proper name, of a location Κεειλα: in Judah, toward Philistines, ׳ק 1 Samuel 23:1 13t. 23 (קְעִלָה, 1 Samuel 23:3.13); Joshua 15:44 (P), compare 2 Chronicles 4:19 (genealogical scheme); post-exilic מֶּלֶח קְעִילָךְ Nehemiah 3:17,18; modern Kîl¹, approximately 8 miles northwest from Hebron, GASm^{Geogr. 230} Buhl^{Geogr. 193}; clause Tel Amarna †ilti Wkl^{No. 165, 11, 18, etc}.

קעקע (√ of following; Late Hebrew קִעְקַע usually pull, tear (or cut) down, off, Levy^{NHWB Ecclus 10:15} (compare Frä^{ZAW xxi (1901), 192}); also, as to Leviticus 19:28, incise, apparently reduplicated from a √ קוע (Thes) or קעע).

Location and Setting

Keilah was a fortified lowland town of Judah situated in the Shephelah, approximately eight miles northwest of Hebron. Its strategic placement at the mouth of the Elah Valley guarded agricultural threshing floors and the north–south trade route that paralleled the Philistine border. The most probable archaeological correlate is Khirbet Qeila, where pottery from the Iron Age through the Persian period has been recovered.

Tribal Allotment and Early Mention

Joshua 15:44 lists Keilah among nine cities granted to the tribe of Judah. In the broader context of Joshua 15, these towns formed a defensive chain against Philistine encroachment while providing fertile fields for grain. Thus, Keilah entered biblical history as both breadbasket and bulwark.

David’s Deliverance of Keilah (1 Samuel 23)

1. The Crisis (1 Samuel 23:1): “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and looting the threshing floors.”
2. Seeking the LORD (1 Samuel 23:2, 4): Twice David “inquired of the LORD,” receiving the clear mandate, “Go… and deliver Keilah.”
3. Victory and Salvation (1 Samuel 23:5): “David… inflicted heavy casualties on the Philistines and saved the people of Keilah.”
4. A Test of Loyalty (1 Samuel 23:7–13): Saul interpreted David’s presence behind “gates and bars” as divine delivery into his hands, while the townspeople—fearing royal reprisal—would have surrendered David had he stayed. Warned by God, David departed with his six hundred men.

The episode illuminates several truths:
• True shepherds risk themselves for God’s flock (John 10 typology).
• Guidance comes through repeated, patient inquiry.
• Human gratitude is fickle; divine faithfulness is not.
• God’s sovereignty overrules political schemes: Saul halted his pursuit when David escaped (1 Samuel 23:13).

Genealogical Footnote (1 Chronicles 4:19)

Keilah re-emerges in a clan record: “the father of Keilah the Garmite.” The notice may reflect families resettled there after the exile, preserving the town’s name through lineage.

Post-Exilic Administration and Reconstruction (Nehemiah 3:17–18)

During wall-building in Jerusalem, Levites under Rehum, Hashabiah, and Bavvai—each called “ruler of half the district of Keilah”—repaired assigned sections. Two halves suggest an administrative district large enough to require dual governors, indicating renewed vitality and population. Their willingness to labor underscores covenant solidarity between provincial Judah and the holy city.

Theological Themes

Deliverance: God raises an anointed shepherd (David) to rescue His people from external threat.

Guidance: Keilah highlights the necessity of direct divine counsel in warfare and leadership.

Covenant Loyalty vs. Fear: The townspeople’s wavering contrasts with David’s steadfast trust, foreshadowing the Messiah rejected by those He came to save.

Kingdom Conflict: Saul’s pursuit of David in Keilah exemplifies the clash between illegitimate and legitimate rule—an Old Testament pattern pointing to Christ’s ultimate kingship.

Modern Identification and Archaeological Notes

Khirbet Qeila’s fortification lines, nearby caves, and agricultural terraces match the biblical description of “gates and bars” and threshing floors. Persian-period sherds corroborate Nehemiah’s reference to a functioning district.

Applications for Ministry

• Leaders must seek the Lord repeatedly, even when initial guidance seems sufficient.
• Deliverance ministries may involve tangible risk; faithfulness is measured more by obedience than by public support.
• God can use obscure places and ordinary labor (wall-building or threshing) to advance His redemptive plan.

Key References

Joshua 15:44; 1 Samuel 23:1–13; 1 Chronicles 4:19; Nehemiah 3:17–18.

בִּקְעִילָ֔ה בקעילה וּקְעִילָ֥ה וקעילה מִקְּעִילָ֔ה מִקְּעִלָ֔ה מקעילה מקעלה קְעִילָ֑ה קְעִילָ֔ה קְעִילָ֖ה קְעִילָ֛ה קְעִילָ֜ה קְעִילָ֨ה קְעִילָֽה׃ קְעִלָ֔ה קעילה קעילה׃ קעלה bikiLah biq‘îlāh biq·‘î·lāh keiLah mikkeiLah miq·qə·‘i·lāh miq·qə·‘î·lāh miqqə‘ilāh miqqə‘îlāh qə‘ilāh qə‘îlāh qə·‘i·lāh qə·‘î·lāh ū·qə·‘î·lāh ukeiLah ūqə‘îlāhInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts