⁵⁰ David defeated the Philistine with a sling and a stone. David overpowered the Philistine and killed him without having a sword.

²⁵ Then Saul replied, “Say this to David: ‘The king desires no other bride-price^(A) except a hundred Philistine foreskins, to take revenge on his enemies.’”^(B) Actually, Saul intended to cause David’s death at the hands of the Philistines.^(C)

²⁶ When the servants reported these terms to David, he was pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. Before the wedding day arrived, ²⁷ David and his men went out and killed two hundred^[a] Philistines. He brought their foreskins and presented them as full payment to the king to become his son-in-law. Then Saul gave his daughter Michal to David as his wife.^{(D) 28} Saul realized^[b] that the Lord was with David and that his daughter Michal loved him, ²⁹ and he became even more afraid of David. As a result, Saul was David’s enemy from then on.

³⁰ Every time the Philistine commanders came out to fight,^(E) David was more successful than all of Saul’s officers.^(F) So his name became well known.

⁸ When war broke out again, David went out and fought against the Philistines. He defeated them with such great force that they fled from him.

Deliverance at Keilah

23 It was reported to David, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah^(A) and raiding the threshing floors.”

² So David inquired of the Lord:^(B) “Should I launch an attack against these Philistines?”

The Lord answered David, “Launch an attack against the Philistines and rescue Keilah.”

³ But David’s men said to him, “Look, we’re afraid here in Judah; how much more if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces!”

⁴ Once again, David inquired of the Lord, and the Lord answered him, “Go at once to Keilah, for I will hand the Philistines over to you.”^{(C) 5} Then David and his men went to Keilah, fought against the Philistines, drove their livestock away, and inflicted heavy losses on them. So David rescued the inhabitants of Keilah.

¹⁷ When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel,^(A) they all went in search of David, but he heard about it and went down to the stronghold.^{(B) 18} So the Philistines came and spread out in Rephaim Valley.

¹⁹ Then David inquired of the Lord:^(C) “Should I attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?”

The Lord replied to David, “Attack, for I will certainly hand the Philistines over to you.”

²⁰ So David went to Baal-perazim and defeated them there and said, “Like a bursting flood, the Lord has burst out against my enemies before me.”^(D) Therefore, he named that place The Lord Bursts Out.^{[a] 21} The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them off.

²² The Philistines came up again and spread out in Rephaim Valley. ²³ So David inquired of the Lord, and he answered, “Do not attack directly, but circle around behind them and come at them opposite the balsam trees. ²⁴ When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, act decisively, for then the Lord will have gone out ahead of you to strike down the army of the Philistines.”^{(E) 25} So David did exactly as the Lord commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Geba to Gezer.