The Meaning of 1 Samuel 23:7 Explained

1 Samuel 23:7

KJV: And 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.

YLT: And it is declared to Saul that David hath come in to Keilah, and Saul saith, 'God hath made him known for my hand, for he hath been shut in, to enter into a city of doors and bar.'

Darby: And it was told Saul that David had come to Keilah. Then Saul said, God has cast him off into my hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a city that has gates and bars.

ASV: And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said, God hath delivered him into my hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And 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. 

What does 1 Samuel 23:7 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 23:7 mean?

And was told Saul that had gone David to Keilah So said Saul has delivered him God into my hand for he has shut himself in by entering a town that has gates and bars
וַיֻּגַּ֣ד לְשָׁא֔וּל כִּי־ בָ֥א דָוִ֖ד קְעִילָ֑ה וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שָׁא֗וּל נִכַּ֨ר אֹת֤וֹ אֱלֹהִים֙ בְּיָדִ֔י כִּ֚י נִסְגַּ֣ר לָב֔וֹא בְּעִ֖יר דְּלָתַ֥יִם וּבְרִֽיחַ

וַיֻּגַּ֣ד  And  was  told 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hofal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָגַד  
Sense: to be conspicuous, tell, make known.
לְשָׁא֔וּל  Saul 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁאוּל  
Sense: a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the st king of Israel.
כִּי־  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
בָ֥א  had  gone 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
דָוִ֖ד  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
קְעִילָ֑ה  to  Keilah 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: קְעִילָה  
Sense: a city in the lowlands of Judah northwest of Hebron.
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר  So  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
שָׁא֗וּל  Saul 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁאוּל  
Sense: a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the st king of Israel.
נִכַּ֨ר  has  delivered 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָכַר 
Sense: to recognise, acknowledge, know, respect, discern, regard.
אֱלֹהִים֙  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
בְּיָדִ֔י  into  my  hand 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
נִסְגַּ֣ר  he  has  shut  himself  in 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: סָגוּר 
Sense: to shut, close.
לָב֔וֹא  by  entering 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
בְּעִ֖יר  a  town 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
דְּלָתַ֥יִם  that  has  gates 
Parse: Noun, fd
Root: דַּל 
Sense: door, gate.
וּבְרִֽיחַ  and  bars 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בְּרִיחַ  
Sense: bar.