Lexical Definition

‎קְעִילָה‎ Qᵉʻîylâh (keh-ee-law') Keilah ^N:N--L
perhaps from ‎קָלַע‎ in the sense of enclosing; citadel

Keilah.

• § Keilah = "fortress"
• Keilah, a place in Palestine

1) a city in the lowlands of Judah northwest of Hebron

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎קְעִילָה‎₁₈ proper name, of a location Κεειλα: in Judah, toward Philistines, ‎׳‎‎ק‎ 1Sam 23:1 + 13 t. 23 (‎קְעִלָה‎, v1Sam 23:3.13); Josh 15:44 (P), compare 2Chr 4:19 (genealogical scheme); post-exilic ‎פֶּלֶח קְעִילָךְ‎ Neh 3:17; Neh 3:18 modern Kîl¹, approximately 8 miles northwest from Hebron, GASm^{Geogr. 230} Buhl^{Geogr. 193}; clause Tel Amarna †ilti Wkl^{No. 165, 11, 18, etc}.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References

Profile

Keilah • A town in the Shephelah of Judah, rescued by David

Keilah, a town in the Shephelah of Judah, was rescued by David from Philistine attack but later threatened to betray him to Saul (Joshua 15:44; 1 Samuel 23).

• A location first mentioned at Jos.15.44;
• only referred to as Keilah קְעִילָה.
  

Keilah was a town located in the Shephelah, or lowland region, of Judah (Joshua 15:44). During the time of King Saul, the Philistines attacked Keilah and robbed the threshing floors. David, who was fleeing from Saul at the time, inquired of the Lord and was directed to go and save Keilah (1 Samuel 23:1-5). David and his men successfully defended the town against the Philistines. However, when Saul heard that David was in Keilah, he planned to besiege the city and capture him. David again sought the Lord's guidance and learned that the people of Keilah would surrender him to Saul. As a result, David and his men left Keilah and continued to evade Saul (1 Samuel 23:7-13). Keilah is also mentioned in the genealogies of Judah (1 Chronicles 4:19) and in the context of the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls during the time of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 3:17-18). The exact location of Keilah is uncertain, but it is believed to be in the western foothills of Judah, possibly at the site of Khirbet Qila, about 8 miles northwest of Hebron.

All entries for Keilah: קְעִילָה