קְעִילָה (qe.i.lah)
qe.i.lah
Keilah
N:N--LQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 16 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--L
Word Overview
The name Qeilah means fortress, identifying it as a fortified city in the lowlands of Judah, situated northwest of Hebron and near Philistine territory. This strategic location placed it on the border between Israelite control and enemy lands, making it a point of tension and military interest.
In the narrative of 1 Samuel, Qeilah becomes the setting for a critical moment in David’s life. When King Saul pursued him, David attacked the Philistines to rescue the inhabitants of Qeilah, saving their grain from raiders (1 Samuel 23:5). Yet shortly after this act of deliverance, the men of the city betrayed David to Saul, forcing him to flee again. The name thus marks a place where safety was narrowly missed and loyalty was tested.
The city also appears in Nehemiah 3:17, where it is mentioned among the locations whose walls were repaired during the post-exilic restoration. This later reference shows the community’s effort to rebuild their defenses and reestablish their presence in the land after the Babylonian exile.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
Keilah was a fortified city in the lowlands of Judah, situated near Philistine territory. Its name means fortress, marking it as a place of strategic military interest and tension. In the narrative of 1 Samuel, this location becomes the setting for a critical moment in David’s life when he chose to rescue its inhabitants from raiders.
David attacked the Philistines to save their grain, yet shortly after this act of deliverance, the men of the city betrayed him to King Saul. This history reminds us that places of safety can sometimes become sources of danger, and loyalty is often tested in unexpected ways. The name thus marks a place where safety was narrowly missed.
Later, during the post-exilic restoration, Keilah appears in Nehemiah as a community effort to rebuild defenses. This shows how people sought to reestablish their presence and security after exile. For believers today, it serves as a reminder that trust in God’s protection is vital when navigating complex social dynamics or uncertain environments.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 16 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Keilah14×
- from/ Keilah2×
- and/ Keilah1×
- against/ Keilah1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- קְעִילָ֑ה3×
- קְעִילָֽה\׃\ \ס2×
- קְעִילָ֖ה2×
- קְעִילָ֔ה2×
- קְעִלָ֔ה1×
- קְעִילָֽה\׃1×
- קְעִילָ֨ה1×
- קְעִילָ֜ה1×
- קְעִילָ֛ה1×
- מִ/קְּעִלָ֔ה1×
- מִ/קְּעִילָ֔ה1×
- וּ/קְעִילָ֥ה1×
Key Verses
-
I Samuel 23:5
David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their livestock, and killed them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.
David and his men fought the Philistines, bringing away livestock and killing many, which directly resulted in saving the inhabitants of Keilah.
-
I Samuel 23:12
Then David said, “Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul?” Yahweh said, “They will deliver you up.”
God confirmed to David that the men of Keilah would deliver him and his men into Saul's hand, revealing the betrayal before it happened.
-
Nehemiah 3:17
After him, the Levites—Rehum the son of Bani made repairs. Next to him, Hashabiah, the ruler of half the district of Keilah, made repairs for his district.
Hashabiah, ruler of half the district of Keilah, made repairs to the wall, showing the community's effort to rebuild their defenses after exile.