Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors.

And they told David, saying: Behold the Philistines fight against Ceila, and they rob the barns.

And they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshing-floors.

And they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and they rob the threshing-floors.

And they declare to David, saying, 'Lo, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and they are spoiling the threshing-floors.'

And they sent word to David, saying, The Philistines are fighting against Keilah and taking the grain from the grain-floors.

And they reported to David, saying, "Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and they are plundering the grain stores."

David's growing importance, fugitive as he was, is marked by this appeal to him for deliverance from the Philistines. The "threshing floors" were the natural objects of plunder Judges 6:11. Keilah was in the Shephelah (marginal reference), probably close to the Philistine border, but its site is uncertain.
Joshua 2:11 Samuel Joshua 23:1 PP1

The Philistines fight against Keilah - Keilah was a fortified town in the tribe of Judah near to Eleutheropolis, on the road to Hebron.
Rob the threshing-floors - This was an ancient custom of the Philistines, Midianites, and others. See Judges 6:4. When the corn was ripe and fit to be threshed, and they had collected it at the threshing-floors, which were always in the open field, then their enemies came upon them and spoiled them of the fruits of their harvest.

Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against (a) Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors.
(a) Which was a city in the tribe of Judah, (Joshua 15:44).

Then they told David,.... Either the men of Keilah sent to him, being near them, or some well wishers of theirs, and of their country, acquainted him with their case:
saying, behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah; had laid siege to it, being a fortified place, 1-Samuel 23:7; it was a city in the tribe of Judah, on the borders of the Philistines; of which See Gill on Joshua 15:44,
and they rob the threshing floors; took away the corn upon them, which they were threshing and winnowing, which were usually done without the city for the sake of wind, see Judges 6:11; it was harvest time when the three mighty men came to David in the cave of Adullam, and so now it might be the time of threshing, harvest being over, see 1-Samuel 22:1; compared with 2-Samuel 23:13.

When princes persecute God's people, let them expect vexation on all sides. The way for any country to be quiet, is to let God's church be quiet in it: if Saul fight against David, the Philistines fight against his country. David considered himself the protector of the land. Thus did the Saviour Jesus, and left us an example. Those are unlike David, who sullenly decline to do good, if they are not rewarded for services.

DAVID RESCUES KEILAH. (1-Samuel 23:1-6)
Then they told David--rather, "now they had told"; for this information had reached him previous to his hearing (1-Samuel 23:6) of the Nob tragedy.
Keilah--a city in the west of Judah (Joshua 15:44), not far from the forest of Hareth.
and they rob the threshing-floors--These were commonly situated on the fields and were open to the wind (Judges 6:11; Ruth 3:2).

The Philistines, &c. - Probably it was the departure of God and David from Saul, that encouraged the Philistines to make this inroad. When princes begin to persecute God's people and ministers, let them expect nothing but vexation on all sides.