The Lord said to Gideon, “I will use the 300 men who lapped the water like a dog. I will use them to save you, and I will allow you to defeat the Midianites. Let the other men go home.”
David asked the Lord, saying, “Should I go up to fight against the Philistines? Will you help me defeat them?” The Lord answered, “Yes, I certainly will help you defeat the Philistines.”
He prayed to the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him. God did not talk to Saul in dreams. God did not use the Urim to give him an answer, and God did not use prophets to speak to Saul.
Then Gideon said to God, “Don’t be angry with me. Let me ask just one more thing. Let me test you one more time with the sheepskin. This time let the sheepskin be dry, while the ground around it gets wet with dew.”
But David’s men said to him, “Look, our men are afraid here in Judah. Just think how afraid we will be if we go to Keilah, where the Philistine army is lined up and ready for battle.”
So David and his men went to Keilah. David’s men fought the Philistines. They defeated them and took their cattle. In this way David saved the people of Keilah.
Then David prayed to the Lord. “Should I chase the people who took our families? Will I catch them?” The Lord answered, “Chase them. You will catch them, and you will save your families.”
Later David asked the Lord for advice. David said, “Should I take control of any of the cities of Judah?” The Lord said to David, “Yes.” David asked, “Where should I go?” The Lord answered, “To Hebron.”
David asked God, “Should I go and fight the Philistines? Will you let me defeat them?” The Lord answered David, “Go. I will let you defeat the Philistines.”