1 Samuel27
American Standard Version · Public Domain
1And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me any more in all the borders of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.
2And David arose, and passed over, he and the six hundred men that were with him, unto Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath.
3And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s wife.
4And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him.
5And David said unto Achish, If now I have found favor in thine eyes, let them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, that I may dwell there: for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee?
6Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day.
7And the number of the days that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months.
8And David and his men went up, and made a raid upon the Geshurites, and the Girzites, and the Amalekites; for those nations were the inhabitants of the land, who were of old, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt.
9And David smote the land, and saved neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel; and he returned, and came to Achish.
10And Achish said, Against whom have ye made a raid to-day? And David said, Against the South of Judah, and against the South of the Jerahmeelites, and against the South of the Kenites.
11And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring them to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell of us, saying, So did David, and so hath been his manner all the while he hath dwelt in the country of the Philistines.
12And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for 1 Samuel 27.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: David retires to Gath. (1–7). David deceives Achish. (8–12).
vv1-7
Unbelief is a sin that easily besets even good men, when without are fightings, and within are fears; and it is a hard matter to get over them. Lord, increase our faith! We may blush to think that the word of a Philistine should go further than the word of an Israelite, and that the city of Gath should be a place of refuge for a good man, when the cities of Israel refuse him a safe abode. David gained a comfortable settlement, not only at a distance from Gath, but bordering upon Israel, where he might keep up a correspondence with his own countrymen.
vv8-12
While David was in the land of the Philistines, he attacked some remains of the devoted nations. The people whom he cut off were long before doomed to destruction. It is often wisdom to shun public notice, but we must in no situation be idle. We must always try to do somewhat in the cause of God. This expedition David hid from Achish. But an equivocation which serves the purpose of a lie, is as like to it as a hypocrite is to a profane person, it is only better in appearance, therefore more dangerous. Yet, though believers often manifest imperfections, they can never be prevailed upon to renounce the service of God, and to unite interests with his enemies, or finally to become the servants of sin and Satan. But what a train of evils follow from unbelief! When we forget the Lord's past mercies, and his gracious assurances, we shall be overwhelmed with desponding fears, and probably be led to adopt some dishonourable method to get rid of our troubles. Nothing can so effectually establish us in holy tempers and practices, and preserve us from perplexities, as firm, unshaken dependence upon the promises of God in Christ Jesus.
Key Words
דָּוִד: David, the youngest son of Jesse
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
לֵב: the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the centre of anything
עַתָּה: at this time, whether adverb, conjunction or expletive
סָפָה: properly, to scrape (literally, to shave; but usually figuratively) together (i.e. to accumulate or increase) or away (i.e. to scatter, remove, or ruin; intransitively, to perish)
אֶחָד: properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first
יוֹם: a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)
יָד: a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),
שָׁאוּל: Shaul, the name of an Edomite and two Israelites
אַיִן: a non-entity; generally used as a negative particle
Cross References
1 Samuel 27David leaves the land where the prophet Gad specifically commanded him to remain.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
David voluntarily flees to an idolatrous land, having just cursed those who drove him out.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
David returns to Achish of Gath, where he had previously feigned madness to escape.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Ziklag was originally allotted to Judah, but remained in Philistine hands until given to David.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
David attacks the Amalekites, whom Saul had failed to completely destroy as commanded.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Ziklag was assigned to Simeon within Judah's territory, but remained occupied by Philistines.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Ziklag is later burned by the Amalekites while David is away with the Philistines.
The Geshurites were ancient inhabitants of the land not previously expelled by Joshua.
Supported by JFB
David claims to attack the Kenites, Moses' in-laws, who had historically shown kindness to Israel.
Supported by JFB
David claims to attack the Jerahmeelites, to whom he later sends some of the spoil.
Saul ceases searching for David, demonstrating his previous remorse was temporary.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The Philistine lords question David's presence based on the duration of his stay.
Achish trusts David completely, setting up the crisis where David must fight Israel.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
David's men and their households who dwelt in Gath later settle in Hebron.