1 Samuel27
New American Standard
1Then David said to himself, “Now I will perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than to safely escape into the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will despair of searching for me anymore in all the territory of Israel, and I will escape from his hand.”
2So David set out and went over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath.
3And David lived with Achish in Gath, he and his men, each with his own household—David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s widow.
4Now it was reported to Saul that David had fled to Gath, so he no longer searched for him.
5Then David said to Achish, “If now I have found favor in your sight, have them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, so that I may live there; for why should your servant live in the royal city with you?”
6So Achish gave him Ziklag that day; therefore Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day.
7The number of days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was a year and four months.
8Now David and his men went up and attacked the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites; for they were the inhabitants of the land from ancient times, as you come to Shur even as far as the land of Egypt.
9David attacked the land and did not leave a man or a woman alive, and he took the sheep, the cattle, the donkeys, the camels, and the clothing. Then he returned and came to Achish.
10Now Achish said, “Where did you carry out an attack today?” And David said, “Against the Negev of Judah, against the Negev of the Jerahmeelites, and against the Negev of the Kenites.”
11And David did not leave a man or a woman alive to bring to Gath, saying, “Otherwise they will tell about us, saying, ‘This is what David has done, and this has been his practice all the time that he has lived in the country of the Philistines.’”
12So Achish believed David, saying, “He has undoubtedly made himself repulsive among his people Israel; therefore he will become my servant forever.”
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.