1st Samuel Chapter 27

From The Open Bible Project

27:1 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."

  • (a) David distrusts God’s protection and therefore flees to the idolaters, who were enemies to God’s people.

27:2 David arose, and passed over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath.

27:3 David lived 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.

  • (b) Thus God by his providence changes the enemies hearts, and makes them favour his in their need.

27:4 It was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him.

27:5 David said to Achish, "If now I have found favor in your eyes, let them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, that I may dwell there. For why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you?"

  • (c) Let your officers appoint me a place.

27:6 Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: why Ziklag pertains to the kings of Judah to this day.

27:7 The number of the days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months.

27:8 David and his men went up, and made a raid on the Geshurites, and the Girzites, and the Amalekites; for those [nations] were the inhabitants of the land, who were of old, as you go to Shur, even to the land of Egypt.

  • (d) These were the wicked Canaanites, whom God had appointed to be destroyed.

27:9 David struck the land, and saved neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the cattle, and the donkeys, and the camels, and the clothing; and he returned, and came to Achish.

27:10 Achish said, "Against whom have you made a raid today?" David said, "Against the South of Judah, against the South of the Jerahmeelites, and against the South of the Kenites."

27:11 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 has been his manner all the while he has lived in the country of the Philistines.'"

27:12 Achish believed David, saying, "He has made his people Israel utterly to abhor him. Therefore he shall be my servant forever."

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