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1 Samuel Chapter Twenty-seven

 

1 Samuel 27 Outlines

David Allied with the Philistines (v.1~12)

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 27

David fearing he should perish by the hand of Saul at one time or another went into the land of the Philistines which Saul hearing of sought no more after him 1 Samuel 27:1; and finding favour in the eyes of the king of Gath desired a place in his country might be given him to reside in; and accordingly Ziklag was given him 1 Samuel 27:5; from whence he made excursions into the land of the Amalekites and others and utterly destroyed them; but imposed on the king of Gath pretending he had made his road into the southern parts of Judah 1 Samuel 27:8.

 

1 Samuel 27:1  And David said in his heart “Now I shall perish someday by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape to the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me to seek me anymore in any part of Israel. So I shall escape out of his hand.”

   YLT  1And David saith unto his heart `Now am I consumed one day by the hand of Saul; there is nothing for me better than that I diligently escape unto the land of the Philistines and Saul hath been despairing of me -- of seeking me any more in all the border of Israel and I have escaped out of his hand.'

And David said in his heart .... Within himself and to himself; while he was pondering things in his own mind and considering the circumstances in which he was and things appearing very gloomy to him he falls into a fit of unbelief and thus addresses himself:

I shall now one day perish by the hand of Saul; for though he was returned to his place he knew he was restless and uneasy very inconstant and unstable and not at all to be depended on; yea he might conclude that Saul observing that God was with him in protecting and defending him and by delivering him into his hands once and again he would be the more jealous of him and envious at him and seek all opportunities and advantages against him; and he feared that one time or another such would offer and would be taken and so he should perish by him: this was a strange fit of unbelief he was sunk into and very unaccountable and unreasonable it was had he but considered his being anointed king by the Lord the promise of God to him which could not fail and the providence of God that watched over him from time to time:

there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; which may seem strange when he was advised by the Prophet Gad to depart from the land of Moab and go into the land of Judah 1 Samuel 22:5 and where he had been so wonderfully preserved; and when he was in so much danger when in the land of the Philistines before insomuch that he was obliged to feign himself mad 1 Samuel 21:13; and seeing this also was the very thing he lately dreaded and cursed the men that should be the cause of his going out of his own land into an idolatrous one:

and Saul shall despair of me to seek me any more in any coast of Israel; hearing that he was gone into a foreign country would seek for him no more in any part of the land of israel and so despair of ever getting him into his hands would lay aside all thoughts about him for the future:

so shall I escape out of his hand; and be for ever safe: these were the carnal reasonings of his mind under the prevalence of unbelief; and shows what poor weak creatures the best of men are and how low their graces may sink as to exercise when left to themselves.

 

1 Samuel 27:2  2 Then David arose and went over with the six hundred men who were with him to Achish the son of Maoch king of Gath.

   YLT  2And David riseth and passeth over he and six hundred men who [are] with him unto Achish son of Maoch king of Gath;

And David arose .... From the place where he was:

and he passed over; the borders of land of Canaan:

with the six hundred men that were with him; having neither lost any nor had any added to him since he was at Keilah 1 Samuel 23:13

unto Achish the son of Maoch king of Gath; whether this was the same Achish David was with before 1 Samuel 21:10 is not certain; it seems as if he was not the same since he is described as the son of Maoch as if it was to distinguish him from him; though it is not improbable that he was the same person. Some thinkF1Hieron. Trad. Heb in 2 Reg. fol. 78. E. that he is described not from his father but from his mother whose name was Maacha. The circumstances of David were now very much altered from what they were when he went to Gath before; then he went secretly now openly; then as a person unknown now as well known; then alone now with six hundred men; then when discovered he was seized by the princes of Gath and brought before the king and was driven from his presence; but now he came either at the invitation of Achish hearing how he had been treated by Saul and thinking to attach him to his interest and make him more and more the enemy of Saul and so free himself from a very powerful one and of whose wisdom and prudence and military skill and courage and valour he might hope to avail himself; or David sent an embassy to him to treat with him about his coming into his country and settlement in it and terms to mutual satisfaction were agreed upon.

 

1 Samuel 27:3  3 So David dwelt with Achish at Gath he and his men each man with his household and David with his two wives Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the Carmelitess Nabal’s widow.

   YLT  3and David dwelleth with Achish in Gath he and his men each one with his household [even] David and his two wives Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail wife of Nabal the Carmelitess.

And David dwelt with Achish at Gath .... The metropolis of his kingdom called 1 Samuel 27:5 the royal city:

he and his men every man with his household; or family; which they brought with them to secure them from the malice of Saul; who in their absence might have destroyed them as being the families of traitors and fugitives and might be the more readily received by Achish as he might hope for some advantage front them; and besides were pledges of their fidelity to him and of their design to continue with him:

even David with his two wives Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the Carmelitess Nabal's wife; who had been the wife of Nabal; of these See Gill on 1 Samuel 25:43.

 

1 Samuel 27:4  4 And it was told Saul that David had fled to Gath; so he sought him no more.

   YLT  4And it is declared to Saul that David hath fled to Gath and he hath not added any more to seek him.

And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath .... Who very probably had his spies out to watch his motions and report to him where he was and what he was doing:

and he sought no more again for him; by which it seems as if he would have sought after him again had he continued in the land of Israel; but now being gone and in an enemy's country and having nothing to fear from him while there he laid aside all thoughts of seeking after him.

 

1 Samuel 27:5  5 Then David said to Achish “If I have now found favor in your eyes let them give me a place in some town in the country that I may dwell there. For why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you?”

   YLT  5And David saith unto Achish `If I pray thee I have found grace in thine eyes they give to me a place in one of the cities of the field and I dwell there yea why doth thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee?'

And David said unto Achish .... After he had been some time with him:

if I have now found grace in thine eyes; or was in favour as he thought himself to be by various instances of respect shown him:

let them give me a place in some town in the country that I may dwell there: he does not ask for a city or town but a place in one of them though one was given him; but of whom he asks it it is not easy to say; though it is certain that Achish gave it him 1 Samuel 27:6. Perhaps he might desire it might be given him by Achish with the consent of his princes and nobles or at least of his privy council; that so it might be to general satisfaction and the grant more authentic; though it may be impersonally read as in the Vulgate Latin version "let there be given me" &c. David's view in this might be partly to prevent the envy of the courtiers of Achish who might think that David was too near the king and might have too great an interest in him and receive too many of his favours and become his chief confidant and prime minister; and partly to preserve himself and people from all temptations to idolatry and corruptions in religion; as also that ho might have an opportunity without the knowledge of Achish to fall upon the enemies of Israel; though the excuse he made was as follows:

for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee? for so Gath was; and six hundred men and their families might seem to crowd the city; and this reasoning of his might suggest that he and his men were a straitening of him and a burden on him; and it might seem as if he was a rival with him in state and dignity when he was no other than a servant of his.

 

1 Samuel 27:6  6 So Achish gave him Ziklag that day. Therefore Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day.

   YLT  6And Achish giveth to him in that day Ziklag therefore hath Ziklag been to the kings of Judah till this day.

Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day .... A city which in the division of the land was given to the tribe of Judah and after that to the tribe of Simeon Joshua 15:31; though it seems not to have been possessed by either of them at least not long but soon came into the hands of the Philistines who kept it till this time and now it returned to its right owners; according to BuntingF7Travels &c. p. 136. it was twelve miles from Gath:

wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day; not to the tribe of Judah though it originally belonged to it but to the kings of it it being granted to David who quickly after this became king of Judah; and this was annexed to the crown lands and ever after enjoyed by the kings of the house of Judah; for this was not given for a temporary habitation but for perpetual possession. This clause seems to be added by the continuator of this history after the death of Samuel; who might be Gad or Nathan; some say Ezra and Abarbinel that Jeremiah was the writer of it.

 

1 Samuel 27:7  7 Now the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was one full year and four months.

   YLT  7And the number of the days which David hath dwelt in the field of the Philistines [is] days and four months;

And the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines .... At Gath and Ziklag:

was a full year and four months; or "days and four months"; days being sometimes put for a year Judges 17:10; though some interpret it not of a year but of some few days out of the fifth month besides the four months; so Jarchi and Kimchi; and JosephusF8Antiqu. l. 6. c. 13. sect. 10. makes his abode to be four months and twenty days; but according to the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions it was only four months; and so it may be rendered "days that is four months"; for according to the Jewish chronologyF9Sepher Olam Rabba c. 13. p. 37. Samuel died four months before Saul and this flight of David was after the death of Samuel and when Saul died he left the land of the Philistines and took the throne of Judah; See Gill on 1 Samuel 25:1.

 

1 Samuel 27:8  8 And David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites the Girzites [a] and the Amalekites. For those nations were the inhabitants of the land from of old as you go to Shur even as far as the land of Egypt.

   YLT  8and David goeth up and his men and they push unto the Geshurite and the Gerizite and the Amalekite (for they are inhabitants of the land from of old) as thou comest in to Shur and unto the land of Egypt

And David and his men went up .... From Ziklag where they dwelt:

and invaded the Geshurites; some of the old inhabitants of the land of Canaan the remains of the Amorites whose land was given to the half tribe of Manasseh but could never be expelled; and therefore David had a just right to invade them and if he could either expel or destroy them; see Deuteronomy 3:14; these are the Geshurites which are joined with the Philistines Joshua 13:2

and the Gezrites; the inhabitants of Gezer which place fell to the tribe of Ephraim; but that tribe could not drive out the inhabitants of it and therefore David now fell upon them as the enemies of Israel and seized on their country as belonging to them Joshua 16:3

and the Amalekites; the sworn and implacable enemies of Israel and whose memory they were laid under obligation to root out. These were such as had escaped the sword of Saul and had fled to the more distant parts against whom David now went; and perhaps these had fled to and mixed themselves with the people here mentioned:

for these nations were of old the inhabitants of the land; of the land of Canaan:

as thou goest to Shur even unto the land of Egypt; see 1 Samuel 15:7.

 

1 Samuel 27:9  9 Whenever David attacked the land he left neither man nor woman alive but took away the sheep the oxen the donkeys the camels and the apparel and returned and came to Achish.

  YLT  9and David hath smitten the land and doth not keep alive man and woman and hath taken sheep and oxen and asses and camels and garments and turneth back and cometh in unto Achish.

And David smote the land .... In which the above mentioned people dwelt that is the inhabitants of it:

and left neither man nor woman alive; for these being the old Canaanites and Amalekites according to the law of God were not to be spared but utterly destroyed; which may be observed to remove the charge of cruelty that might be brought against David on this account Deuteronomy 7:2; though this must be understood of such that came within his reach; for it is certain there were people of these several names after this; see 1 Samuel 30:1

and took away the sheep and the oxen and the asses and the camels

and the apparel and returned and came to Achish; at Gath to make a report of what he had been about and done; and what he brought was a good booty for the support of his men and their families.

 

1 Samuel 27:10  10 Then Achish would say “Where have you made a raid today?” And David would say “Against the southern area of Judah or against the southern area of the Jerahmeelites or against the southern area of the Kenites.”

   YLT  10And Achish saith `Whither have ye pushed to-day?' and David saith `Against the south of Judah and against the south of the Jerahmeelite and unto the south of the Kenite.'

And Achish said whither have ye made a road today?.... Or whither had they rushed in or poured in and spread themselves? or where had they made their excursion to fetch in the prey and booty they now brought?

and David said against the south of Judah; he meant against some people that lay to the south of the land of Judah without it; but expressed himself so that Achish might think he meant the southern parts of Judah within the country; which though not a downright lie was an equivocation and made with a design to deceive; and was by no means agreeably to the character of David nor to be defended nor imitated:

and against the south of the Jerahmeelites; these were the descendants of Jerahmeel the son of Hezron the grandson of Judah and so inhabited in the tribe of Judah and very probably in the southern part of it 1 Chronicles 2:9

and against the south of the Kenites; the posterity of Jethro; these at least some of them at the first seating of the children of Israel in the land of Canaan went with the children of Judah into the wilderness of Judah which lieth in the south of Arad Judges 1:16.

 

1 Samuel 27:11  11 David would save neither man nor woman alive to bring news to Gath saying “Lest they should inform on us saying ‘Thus David did.’” And thus was his behavior all the time he dwelt in the country of the Philistines.

   YLT  11Neither man nor woman doth David keep alive to bring in [word] to Gath saying `Lest they declare [it] against us saying Thus hath David done and thus [is] his custom all the days that he hath dwelt in the fields of the Philistines.'

And David saved neither man nor woman alive to bring tidings to Gath .... How David had fallen upon these people and destroyed great numbers of them and carried off their substance; which would have given great offence to Achish and caused him to have driven him out of his country once more; though Abarbinel is of opinion that these Geshurites &c. were haters and enemies of Achish and therefore were smitten and spoiled by David; or otherwise it would have been such a piece of perfidy rebellion and ingratitude as mast have made the name of David to stink since it could not but be known sooner or later; but being the enemies of Achish no notice was taken of it afterwards nor inquiry made about it nor complaint made of it by any of their neighbours: nor does he suppose they were all cut off and much less that this was done that it might not be told in Gath what destruction he had made; but that the sense is that he did not carry the captives to Gath to be disposed of there; for they would have told from whence they came and so have contradicted what David said and what he would have Achish understand as if he had been out against and smote some of the cities of Judah that he might place the greater confidence in him; which end would not have been answered if he had brought any of them to Gath; and so the words may be read without the supplement we make "spared neither man nor woman alive to bring to Gath": and so could tell no tales. Though Josephus expressly saysF11Antiqu. l. 6. c. 13. sect. 10. that David spared the men and abstained from the slaughter of them fearing lest they should declare to the king what he had done in plundering them:

saying lest they should tell on us saying so did David: in such and such places such numbers of people he destroyed and such quantities of cattle and goods he carried off:

and so will be his manner all the while he dwelleth in the country of the Philistines: this is what may be expected will be done by him in one place or another as long as he stays here; nothing will be heard of but desolation and destruction in some part of the country of the Philistines or another; or among those that were tributaries to them; so that it was not safe that he should be allowed to abide in it.

 

1 Samuel 27:12  12 So Achish believed David saying “He has made his people Israel utterly abhor him; therefore he will be my servant forever.”

   YLT  12And Achish believeth in David saying `He hath made himself utterly abhorred among his people in Israel and hath been to me for a servant age-during.'

And Achish believed David .... As he would have him understand his story; imposing upon him by ambiguous terms insinuating he had been against the southern parts of Judah when he had been against foreign nations that lay to the south of Judah:

saying he hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; they shall never forgive him the destruction of their cities and the inhabitants of them and the plunder of their goods and cattle; his name will be had in the utmost detestation and abhorrence and he must never return thither any more:

therefore he shall be my servant for ever: would be glad to continue with him as a servant and be obliged to serve him faithfully and truly since his own people and even those of his own tribe would never more receive him; it being as he understood it the south of Judah that he had been plundering.

 

──John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

Footnotes:

  1. 1 Samuel 27:8 Or Gezrites