1 Samuelchapter 27
12 verses · BSB1 Samuel book hub →
A.Ziklag: David takes refuge with the king of Gathvv. 1-7
1 David, however, said to himself, “One of these days now I will be swept away by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will stop searching for me all over Israel, and I will slip out of his hand.” 2 So David set out with his six hundred men and went to Achish son of Maoch, the king of Gath. 3 David and his men settled in Gath with Achish. Each man had his family with him, and David had his two wives: Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail of Carmel, the widow of Nabal. 4 And when Saul learned that David had fled to Gath, he no longer searched for him. 5 Then David said to Achish, “If I have found favor in your eyes, let me be assigned a place in one of the outlying towns, so I can live there. For why should your servant live in the royal city with you?” 6 That day Achish gave him Ziklag, and to this day it still belongs to the kings of Judah. 7 And the time that David lived in Philistine territory amounted to a year and four months.
B.Raids reported crooked, and an enemy who trusts himvv. 8-12
8 Now David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites. (From ancient times these people had inhabited the land extending to Shur and Egypt.) 9 Whenever David attacked a territory, he did not leave a man or woman alive, but he took the flocks and herds, the donkeys, camels, and clothing. Then he would return to Achish, 10 who would ask him, “What have you raided today?” And David would reply, “The Negev of Judah,” or “The Negev of Jerahmeel,” or “The Negev of the Kenites.” 11 David did not leave a man or woman alive to be brought to Gath, for he said, “Otherwise they will report us, saying, ‘This is what David did.’” And this was David’s custom the whole time he lived in Philistine territory. 12 So Achish trusted David, thinking, “Since he has made himself an utter stench to his people Israel, he will be my servant forever.”
Chapter summary
David does the arithmetic and concludes he shall one day perish by the hand of Saul, so he defects with six hundred men to Achish of Gath, the king he once escaped by drooling in his beard.
Read the rest, the context and the outline ▾Show less ▴
Chapter summary
David does the arithmetic and concludes he shall one day perish by the hand of Saul, so he defects with six hundred men to Achish of Gath, the king he once escaped by drooling in his beard.
Read the rest, the context and the outline ▾Show less ▴
David does the arithmetic and concludes he shall one day perish by the hand of Saul, so he defects with six hundred men to Achish of Gath, the king he once escaped by drooling in his beard. Achish grants him Ziklag, where he stays a year and four months, and the town becomes crown property of the kings of Judah from that day. From there he raids the Geshurites, Girzites, and Amalekites, leaving no survivor to carry the report, so that Achish believes he has been striking his own people. It is the book's most uncomfortable stretch: the anointed king surviving by deception in enemy pay, one battle from having to fight Israel.
Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary and John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament.
Context
History · Samuel, Nathan, Gad — 1 Samuel overview
- A. 1–7 Ziklag: David takes refuge with the king of Gath
- B. 8–12 Raids reported crooked, and an enemy who trusts him
Top cross-references8 chapters ▾
1 Samuel 303 verses
- 1 Samuel 30:3When David and his men came to the city, they found it burned down and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive.
- 1 Samuel 30:5David’s two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel, had been taken captive.
- 1 Samuel 30:8and David inquired of the LORD: “Should I pursue these raiders? Will I overtake them?” “Pursue them,” the LORD replied, “for you will surely overtake them and rescue the captives.”
- Read 1 Samuel 30 →
1 Samuel 252 verses
- 1 Samuel 25:13And David said to his men, “Strap on your swords!” So David and all his men put on their swords, and about four hundred men followed David, while two hundred stayed with the supplies.
- 1 Samuel 25:42So Abigail hurried and got on a donkey, and attended by five of her maidens, she followed David’s messengers and became his wife.
- Read 1 Samuel 25 →
Joshua 132 verses
- Joshua 13:2This is the land that remains:
- Joshua 13:13but the Israelites did not drive out the Geshurites or the Maacathites. So Geshur and Maacath dwell among the Israelites to this day.
- Read Joshua 13 →
1 Samuel 152 verses
- 1 Samuel 15:3Now go and attack the Amalekites and devote to destruction all that belongs to them. Do not spare them, but put to death men and women, children and infants, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.’”
- 1 Samuel 15:7Then Saul struck down the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, which is east of Egypt.
- Read 1 Samuel 15 →
4 more chapters this one speaks with
1 Chronicles 22 verses
- 1 Chronicles 2:9The sons who were born to Hezron: Jerahmeel, Ram, and Caleb.
- 1 Chronicles 2:25The sons of Jerahmeel the firstborn of Hezron:
- Read 1 Chronicles 2 →
Isaiah 401 verse
- Isaiah 40:27Why do you say, O Jacob, and why do you assert, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the LORD, and my claim is ignored by my God”?
- Read Isaiah 40 →
Isaiah 511 verse
- Isaiah 51:12“I, even I, am He who comforts you. Why should you be afraid of mortal man, of a son of man who withers like grass?
- Read Isaiah 51 →
1 Samuel 271 verse
- 1 Samuel 27:10who would ask him, “What have you raided today?” And David would reply, “The Negev of Judah,” or “The Negev of Jerahmeel,” or “The Negev of the Kenites.”
- Read 1 Samuel 27 →
Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.