1 Samuel 27

Chapter context

What is happening in 1 Samuel 27?

leadershipanointingobediencekingship

1 Samuel 27 belongs to the middle movement of the book, especially the section often described as Saul’s collapse and death. First Samuel traces the fall of Eli’s house, the ministry of Samuel, the failure of Saul, and the painful emergence of David. Read this chapter with the wider themes of leadership, anointing, and obedience in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.

¹ And 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 speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand. ² And David arose, and he passed over with the six hundred men that were with him unto Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath. ³ And 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. ⁴ And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him. ⁵ And David said unto Achish, If I have now found grace in thine eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there: for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee? ⁶ Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day. ⁷ And the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months. ⁸ And David and his men went up, and invaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites: for those nations were of old the inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt. ⁹ And David smote the land, and left neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel, and returned, and came to Achish. ¹⁰ And Achish said, Whither have ye made a road to day? And David said, Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelites, and against the south of the Kenites. ¹¹ And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring tidings to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on us, saying, So did David, and so will be his manner all the while he dwelleth in the country of the Philistines. ¹² And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever.

Study helps

Glossary

David Person v. 1-5, 7-12: Beloved, the eighth and youngest son of Jesse, a citizen of Bethlehem. His father seems to have been a man in humble life. His mother’s name is not recorded. Some think she was the Nahash of 2 Sam. 17:25 .
Saul Person v. 1, 4: Asked for. (1. ) A king of Edom ( Gen. 36:37 , 38); called Shaul in 1 Chr. 1:48 .
Gath Place v. 2-4, 11: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Tell es Safi.
Abigail Person v. 3: Father (i. e., “leader”) of the dance, or “of joy. ” (1. ) The sister of David, and wife of Jether an Ishmaelite ( 1 Chr. 2:16 , 17). She was the mother of Amasa ( 2 Sam. 17:25 ).
Ahinoam Person v. 3: Brother of pleasantness = pleasant. (1. ) The daughter of Ahimaaz, and wife of Saul ( 1 Sam. 14:50 ). (2. ) A Jezreelitess, the first wife of David ( 1 Sam. 25:43 ; 27:3 ). She was the mother of Amnon ( 2 Sam. 3:2 ).
Carmel Place v. 3: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Khirbet el Kirmil.
Jezreel Place v. 3: God scatters. (1. ) A town of Issachar ( Josh. 19:18 ), where the kings of Israel often resided ( 1 Kings 18:45 ; 21:1 ; 2 Kings 9:30 ). Modern identification: Yatta.
City People v. 5: The earliest mention of city-building is that of Enoch, which was built by Cain ( Gen. 4:17 ). After the confusion of tongues, the descendants of Nimrod founded several cities (10:10-12).
Ziklag Place v. 6: A town in the Negeb, or south country of Judah ( Josh. 15:31 ), in the possession of the Philistines when David fled to Gath from Ziph with all his followers. Modern identification: Tell esh Sharia.
Egypt Place v. 8: The land of the Nile and the pyramids, the oldest kingdom of which we have any record, holds a place of great significance in Scripture. Modern identification: Ain Shams.
Shur Place v. 8: An enclosure; a wall, a part, probably, of the Arabian desert, on the north-eastern border of Egypt, giving its name to a wilderness extending from Egypt toward Philistia ( Gen. 16:7 ; 20:1 ; 25:18 ; Ex. 15:22 ). Modern identification: Ar Ruwaysat.
Negeb Place v. 10: Biblical region. Modern identification: Tel Beer Sheva.