1 Samuel 27:1
1 Samuel 27:1 in Multiple Translations
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.”
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.
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 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.
And David said to himself, Some day death will come to me by the hand of Saul: the only thing for me to do is to get away into the land of the Philistines; then Saul will give up hope of taking me in any part of the land of Israel: and so I may be able to get away from him.
But David said to himself, “One of these days Saul is going to get me. I think I'd better run away to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will give up looking for me all over Israel and he won't catch me.”
And Dauid said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: is it not better for me that I saue my selfe in the lande of the Philistims, and that Saul may haue no hope of me to seeke me any more in all the coastes of Israel, and so escape out of his hand?
And 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.'
David said in his heart, “I will 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 I will escape out of his hand.”
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 will despair of me, to seek me any more in any border of Israel; so shall I escape from his hand.
And David said in his heart: I shall gone day or other fall into the hands of Saul: is it not better for me to flee, and to be saved in the land of the Philistines, that Saul may despair of me, and cease to seek me in all the coasts of Israel? I will flee then out of his hands.
But David thought, “Some day Saul will capture me if I stay around here. So the best thing that I can do is to escape and go to the Philistia area. If I do that, Saul will stop searching for me here in Israel, and I will be safe.”
Berean Amplified Bible — 1 Samuel 27:1
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1 Samuel 27:1 Interlinear (Deep Study)
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Hebrew Word Reference — 1 Samuel 27:1
Study Notes — 1 Samuel 27:1
- Context
- Cross References
- 1 Samuel 27:1 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on 1 Samuel 27:1
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Samuel 27:1
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on 1 Samuel 27:1
- Trapp's Commentary on 1 Samuel 27:1
- Ellicott's Commentary on 1 Samuel 27:1
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on 1 Samuel 27:1
- Cambridge Bible on 1 Samuel 27:1
- Whedon's Commentary on 1 Samuel 27:1
- Sermons on 1 Samuel 27:1
Context — David and the Philistines
1David, 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.”
2So David set out with his six hundred men and went to Achish son of Maoch, the king of Gath. 3David 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.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaiah 40:27–31 | Why 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”? Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary; His understanding is beyond searching out. He gives power to the faint and increases the strength of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall. But those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint. |
| 2 | 1 Samuel 21:10–15 | That day David fled from Saul and went to Achish king of Gath. But the servants of Achish said to him, “Is this not David, the king of the land? Did they not sing about him in their dances, saying: ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands’?” Now David took these words to heart and was very much afraid of Achish the king of Gath. So he changed his behavior before them and feigned madness in their hands; he scratched on the doors of the gate and let his saliva run down his beard. Then Achish said to his servants, “Look, you can see that the man is insane! Why have you brought him to me? Am I in need of madmen, that you have brought this man to rave in my presence? Must this man come into my house?” |
| 3 | 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? |
| 4 | 1 Samuel 28:1–2 | Now in those days the Philistines gathered their forces for warfare against Israel. So Achish said to David, “You must understand that you and your men are to go out to battle with me.” David replied, “Then you will come to know what your servant can do.” “Very well,” said Achish. “I will make you my bodyguard for life.” |
| 5 | Isaiah 30:15–16 | For the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said: “By repentance and rest you would be saved; your strength would lie in quiet confidence— but you were not willing.” “No,” you say, “we will flee on horses.” Therefore you will flee! “We will ride swift horses,” but your pursuers will be faster. |
| 6 | 1 Samuel 23:17 | saying, “Do not be afraid, for my father Saul will never lay a hand on you. And you will be king over Israel, and I will be your second-in-command. Even my father Saul knows this is true.” |
| 7 | 1 Samuel 27:10–11 | 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.” 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. |
| 8 | Psalms 116:11 | In my alarm I said, “All men are liars!” |
| 9 | 1 Samuel 25:30 | When the LORD has done for my lord all the good He promised, and when He has appointed you ruler over Israel, |
| 10 | 1 Samuel 16:1 | Now the LORD said to Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have selected from his sons a king for Myself.” |
1 Samuel 27:1 Summary
In this verse, David is feeling desperate and scared because King Saul is trying to kill him, so he decides to escape to the land of the Philistines, which seems like a strange decision, but it shows that even when we're trying to do the right thing, we can make mistakes. David's story reminds us that God is always with us, even when we're feeling scared or alone, as seen in Deuteronomy 31:6, and that He can use our mistakes for our good, as mentioned in Romans 8:28. We can learn from David's experience to trust in God's plan and provision, even when things seem uncertain or difficult, and to persevere in faith, as seen in Hebrews 11:1.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did David think he would be swept away by the hand of Saul?
David thought he would be swept away by the hand of Saul because Saul had been trying to kill him, as seen in 1 Samuel 26:2, and David felt that he couldn't escape Saul's pursuit forever, so he decided to take matters into his own hands and flee to the land of the Philistines.
Was it right for David to go to the land of the Philistines?
While David's decision to go to the land of the Philistines may seem questionable, it's essential to consider his circumstances and the fact that God was still with him, as seen in 1 Samuel 26:24, and that he was trying to escape from Saul's relentless pursuit, as mentioned in 1 Samuel 26:19.
What can we learn from David's decision to escape to the land of the Philistines?
We can learn from David's decision that sometimes, even when we're trying to do the right thing, we can make mistakes or take wrong turns, but God is still sovereign and can use those situations for our good, as seen in Romans 8:28, and that we should always trust in God's plan and provision, as mentioned in Jeremiah 29:11.
How does this verse relate to the rest of the story of David's life?
This verse is a pivotal moment in David's life, as it shows his desperation and fear, but also his trust in God's plan, and it sets the stage for his future interactions with the Philistines and his eventual rise to kingship, as seen in 2 Samuel 2:4, and it reminds us that even in difficult circumstances, God is always working to accomplish His purposes, as mentioned in Isaiah 55:11.
Reflection Questions
- What are some times in my life when I felt like I was being pursued by my enemies, and how did I respond?
- How can I trust in God's plan and provision when I'm facing difficult circumstances, like David did in this verse?
- What are some ways that I can apply David's experience of feeling desperate and fearful to my own life, and how can I use those feelings to draw closer to God?
- How can I balance my desire for self-preservation with my trust in God's sovereignty, as David seemed to be doing in this verse?
- What can I learn from David's example about the importance of perseverance and faith in the face of adversity, as seen in this verse and throughout his story?
Gill's Exposition on 1 Samuel 27:1
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Samuel 27:1
Matthew Poole's Commentary on 1 Samuel 27:1
Trapp's Commentary on 1 Samuel 27:1
Ellicott's Commentary on 1 Samuel 27:1
Adam Clarke's Commentary on 1 Samuel 27:1
Cambridge Bible on 1 Samuel 27:1
Whedon's Commentary on 1 Samuel 27:1
Sermons on 1 Samuel 27:1
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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And David Said, I Shall Now Perish One Day by F.B. Meyer | F.B. Meyer reflects on David's moment of despair, highlighting how even a man of faith can succumb to doubt and fear when surrounded by negative influences. Despite God's promises |
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Don't Die in Your Wilderness by David Wilkerson | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of holding onto God's promises in times of trouble. He reminds the congregation that God has commanded them not to fear or be |
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Don’t Let Discouragement Take Your Strength by Carter Conlon | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the story of Joshua and the battle of Jericho. The Israelites are faced with a fortified city that they don't have the weaponry to fight agai |
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(Through the Bible) Micah by Chuck Smith | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes that God's requirement for us is to believe in His Son, Jesus Christ, as our Lord and Savior. The prophet in the Bible asks what he can do t |
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He Giveth Power by Carl Armerding | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the questions raised by the enemy concerning God. He refers to the four questions asked by God in the previous portion of the scripture. The |
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10 Ways to Prevail in Prayer by Shane Idleman | Shane Idleman emphasizes the significance of prayer in the Christian life, presenting ten ways to prevail in prayer, including the necessity of worship, perseverance, and obedience |
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The Eternal Inheritance - Introduction by Phil Beach Jr. | Phil Beach Jr. emphasizes the significance of allowing God's Word to penetrate deeply into our spirits, as highlighted in Psalms 119:130, which states that the entrance of God's wo |






