1 Samuel 27

David not trusting Saul, determineth to leave the Land of Israel, vers. 1, etc. He goeth forth with six hundred men to King Achis, 2. Where he abideth a while withal his family, 3. Saul hearing of this, desireth a City to dwell in, 5. Achis giveth him Ziglag, 6. There he dwelt a year and four months, 7. David spoileth some of the neighbour nations, 8. And left no man there alive, 9. That no ma might complain of him to Achis, 11. Achis believeth and trusteth David too much, 12.

1. David now said in his heart, [i.e. with himself] Now I shall one of the days, [i.e. at one time or another] perish by the hand of Saul: [This is a demonstration of the weakness of Davids faith and confidence in the excellent promises of God] nothing is better for me, then that I should speedily escape [Heb. Escaping escape] into the Land of the Philistines, [This was the counsel of weak flesh. See 1 Samuel 22:5. There the Prophet God reproved David in a like matter] that Saul may lose the hope of me, to seek me (any) more in all the border of Israel, so shall I escape out of his hand.

2. Then David gat up, and he passed thorow, he, and his six hundred men that were with him, unto Achis the son of Moach [Likely having first desired and obtained leave of Achis to come thither, and to tarry there: And that not for his own person alone, as he did at first, chapter 21. 10. But for all the men and women that were with him] the King of Gath. [Lying in the Philistines land, of which City Goliath was, above chapter 6. 17.]

3. And David abode with Achis at Gath, he, and his men, every one with his house: David with both his wives, Abinoam the Jisraelitess, and Abigail wife of Nabal, [i.e. which had been the wife of Nabal. She is likewise so called below, chapter 30. 5.] the Carmelitess.

4. When it was told Saul, that David was fled to Gath: the he proceeded not to seek him (any) more.

5. And David said unto Achis, If I have now found grace in thine eyes, let them give me a place in one of the Cities of the Land, that I may dwell there: [David sought to dwell somewhere apart by himself, with those that appertained to him, to escape the danger both of body ad soul, which might have befallen him form the Philistines] for why should thy servant dwell in the royal City with thee? [David knew full well how dangerous it was, for strangers (especially that were of any power) to dwell with a King in his own City: Therefore he was desirous to prevent this jealousy or suspicion; but he giveth it another name, as if he had said, This honour belongeth not to me, my Lord, O King.]

6. Then Achis gave him Ziglag [this City belonged first to the tribe of Juda, in as much as God had give them those Cities of the Land, as appeareth, Joshua 15:31. But the Philistines had take it from the Israelites, and had kept possession of it till now, and now Achis giveth it unto David] that day : Thereofore Ziklag was (or perstained to) the King of Juda unto this day.

7. Now the number of the days that David dwelt in the Philistines Land, was a year, and four months. [Heb. Was days, and four months. The word days in the plural number, is often taken by the Hebrews for a year, See Levit. 25. 29. David abode at Ziklag until the death of Saul, then came he to Hebron, 2 Sam. 2. 1. Some take it thus: (Certain) days, and four months].

8. David now went up with his men, and they fell upon the Gesurites, [See the annotat. On Joshua 12:5. And 16. 3.] and the Girzites, [For Girzites. These were Canaanites, that dwelt before time at Gezer, or Gazer, in the Land of Ephraim. These being thence also expelled, went and dwelt on the South-side of the Land of Canaan.] and the Amalekites; [These were of Esau’s posterity whom the Lord commanded Saul utterly to destroy: but he left some remaining, against whom David here maketh war] (for these) [viz. The Gesurites, and the Girzites; these formerly inhabited the Land of Canaan] were of old the inhabitants of the Land) [viz. The Jewish Land, both on this and on the other side of Jordan] where thou goest to Sur, and unto the Land of Egypt.

9. And David smote that Land, [viz. The inhabitants of the Land. This is now to be understood of all the Amalekites, which he found there, whom God had commanded to be destroyed, Exodus 17:14. Deuteronomy 25:19. And Sam. 15. 3.] and left neither man nor woman alive. [This he did for this end, that they might not complain of him to the Philistines, whom he would make believe, that he had fallen into the Land of the Israelites] he took also the sheep, the Oxen, and the Asses, and Camels, and apparel, and returned and came to Achis.

10. When Achis said, Whither fell ye in to day? Then David said, Against the South of Juda, [But not in the Land of Juda, as Achis meant, and also David seemed to say: But David fell into these Lands of the Amalekites, and of their neighbour nations and thus did David through human frailty deceive King Achis with ambigious and equivocal words, words that bear a double sense and meaning,] and against the South of the Jerahmeelites, [These were inhabitants of the Land of Juda, the Posterity of Hebron, 1 Chronicles 2:9, 25.] and against the South of the Keites. [These were the posterity of Jehu, the father in law of Moseh. See the annotate. On Judge 1. 16.]

11. And David left neither man nor woman alive, [This did David do for this end, that no man might bring tidings to Achis, as immediately followeth. Besides Ziklag lay so far distant from Gath, that in this respect also tidings hereof could not straight way be brought to Achis. In the mean while David executed Gods vengeance against the banned nations] to brig (tiding) to Gath, saying, [i.e. thinking with himself left peradventure they should tell of us, [Understand withal, It behoveth me to look to it] saying, Thus hath David done: and thus was his manner, all the days that he dwelt in the philistines Land.

12. And Achis believed David, saying, [viz. With himself] he hath made himself quite stinking [Heb. Making stinking made stinking; i.e. made himself so stinking, hateful, and compatible, that his own nation among his people, in Israel, therefore he shall be my servant for ever. [i.e. always, all his life-time.]