Christianity

1 Samuel 27David Among the Philistines

Summary

1 Samuel 27 tells how David, convinced that Saul will one day kill him, takes his six hundred men and their families to Achish king of Gath. Saul stops searching for him. Achish gives David the town of Ziklag, which belongs to the kings of Judah from then on. For sixteen months David raids Geshurites, Gezrites and Amalekites, leaving no survivors to report, while telling Achish he has been raiding Judah. Achish trusts that David has made himself hated by Israel.

Key verse

“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.”

1 Samuel 27:1

Themes

Despair
Survival
Deception
Divided Loyalties

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 arose, and he passed over with the six hundred men that were with him unto Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath.

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.

And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him.

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?

Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day.

And the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months.

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.

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.

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.

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.

And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever.

Text: King James Version (1611/1769), public domain.

Across traditions

Christianity
1 Samuel 21: David's First Visit to Gath
On his earlier visit David had to feign madness to escape Achish. Now he returns as a commander with an army, and Achish welcomes him.
Judaism
Psalm 56 (JPS 1917): When the Philistines Took Him
Psalm 56's heading links it to the Philistines seizing David in Gath and expresses trust in God over fear of man.

Questions about 1 Samuel 27

Why did David go over to the Philistines?

1 Samuel 27:1 says he feared he would eventually perish by Saul's hand and saw no better option than escaping to Philistine territory, where Saul would stop pursuing him.

Where was Ziklag?

Ziklag was a town in the south of Judah given to David by Achish. Its exact location is uncertain, and several archaeological sites have been proposed.