1 Samuel 27:9

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.

1 Samuel 27:9 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 27:9

And David smote the land
In which the above mentioned people dwelt, that is, the inhabitants of it:

and left neither man nor woman alive;
for these being the old Canaanites and Amalekites, according to the law of God were not to be spared, but utterly destroyed; which may be observed to remove the charge of cruelty that might be brought against David on this account, ( Deuteronomy 7:2 ) ( 25:19 ) ; though this must be understood of such that came within his reach; for it is certain there were people of these several names after this; see ( 1 Samuel 30:1 ) ( 2 Samuel 3:3 ) ( 1 Kings 9:15 ) ;

and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels,
and the apparel, and returned, and came to Achish;
at Gath, to make a report of what he had been about and done; and what he brought was a good booty for the support of his men and their families.

1 Samuel 27:9 In-Context

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.