1 Samuel 27:1-6

1 And David said in his heart, Sometime I shall fall in one day in the hand of Saul (One day I shall fall by Saul's hand); whether it is not better, that I flee, and be saved in the land of (the) Philistines, (so) that Saul despair, and cease to seek me in all the ends of Israel; therefore flee we his hands.

2 And (so) David rose up, and went forth, he and six hundred men with him, to Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath.

3 And David dwelled with Achish in Gath, he, and his men, and his house(hold) (And David lived with Achish in Gath, he, and his men, and his family); that is, David, and his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail, the wife of Nabal of Carmel.

4 And it was told to Saul, that David (had) fled into Gath; and he added no more that he should seek (after) David [and he added no more for to seek him].

5 Forsooth David said to Achish, If I have found grace in thine eyes, (let) a place be given to me in one of the cities of this country, that I dwell there; for why dwelleth thy servant in the city of the king with thee? (for why should thy servant remain with thee in the king's city?)

6 Therefore Achish gave him Ziklag in that day (And so Achish gave him Ziklag that day), for the which cause Ziklag was made into (a) possession of the kings of Judah unto this day.

1 Samuel 27:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 27

David, fearing he should perish by the hand of Saul at one time or another, went into the land of the Philistines, which Saul hearing of, sought no more after him, 1Sa 27:1-4; and finding favour in the eyes of the king of Gath, desired a place in his country might be given him to reside in; and accordingly Ziklag was given him, 1Sa 27:5-7; from whence he made excursions into the land of the Amalekites, and others, and utterly destroyed them; but imposed on the king of Gath, pretending he had made his road into the southern parts of Judah, 1Sa 27:8-12.