1 Samuel 27:3

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.

1 Samuel 27:3 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 27:3

And David dwelt with Achish at Gath
The metropolis of his kingdom, called, ( 1 Samuel 27:5 ) , the royal city:

he and his men, every man with his household;
or family; which they brought with them, to secure them from the malice of Saul; who in their absence might have destroyed them, as being the families of traitors and fugitives, and might be the more readily received by Achish, as he might hope for some advantage front them; and besides were pledges of their fidelity to him, and of their design to continue with him:

[even] David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail
the Carmelitess, Nabal's wife;
who had been the wife of Nabal; of these (See Gill on 1 Samuel 25:43).

1 Samuel 27:3 In-Context

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?)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.