1 Samuel 27:3

3 David and his men settled down in Gath near Achish. Each of David's men had his family with him. David had his two wives with him. They were Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail from Carmel. Abigail was Nabal's widow.

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 David thought, "Some day the powerful hand of Saul will destroy me. So the best thing I can do is escape. I'll go to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will stop looking for me everywhere in Israel. His hand won't be able to reach me."

2 So David and his 600 men left Israel. They went to Achish, the king of Gath. He was the son of Maoch.

3 David and his men settled down in Gath near Achish. Each of David's men had his family with him. David had his two wives with him. They were Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail from Carmel. Abigail was Nabal's widow.

4 Saul was told that David had run away to Gath. So he didn't look for David anymore.

5 David said to Achish, "If you are pleased with me, give me a place in one of your country towns. I can live there. I don't really need to live near you in the royal city."