1 Samuel 27:9

9 When David would attack an area, he wouldn't leave a man or woman alive. But he would take their sheep, cattle, donkeys, camels and clothes. Then he would return 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 David lived in Philistine territory for a year and four months.

8 Sometimes David and his men would go up and attack the Geshurites. At other times they would attack the Girzites or the Amalekites. All of those people had lived in the land that reached all the way to Shur and Egypt. They had been there for a long time.

9 When David would attack an area, he wouldn't leave a man or woman alive. But he would take their sheep, cattle, donkeys, camels and clothes. Then he would return to Achish.

10 Achish would ask, "Who did you attack today?" David would answer, "The people who live in the Negev Desert of Judah." Or he would answer, "The people in the Negev Desert of Jerahmeel." Or he would answer, "The people in the Negev Desert of the Kenites."

11 David wouldn't leave a man or woman alive to be brought back to Gath. He thought, "They might tell on us. They might tell Achish who we really attacked." That's what David did as long as he lived in Philistine territory.