Summary: David knows that Saul will continue to try to kill him, so he travels to Gath with his 600 men into the land of the Philistines (vv.1-3), and Saul stopped searching for him (v.4). David lived there for over a year (v.7). Achish believes that David will serve him in Gath, because of his poor reputation in Israel (v.12). David would kill Amalekites who were attacking the Philistines (v.8), but he would tell Achish that he was killing people from Judah or Judah’s allies (v.10). Thus, he is serving Achish, but he is also serving the Israelites.
(27:1) Saul has broken his promise of repentance multiple times at this point. David gives up on trying to trust him. He sees that his best option is to flee from Israel. This strategy works because Saul grows weary of chasing David (v.4).
(27:2) David had stayed with Achish earlier, so they knew each other (1 Sam. 21:10). Gath is about 30 miles northwest of Ziph.[]
(27:3) See
(27:4) See verse 1. Saul gave up searching for David like a “partridge in the mountains” (1 Sam. 26:20). Saul likely feared going into Philistine territory as well.
(27:5) Why wouldn’t David prefer to live in Achish’s palace? As it turns out, David wants to be away from Achish’s oversight, so that he can double-cross him.
(27:6) Ziklag originally belonged to the territory of Judah. It was 23 miles south-southwest of Gath,[] so David had a considerable distance between himself and Achish.
(27:7) David lived in exile for over a year.
(27:8) The Amalekites were themselves raiders (1 Sam. 14:48; 30:1).
(27:9) David was incredibly violent. He didn’t leave a man or woman alive, so that there would be no witnesses to report to Achish (v.11).
(27:10) David lies to Achish, telling him that he is actually attacking the men of Judah in the Negev. This is the second time he has deceived Achish (1 Sam. 21). Youngblood writes, “[David] implies to Achish that Judahite hostility toward David is increasing, and at the same time he gains the appreciation and loyalty of Judah toward himself by raiding their desert neighbors.”[]
(27:11) David didn’t want his cover to be blown.
(27:12) Achish underestimates David by calling him a mere “servant.”
It would have been easy for David to turn bitter toward the nation of Israel. After all, he had been fighting for Israel for a long time, and yet, he was repaid with nothing but death threats. Instead of turning bitter, David continues to serve God—even in exile.
Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 774.
Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 774-775.
Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 775.
James is an elder at Dwell Community Church, where he teaches classes in theology, apologetics, and weekly Bible studies.
