---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  1 Samuel 27"
description: "CHAPTER 27   :-. SAUL HEARING
THAT DAVID
WAS FLED
TO GATH, SEEKS
NO MORE
FOR HIM. 1. David said in his heart, . . .
there is nothing better for me than th"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/1-samuel/27"
---

CHAPTER 27

. SAUL HEARING
THAT DAVID
WAS FLED
TO GATH, SEEKS
NO MORE
FOR HIM.

**1. David said in his heart, . . .
there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape
into the land of the Philistines**—This resolution of David's
was, in every respect, wrong: (1) It was removing him from the place
where the divine oracle intimated him to remain (); (2) It was rushing into the idolatrous land, for driving
him into which he had denounced an imprecation on his enemies (); (3) It was a withdrawal of his counsel and aid from God's
people. It was a movement, however, overruled by Providence to detach
him from his country and to let the disasters impending over Saul and
his followers be brought on by the Philistines.

**2, 3. Achish, the son of Maoch, king
of Gath**—The popular description of this king's family creates a
presumption that he was a different king from the reigning sovereign
on David's first visit to Gath. Whether David had received a special
invitation from him or a mere permission to enter his territories,
cannot be determined. It is probable that the former was the case.
From the universal notoriety given to the feud between Saul and
David, which had now become irreconcilable, it might appear to Achish
good policy to harbor him as a guest, and so the better pave the way
for the hostile measures against Israel which the Philistines were at
this time meditating.
. DAVID BEGS
ZIKLAG OF ACHISH.

**5. let them give me a place in some
town in the country**—It was a prudent arrangement on the part of
David; for it would prevent him being an object of jealous suspicion,
or of mischievous plots among the Philistines. It would place his
followers more beyond the risk of contamination by the idolatries of
the court and capital; and it would give him an opportunity of making
reprisals on the freebooting tribes that infested the common border
of Israel and the Philistines.

**6. Ziklag**—Though originally
assigned to Judah ([Joshua 15:31](../../../kjv/joshua/15/31)),
and subsequently to Simeon ([Joshua 15:31](../../../kjv/joshua/15/31)), this town had never been possessed by the Israelites. It
belonged to the Philistines, who gave it to David.

**8. David . . . went up, and invaded
the Geshurites**—(See [Joshua 13:2](../../../kjv/joshua/13/2)).
**and the Gezrites**—or the
Gerizi [GESENIUS], ([Joshua 13:2](../../../kjv/joshua/13/2)), some Arab horde which had once encamped there.
**and the Amalekites**—Part
of the district occupied by them lay on the south of the land of
Israel ([Judges 5:14](../../../kjv/judges/5/14); [Judges 12:15](../../../kjv/judges/12/15)).

**10. Achish said, Whither have ye
made a road to-day?**—that is, *raid,* a hostile excursion
for seizing cattle and other booty.
**David said, Against the south
of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelites**—Jerahmeel
was the great-grandson of Judah, and his posterity occupied the
southern portion of that tribal domain.
**the south of the Kenites**—the
posterity of Jethro, who occupied the south of Judah ([Judges 1:16](../../../kjv/judges/1/16);
[Numbers 24:21](../../../kjv/numbers/24/21)). The deceit practised
upon his royal host and the indiscriminate slaughter committed, lest
any one should escape to tell the tale, exhibit an unfavorable view
of this part of David's history.

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