Chapter Twenty-Seven

David’s dwelling in the Philistine cities of Gath and Ziklag.

1 Samuel 27:2. David rose up and went with the six hundred men who were with him to Achish, son of Maoch, king of Gath. The Philistine city of Gath is to the west of Bethlehem. See 1 Sam 21:10-15.

1 Samuel 27:3. David lived with Achish in Gath, he and his men, each with his household, David and his two wives—Ahinoam the Jezreelite and Abigail, the widow of Nabal the Carmelite. See 1 Sam 25:42-43.

1 Samuel 27:5. David said to Achish, “If I have found favor in your eyes, let a place be given to me in one of the small cities, and I will dwell there; why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you? 1 Samuel 27:6. Then Achish gave him Ziklag, therefore Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah until this day. 1 Samuel 27:7. All the time David lived in the land of the Philistines was a year and four months. 1 Samuel 27:8. David went out with his men and raided the Geshurites and the Girzites and the Amalekites, for those were the inhabitants of the land from ancient times extending to Shur and to the land of Egypt. 1 Samuel 27:9. David devastated the land and left no man or woman alive, and took sheep, oxen, donkeys, camels, and clothing, and returned and came to Achish. 1 Samuel 27:10. Achish said to David, “Where have you made a raid today?” David said, “Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelites, and against the south of the Kenites. 1 Samuel 27:11. David left no man or woman alive to be brought to Gath, for he thought, “Lest they should tell about us and say, ‘This is what David has done, and such has been his practice all the time he lived in the land of the Philistines.’ “Achish looked upon David as his vassal and was compelling him to harm his enemies, the Hebrews. To free himself from this impossible condition and at the same time not to arouse suspicion on the part of Achish, David obtained for his dwelling a place remote from the capital on the southern edge of Philistine territory—Ziklag. From there he undertook campaigns with his fighting men, but not eastward against Saul’s domains, but southward to strike the predatory tribes, who were equally enemies to both the Philistines and the Hebrews” (Ya. Bogorodsky, ‘The Hebrew Kings’, pp. 115–116).