1Sa 27:1-3 | Clarke | e4.org | CHAPTER XXVII David flies to Achish, king of Gath, who receives him kindly, and gives him Ziklag to dwell in, where he continues a year and four months , 1-7. David invades the Geshurites and Amalekites, and leaves neither man nor woman alive , 8, 9. He returns to Achish, and pretends that he had been making inroads on the Israelites, and Achish believes it , 10-12. NOTES ON CHAP. XXVII Verse 1. I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul ] This was a very hasty conclusion: God had so often interposed in behalf of his life, that he was authorized to believe the reverse. God had hitherto confounded all Saul's stratagems, and it was not at all likely that he would now abandon him: there was now no additional reason why he should withdraw from David his helping hand.

‏ 1 Samuel 27:1-3

CHAPTER XXVII

David flies to Achish, king of Gath, who receives him kindly, and gives him Ziklag to dwell in, where he continues a year and four months, 1-7.

David invades the Geshurites and Amalekites, and leaves neither man nor woman alive, 8, 9.

He returns to Achish, and pretends that he had been making inroads on the Israelites, and Achish believes it, 10-12.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXVII

Verse 1. I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul] This was a very hasty conclusion: God had so often interposed in behalf of his life, that he was authorized to believe the reverse. God had hitherto confounded all Saul's stratagems, and it was not at all likely that he would now abandon him: there was now no additional reason why he should withdraw from David his helping hand.

Verse 2. David arose, and he passed over-unto Achish] There is not one circumstance in this transaction that is not blameable. David joins the enemies of his God and of his country, acts a most inhuman part against the Geshurites and Amalekites, without even the pretense of a Divine authority; tells a most deliberate falsehood to Achish, his protector, relative to the people against whom he had perpetrated this cruel act; giving him to understand that he had been destroying the Israelites, his enemies. I undertake no defence of this conduct of David; it is all bad, all defenceless; God vindicates him not. The inspired penman tells what he did, but passes no eulogium upon his conduct; and it is false to say that, because these things are recorded, therefore they are approved. In all these transactions David was in no sense a man after God's own heart. Chandler attempts to vindicate all this conduct: those who can receive his saying, let them receive it.

Verse 3. Every man with his household] So it appears that the men who consorted with David had wives and families. David and his company resembled a tribe of the wandering Arabs.