1 Samuel 27

AND David said in his heart, I shall now † perish one day by the hand of Saul I see by this late experience his restless and implacable hatred against me; and how little heed is to be given to all his pretences of Repentance or Friendship.: there is nothing better for me, than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines But this was certainly a very great mistake and fault in David: for 1. This proceeded from gross distrust of God's Promise and Providence; and that after such repeated demonstrations of Gods peculiar Car... over him, which gave him cause to conclude, quite contrary to what is here said. 2. He forsakes the place where God had settled him, Chap. 22. 5. and given him both assurance, and experience of his Protection there 3. He voluntarily runs upon that Rock, which he cursed his Enemies for throwing him upon, Chap. 26. 19. and upon many Snares and Dangers, as the following History will show; and withal, deprives the people of the Lord of those succours which he might have given them, in case of a Battel. But it pleased God to leave David to himself in this, as well as in other particulars, that these might be sensible demonstrations of the Infirmities of the best Men; and of the necessity of Gods grace, and daily direction and assistance: and of the freeness and riches of God's Mercy, in passing by such great Offences. And besides, God hereby designed to accomplish his own Counsel, to withdraw David from the Israelites, that Saul and they might fall by the hand of the Philistines, without any reproach or inconvenience to David, whom God had put into a safe place., and Sa... l shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel, so shall I escape out of his hand

And David arose, and he passed over with t... e six hundred men that were with him, unto Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath it might seem a bold adventure: but 1. He thought himself forced to it by Saul's inveterate Rage, and continued resolutions to Persecute him. 2. It is probable, he had sent some persons to Treat with him, and had agreed upon conditions; and received assurance of his safe and peaceable abode with him. 3. David reasonably thought, that Achish would gladly receive him, as indeed he; partly, because he saw Saul's implacable Enmity against him: partly, because by this means he should be freed from the most formidable Enemy which he had in all Isra... l, who might do him most mischief in the Battel; which it seems at this time he designed: and partly because, he came no... now alone, as he did before, but brought with him sufficient Pledges of his Fidelity to Achish; namely, all his Souldiers, and his and their Wives, v. 3..

And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his houshold, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabals wi... e.

And it was told Saul that Dav... d was sled to Gath, and he sought no more again for him By which it is implyed, That he would have gone on in Persecuting David, if he had continued in his Dominions..

¶ And David said unto Achish, If I have now found grace in thine eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there A prudent desire. Hereby David designed, 1. To preserve his People, both from the Idolatry, and other Vices; which conversation with the Philistines would have exposed them to: and from that envy, and malice, and mischief, which diversity of Religion, or other prejudices, might have caused. 2. That he might have opportunity of enterprizing something against Gods Enemies, without the knowledge, or observation of the Philistines.:... or why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee Which is too great an honour for me, and too burdensome to thee, and may be an occasion of suspicion and offence to thy People, and of many other inconveniences.?

Then Achish gave him Ziklag Not only to Inhabit, but to Possess it as his own. Which he did, to lay the greater obligations upon David, whom he knew so able to serve him. that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah It was given to the Tribe of Iudah before, Iosh. 15. 31. and afterwards to the Tribe of Simeon, Iosh. 19. 5. whose inheritance was given them within the of the children of Iudah, Chap. 19. 1 But the Philist... nes kept the Possession of it till this time, and were hitherto to do so. And being now given by them to David, it now belonged not to the people of the Tribe of Iudah, to whom it was allotted before; but to the Ki... g of Iudah, David and his Heirs for ever. unto this day This, and some such Clauses seem to have been added by some Sacred Writers, after the main substance of the several Books was written..

And the time that David dwelt in the countrey of the Philistines, was a full year and four months Heb. days and four months; days being put for a year; as Levit. 25. 29. Or, some days and four months; i. e. Some days above four Months. Or, some days and (for, even, or that is, the Conjunction, and, being oft so used, as has been proved above) four months..

¶ And David and his men went up, and invaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites Who were anciently seated in other places, Iosh. 12. 12. and 16. 3. but for some reasons not now known, they changed their Seats, as was then very usual and seated themselves and had for some considerable time lived near the Amalekites., and the Amalekites The remnant of those whom Saul destroyed, 1 Sam. 15. who fled from his Sword, and retired into Remote and Desert places.: for those nations were of old the inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt.

And David smote the land, and left neither man nor woman alive To wit, in that part where he came: but there were more of the Amalekites yet left in another part of that land, Chap. 30. 1., and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel, and returned, and came to Achish.

And Achish said, Whither have ye made a rode to day? And David said, Against the south of Judah These and the following Words are Ambiguous: for they may be understood, either of the Southern parts of Iudah, &c. which he would have Ac... ish understand: or, of another Country lying Southward from Iudah, &c. which David meant, and which was the truth. So though it was not a downright lye; yet it was an Equivocation, with an intention to deceive, which is the formality of a Lye, and was contrary to that simplicity which became David both as a Prince, and as an Eminent Professor of the true Religion., and For, that is: for in the following words, he particularly expresseth what part of the South of Iudah he went against, even that which was Inhabited by the Iera... meelites, and by the Kenites. against the south of the Jerahmeelites of a Family of Iu...,.... 2..., and against the south of the Kenites Posterity of Ie... hro, which chose to dwel... in the South of Iudah, Iudg. 1. 16. See Numb.... 4. 21..

And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring tidings to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on us That the tidings of this Action against this People (who were, it seems, either tributaries to, or confederates with Achish) might neither come quickly nor certainly to Achish his Court: which he might the rather promise himself, because Achish and all his Men were now busily imployed in their Warlike preparations against the Israelites; and if any flying rumour came thither, he thought by his Interest and Artifices he could easily discredit and dash it. Besides the consideration of Gods Curse denounced against the People whom he had now destroyed, and of Gods particular Promises made to him, and of his special Providence which he constantly experienced watching over him, made him more secure and confident in this and in many other hazardous attempts., saying, So did David, and so will be his manner all the while he dwelleth in the countrey of the Philistines.

And Achish believed David Partly, because of his confidence in David's Authority and Fidelity: partly, because most Men easily believe what they heartily wi... h to be true: and partly, from Gods Providence, which blinded him in this and in divers other particulars relating to David's coming hither, and abiding here., saying, He has made his people Israel utterly to abhor him: therefore he shall be my servant for ever.