The big picture
1 Samuel 27 opens in verse 1 with “And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 6 with “Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of…”, and closes in verse 12 with “And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him…” Repeated or prominent terms include David, Achish, Gath, land, country. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
1 Samuel · King James Version · 121 Samuel 27:1-6
1–6: David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul…
1 Samuel 27:1–6 opens with “And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing…” and reaches “Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Samuel 27 develops its own movement around David, Achish, Gath, land, country, with particular weight carried by David, Achish, Gath.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“And David arose, and he passed over with the six hundred men that were with him unto Achish, the son of Maoch, king of…” The number six makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
1 Samuel 27:1-6
King James Version1And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.
2And David arose, and he passed over with the six hundred men that were with him unto Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath.
3And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s wife.
4And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him.
5And 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: for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee?
6Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day.
1 Samuel 27:7-12
7–12: The time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full…
1 Samuel 27:7–12 opens with “And the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months.” and reaches “And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Samuel 27 develops its own movement around David, Achish, Gath, land, country, with particular weight carried by David, Achish, land.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“And the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months.” The number four makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
“And David and his men went up, and invaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites: for those nations…” Naming Amalekites and David keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
1 Samuel 27:7-12
King James Version7And the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months.
8And David and his men went up, and invaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites: for those nations were of old the inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt.
9And David smote the land, and left neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel, and returned, and came to Achish.
10And Achish said, Whither have ye made a road to day? And David said, Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelites, and against the south of the Kenites.
11And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring tidings to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on us, saying, So did David, and so will be his manner all the while he dwelleth in the country of the Philistines.
12And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
1 Samuel 27:1 begins with “And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the…”
Where the chapter turns
1 Samuel 27:6 forms a natural hinge: “Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day.”
The final note
1 Samuel 27:12 leaves the reader with “And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words David, Achish, Gath, land, country, Philistines help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What makes the deception more than a harmless family trick?
Jacob exploits his father's blindness, impersonates his brother and invokes God while lying.
What does the family lose?
Trust, safety and proximity: Jacob must flee, and Esau carries murderous resentment.
KJV words made clear
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
- hath
- has
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.