Albert Barnes Commentary 1 Samuel 27
Albert Barnes Commentary
1 Samuel 27
Albert Barnes Commentary
1 Samuel 27
"And David said unto Achish, If now I have found favor in thine eyes, let them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, that I may dwell there: for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee?" — 1 Samuel 27:5 (ASV)
David, with characteristic Near Eastern subtlety (Compare to 1 Samuel 21:2), suggests that his presence was burdensome and expensive to the king as a reason for leaving Gath. His real motive was to be further from observation and control, so he could act as an enemy of Saul without actually lifting his hand against him or his own countrymen of Israel.
"Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day." — 1 Samuel 27:6 (ASV)
Ziklag - This was originally one of the cities of Simeon within the tribe of Judah (see marginal references), but it had been occupied by the Philistines. Its exact location is uncertain.
To this day - This phrase, coupled with the title "the kings of Judah," implies that this account was written after the revolt of Jeroboam and before the Babylonian captivity.
"And David and his men went up, and made a raid upon the Geshurites, and the Girzites, and the Amalekites; for those [nations] were the inhabitants of the land, who were of old, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt." — 1 Samuel 27:8 (ASV)
The Geshurites bordered the Philistines and lived in the mountainous district that terminates the desert on the northeast (marginal reference). They were a different tribe, or at least a different branch of it, from the Geshurites who lived on the northeast border of Bashan and were Arameans (2 Samuel 15:8). The Gezrites, or Gerzites, may be connected with those who gave their name to Mount Gerizim.
"And Achish said, Against whom have ye made a raid to-day? And David said, Against the South of Judah, and against the South of the Jerahmeelites, and against the South of the Kenites." — 1 Samuel 27:10 (ASV)
The Jerahmeelites - That is, the descendants of Jerahmeel, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah (see marginal references). They were therefore a portion of the “south of Judah.”
The Kenites - See the note on Numbers 24:21; Judges 4:11; and for their close proximity to Amalek, see 1 Samuel 15:6.
"And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring them to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell of us, saying, So did David, and so hath been his manner all the while he hath dwelt in the country of the Philistines." — 1 Samuel 27:11 (ASV)
Tidings - This word is not in the original text. The meaning is, rather, “to bring them to Gath” as captives and slaves. The prisoners taken would naturally have been part of the spoil, but David did not dare to bring them to Gath, fearing his deceit would be discovered. Obviously, these tribes were allies of the Philistines.
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