1 Samuel 27: Refuge Among the Enemy
Weary of the chase, David seeks safety with the Philistine king Achish, settling in Ziklag and concealing his true raids.
1 Samuel 27 (WEB)
1 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 escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me any more in all the borders of Israel. So shall I escape out of his hand.”
2 David arose, and passed over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath.
3 David lived 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.
4 It was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him.
5 David said to Achish, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, let them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, that I may dwell there. For why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you?”
6 Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: therefore Ziklag belongs to the kings of Judah to this day.
7 The number of the days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months.
8 David and his men went up, and made a raid on the Geshurites, and the Girzites, and the Amalekites; for those were the inhabitants of the land, who were of old, as you go to Shur, even to the land of Egypt.
9 David struck the land, and saved neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the cattle, and the donkeys, and the camels, and the clothing; and he returned, and came to Achish.
10 Achish said, “Against whom have you made a raid today?” David said, “Against the South of Judah, against the South of the Jerahmeelites, and against the South of the Kenites.”
11 David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring them to Gath, saying, “Lest they should tell of us, saying, ‘David this, and this has been his way all the time he has lived in the country of the Philistines.’”
12 Achish believed David, saying, “He has made his people Israel utterly to abhor him. Therefore he shall be my servant forever.”
1 Samuel 27 (KJV)
1 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 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.
2 And David arose, and he passed over with the six hundred men that were with him unto Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath.
3 And 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.
4 And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him.
5 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: for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee?
6 Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day.
7 And the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months.
8 And 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.
9 And 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.
10 And 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.
11 And 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.
12 And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever.
1 Samuel 27 (ASV)
1 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 escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me any more in all the borders of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.
2 And David arose, and passed over, he and the six hundred men that were with him, unto Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath.
3 And 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.
4 And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him.
5 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?
6 Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day.
7 And the number of the days that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months.
8 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.
9 And David smote the land, and saved neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel; and he returned, and came to Achish.
10 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.
11 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.
12 And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever.
Summary
Despairing in his heart that he will one day die by Saul's hand, David decides to escape into Philistine territory so Saul will give up the hunt. He goes over to Achish, king of Gath, with his six hundred men and their households, and when Saul hears David has fled to Gath, he stops pursuing him. David asks Achish for a country town rather than the royal city, and Achish gives him Ziklag, which from then on belongs to the kings of Judah. For a year and four months David lives in Philistine country, raiding the Geshurites, Girzites, and Amalekites, ancient enemies of Israel, leaving no survivor to report the truth. When Achish asks where he has raided, David deceives him, naming the south of Judah and its allies, so Achish believes David has made himself utterly detested by his own people and will be his servant forever. The chapter shows David at a low point of faith, drifting into half-truths and a precarious alliance, even as God's larger purposes continue to unfold around him.
Main Characters
- David — The discouraged fugitive who, fearing Saul, takes refuge among the Philistines and resorts to deception to keep his cover with Achish.
- Achish — The Philistine king of Gath who grants David Ziklag and trusts him, believing David has turned against his own people.
- Saul — The king who, hearing David has fled to Gath, finally abandons his pursuit.
Key Verse
1 Samuel 27:1 (WEB)
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 escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me any more in all the borders of Israel. So shall I escape out of his hand.”
Lessons Learned
- Even people of faith can sink into discouragement and reason as though God's promises might fail.
- Fear can drive us toward compromised refuges and tangled webs of deception.
- God's purposes are not derailed by our seasons of weak faith and poor choices.
- Living a double life among those we cannot trust breeds ongoing deceit.
- Discouragement distorts our thinking. David says in his heart, “I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul” (1 Samuel 27:1, WEB), forgetting the promise that he would be king. Fear can drown out faith.
- Compromise leads to deception. David hides his real raids and lies to Achish about them (1 Samuel 27:10-11, WEB). One questionable refuge soon requires another cover-up.
- God's plan stands despite our failings. Though David falters, the gift of Ziklag and his preservation continue to serve God's purpose (1 Samuel 27:6, WEB). Grace works even through our low points.
- Trust placed in worldly alliances is precarious. Achish believes David is now his servant forever (1 Samuel 27:12, WEB), a trust built on lies that will soon prove unstable. Footing built on deceit cannot hold.
- What does David say in his heart, and how does it differ from the confidence he showed when he spared Saul?
- Why might David have chosen to live among the Philistines, and what risks did it carry?
- How does David deceive Achish, and what does this reveal about the path he has taken?
- How do you see God's purposes still at work even during David's season of weak faith?
- When discouragement tempts you to doubt God's promises, what helps you keep trusting him?
- David reasons, “I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul” (27:1), a far cry from his earlier confidence that the Lord would establish him. Even the faithful can have seasons where fear, not faith, frames their decisions.
- Fleeing to Gath does end Saul's pursuit, but it places David among Israel's enemies and entangles him in compromise (27:2-4). The refuge brings temporary relief at the cost of integrity and security.
- David raids Israel's enemies but tells Achish he has struck the south of Judah, leaving no survivors to expose the lie (27:10-11). His self-protective deceit shows how far discouragement has pulled him from forthright trust in God.
- Even at this low ebb, David is preserved and given Ziklag, which becomes important in the chapters ahead (27:6). God's faithfulness does not depend on the strength of our faith in every season.
- This is a personal-application question. Invite members to share what restores their trust when discouragement whispers that God's promises might fail. Point to God's steadfast faithfulness even when ours wavers.