Year of the Bible

Access your family's weekly resource for the Year of the Bible HERE

Commentary on the First Book of Samuel, Chapter 27:

Despite the kind words of King Saul at the end of chapter 26, David believes his life is still in jeopardy. He takes his followers of 600 men and their families into the land of the enemy Philistines and to one of the Philistine kings: Achish of Gath. For sixteen months, David and his followers live in Philistine while David and his men conduct raids for King Achish. When David returns with spoils for the King, he falsely claims the raids are impacting the Negeb where Israelites live.

The First Book of Samuel, Chapter 27:

David Goes to King Achish in Gath

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 to the land of the Philistines; then Saul will despair of seeking me any longer within the borders of Israel, and I shall escape out of his hand.” 2 So David arose and went over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to 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, and David with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail of Carmel, Nabal’s widow. 4 And when it was told Saul that David had fled to Gath, he sought for him no more.
5 Then David said to Achish, “If I have found favor in your eyes, let a place be given me in one of the country towns, that I may dwell there; for why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you?” 6 So that day Achish gave him Ziklag; therefore Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day. 7 And the number of the days that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a year and four months.
8 Now David and his men went up, and made raids upon the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites; for these were the inhabitants of the land from of old, as far as Shur, to the land of Egypt. 9 And David struck the land, and left neither man nor woman alive, but took away the sheep, the oxen, the donkeys, the camels, and the garments, and came back to Achish. 10 When Achish asked, “Against whomb have you made a raid today?” David would say, “Against the Negeb of Judah,” or “Against the Negeb of the Jerahmeelites,” or, “Against the Negeb of the Kenites.” 11 And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring tidings to Gath, thinking, “Lest they should tell about us, and say, ‘So David has done.’ ” Such was his custom all the while he dwelt in the country of the Philistines. 12 And Achish trusted David, thinking, “He has made himself utterly abhorred by his people Israel; therefore he shall be my servant always.”

*Daily Lectio Divina Question:

"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 to the land of the Philistines.'" (V. 1)  David exemplifies lack of trust in God's goodness through his discouraged self-talk and subsequent decision to leave the land of Israel--God's people--and go to the land of the Philistines--the enemies of God's people. In what areas of my life might I--perhaps out of discouragement or impatience--be choosing unholy self-reliance instead of trusting and leaning on The Lord's guidance?

Biblical Commentary provided by the Catholic Biblical School of Michigan. Join a Catholic Biblical School of Michigan class this September at Holy Family in Grand Blanc, or online.

Revised Standard Version; Second Catholic Edition. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2006).
Permission to use the RSV-2CE given for Bishop's Year of the Bible by Ignatius Press. Many thanks to Ignatius for this.
If you're looking for a good Catholic edition of the Bible, look no further.