“Justice for the Benefit of the Unjust” (1 Samuel 27:1-12)
1 Samuel 27 (CSV) David Flees to the Philistines 27Then David said in his heart, Now I shall 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.2So David arose and went over, he andthe six hundred men who were with him,to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath.3And David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, and David withhis two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail of Carmel, Nabal's widow.4And when it was told Saul that David had fled to Gath, he no longer sought him. 5Then David said to Achish, IfI 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?6So that day Achish gave himZiklag. Therefore Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day.7And the number of the days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was a year and four months. 8Now Davidand his men went up and made raids againstthe Geshurites,the Girzites, andthe Amalekites, for these were the inhabitants of the land from of old,as far as Shur, to the land of Egypt.9And David would strike the land and would leave neither man nor woman alive, but would take away the sheep, the oxen, the donkeys, the camels, and the garments, and come back to Achish.10When Achish asked, Where have youmade a raid today? David would say, Against the Negeb of Judah, or, Against the Negeb ofthe Jerahmeelites, or, Against the Negeb ofthe Kenites.11And David would leave neither man nor woman alive to bring news to Gath, thinking, lest they should tell about us and say, So David has done. Such was his custom all the while he lived in the country of the Philistines.12And Achish trusted David, thinking, He has made himself an utter stench to his people Israel; therefore he shall always be my servant. Watch at: https://youtu.be/x0_vNr-MaX8