1 Samuel 26)
1: And David said to himself, 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 border of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand. (David makes a mistake. He forgot to ask for God's blessings. This lack of faith acted with disastrous results to David. It put him in a false position; shook the People's confidence in him; delayed his own election; and led to divisions in the kingdom)
2: And David arose, and he passed over with the six hundred men that 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, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's wife (see 30:5. David goes over to enemy. Covert activity. It is not necessarily against God's law)
4: And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him.
P C E 27:5-12. Ziklag. Possessed by David.
F 28:1,2. Philistines and David.
D 28:3-25. Saul's sin.
C F 29:1-11. Philistines and David.
E 30:1-31. Ziklag. Repossessed by David.
D 31:1 – 2 Sam. 1:27. Saul's death.
E m¹ 5-7. David and Achish. Gift.
n¹ 8,9. David. Invasion of aborigines.
m² 10. Achish and David. Deception.
n² 11. David. Extermination.
m³ 12. Achish and David. Deception.
5: And David said to Achish, If I have now found grace in your eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there: for why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you?” (David is using psychology on him)
6: Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day (= winding. An outpost that protested Gath): wherefore Ziklag pertains to the kings of Judah to this day. (this was given to Judah, but Saul forgot to cleanse the land)
961 B.C.
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 you goe to Shur, even to the land of Egypt. (these were good friends of the Philistines. Nomads)
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. (He wanted no witnesses)
10: And Achish said, “Against whom have you all made a raid to day?” And David said, Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelites, and against the south (Heb. the Negeb or hill country south of Judah) of the Kenites (= the sons of Cain. David is misleading the king)
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 dwells in the country of the Philistines.’ ” (i.e. "He killed them and will kill you too")
12: And Achish believed David, saying, “He has made his Israel's People utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever.” (Achish thought he had himself another champion like Goliath)