1 Samuel 27 Summary - 5 Minute Bible Study

1 Samuel 27 Summary - A Quick Overview

WHEN:

• Israel’s first king, Saul, was appointed in approximately 1050 B.C.

• The events documented in 1 Samuel 27 took place between approximately 1015-1010 B.C.

• David lived in the land of the Philistines for 1 year and 4 months.

CHARACTERS:

• David – He was selected by God to eventually become the second king of Israel.

• Saul – The first king of Israel. He hated David and was always trying to kill him.

• Achish – The king of Gath.

WHERE:

• David moved to Gath to escape king Saul.

• The king of Gath gave David the town of Ziklag. The precise location of Ziklag is not known, but many archeologists suggest it was 15-20 miles south of Gath.

OUTLINE:

• DAVID FLEES TO GATH TO ESCAPE SAUL (27:1-6):

  • David got tired of hiding from Saul in the wilderness and decided to live amongst Israel’s enemies, the Philistines.

  • David took his family and his 600 men and moved to Gath.

  • When Saul found out David was in Gath, he gave up pursuing him.

  • Achish, the king of Gath, welcomed David and gave him the town of Ziklag as a home.  

• DAVID RAIDS NEIGHBORING NATIONS (27:7-12):

  • David and his 600 men raided the possessions of the Geshurites, Girzites, and the Amalekites.

  • During a raid, David’s men were instructed to kill everyone (men and women) so that no survivors would be left to report on David’s actions.  

  • When Achish asked David who he had been raiding, he would lie to the king and tell him he had been raiding Israel and their allies.

  • Achish trusted David. He was confident David would always be his ally because he chose to turn against his own people (but of course, that wasn’t actually true).

APPLICATION:

• Most Bible interpreters view this period of David’s life as an ungodly stain on his character.

• The Bible doesn’t white-wash its characters, which, in a way, is a mark of its authenticity.

• The men talked about in the Bible were real men, with real faults, just like the men of our modern generation.

• The Bible isn’t some fictional story where the heroes have unshakable character and resolve. It’s real history, which records the real lives of imperfect people.