27:1
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.
27:2
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.
27:3
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.
27:4
And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more
again for him.
27:5
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?
27:6
Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the
kings of Judah unto this day.
27:7
And the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full
year and four months.
27:8
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.
27:9
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.
27:10
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.
27:11
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.
27:12
And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly
to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever.
While serving the Philistines, David and his men invaded the Geshurites, the Gezrites, and the Amalekites [1], killing all of the men and women,
taking their animals and clothes, and coming back to report to king Achish.
King Achish would ask David when he returned each day, "Where did you go today, David?"
And David would say, "Oh, to the south of Judah, the south of the Jerahmeelites, and
the south of the Kenites."
On these outings, David killed all of the men and women "lest they should tell on" him and report the atrocities that he did while working
for the Israelites chief enemy -- the Philstines.
King Achish was pleased with David's genocidal activities, since he believed they would make the Israelites hate David, who
would then be forced to serve him forever.
Did Saul and Samuel kill all the Amalekites?
DWB: 73.
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