Why does David move to Geth, and what does Achis believe about his raids?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

David says in his heart that flight to the Philistines will save him from Saul and end the search. Saul stops seeking him after hearing of his flight. David raids Gessuri, Gerzi and the Amalecites but tells Achis he went against southern Juda, Jerameel and Ceni. Achis believes he has greatly harmed Israel and will serve him forever.

Chapter breakdown

David says in his heart that one day he will fall into Saul’s hands. He asks whether it is better to flee and be saved in the Philistines’ land so Saul will despair of finding him and stop seeking him throughout Israel’s coasts, and decides to escape his hands. He goes with the six hundred men to Achis, son of Maoch, king of Geth. They live with Achis at Geth, every man with his household. David is with his two wives, Achinoam the Jezrahelitess and Abigail, the wife of Nabal of Carmel. Saul is told David has fled to Geth and seeks him no more.

David asks Achis, if he has found favour, to give him a place in one of the country’s cities to live, asking why his servant should live with him in the royal city. Achis gives him Siceleg that day. The account says this is why Siceleg belongs to the kings of Juda to this day. David’s stay in the Philistines’ country is four months.

David and his men go up and pillage Gessuri, Gerzi and the Amalecites, old inhabitants of the countries along the route to Sur and even Egypt’s land. Challoner separately says these probably were enemies of God’s people and some, if not all, were among those God ordered destroyed, which justifies David’s proceedings toward them. He also warns that there is no obligation to justify everything David did: Scripture reports what was done without saying it was well done, and even true servants of God should not be imitated in everything they do. David wastes all the land, leaves neither man nor woman alive and takes sheep, oxen, asses, camels and apparel before returning to Achis.

Achis asks whom David has gone against that day. David answers the south of Juda, the south of Jerameel and the south of Ceni. David saves neither man nor woman and brings none to Geth, saying this is lest they speak against them. This is his proceeding all the days he lives in the Philistines’ country. Achis believes David and says David has done much harm to his people Israel and therefore will be his servant forever. These are David’s answer, stated reason and Achis’s conclusion; the targets named in the raid account are different.

The story inside

David’s inward concern about Saul leads to flight with his men and households, and Saul’s search stops after the report. David asks for a city outside the royal residence and receives Siceleg, followed by the four-month statement. The raid account names three targets and what was taken. Achis’s question then receives a different set of southern locations. David’s stated reason for leaving no people to reach Geth connects that practice to the reports, and Achis’s belief leads him to expect permanent service. Challoner’s note preserves both his qualified justification and his warning against approving or imitating every reported act.

Lessons worth keeping

1
David’s fear is reported as what he says in his heart. The source records the move and the ending of Saul’s search; it does not diagnose Saul or guarantee what would have happened had David stayed.
2
The Siceleg request gives its own wording. David asks for favour and a country city rather than the royal city, but supplies no stated motive of avoiding surveillance or religious corruption. The residence is four months in this admitted edition.
3
The raid report and commentary require care. The groups actually pillaged differ from David’s answer to Achis. Challoner says probably and some, if not all, then explicitly warns that reporting an act does not approve it.

Test your recall

How does David’s concern lead to the move and end of pursuit, what does Achis grant, and how do the raid targets, David’s answer and Achis’s conclusion differ?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 31269–31287
1 Kings Chapter 27 David goeth again to Achis king of Geth, and obtaineth of him the city of Siceleg. 27:1. And David said in his heart: I shall one day or other fall into the hands of Saul: is it not better for me to flee, and to be saved in the land of the Philistines, that Saul may despair of me, and cease to seek me in all the coasts of Israel? I will flee then out of his hands. 27:2. And David arose, and went away, both he and the six hundred men that were with him, to Achis, the son of Maoch, king of Geth. 27:3. And David dwelt with Achis at Geth, he and his men; every man with his household, and David with his two wives, Achinoam, the Jezrahelitess, and Abigail, the wife of Nabal of Carmel. 27:4. And it was told Saul that David was fled to Geth, and he sought no more after him.
Lines 31289–31298
27:5. And David said to Achis: If I have found favour in thy sight, let a place be given me in one of the cities of this country, that I may dwell there: for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee? 27:6. Then Achis gave him Siceleg that day: for which reason Siceleg belongeth to the kings of Juda unto this day. 27:7. And the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines, was four months.
Lines 31300–31315
27:8. And David and his men went up, and pillaged Gessuri, and Gerzi, and the Amalecites: for these were of old the inhabitants of the countries, as men go to Sur, even to the land of Egypt. Pillaged Gessuri, etc.... These probably were enemies of the people of God: and some, if not all of them, were of the number of those whom God had ordered to be destroyed: which justifies David’s proceedings in their regard. Though it is to be observed here, that we are not under an obligation of justifying every thing that he did: for the scripture, in relating what was done, does not say that it was well done. And even such as are true servants of God, are not to be imitated in all they do. 27:9. And David wasted all 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 Achis.
Lines 31317–31329
27:10. And Achis said to him: Whom hast thou gone against to day? David answered: Against the south of Juda, and against the south of Jerameel, and against the south of Ceni. 27:11. And David saved neither man nor woman, neither brought he any of them to Geth, saying: Lest they should speak against us. So did David, and such was his proceeding all the days that he dwelt in the country of the Philistines. 27:12. And Achis believed David, saying: He hath done much harm to his people Israel: Therefore he shall be my servant for ever.