1 Samuel 27:1

Contextual Overview

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 escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me anymore in all the borders of Israel: so I shall escape out of his hand. ¹ But David kept thinking to himself, "Someday Saul is going to get me. The best thing I can do is escape to the Philistines. Then Saul will stop hunting for me in Israelite territory, and I will finally be safe." 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 escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in all the borders of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand. ¹ But David thought to himself, "Saul will catch me someday. The best thing I can do is escape to the land of the Philistines. Then he will give up looking for me in Israel, and I can get away from him." ¹ David thought to himself, "One of these days I'm going to be swept away by the hand of Saul! There is nothing better for me than to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will despair of searching for me through all the territory of Israel and I will escape from his hand." 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 will despair of me, to seek me any more in any border of Israel; so shall I escape from his hand. ¹ 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 escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me any more in all the borders of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand. ¹But David said in his heart, "Now I will die one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will give up searching for me inside the borders of Israel, and I will escape from his hand [once and for all]."¹ Then 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." ¹ And Dauid seide in his herte, Sumtyme Y schal falle in o dai in the hond of Saul; whether it is not betere, that Y fle, and be sauyd in the lond of Filisteis, that Saul dispeire, and cesse to seke me in alle the endis of Israel; therfor fle we hise hondis.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

am 2946, bc 1058, An, Ex, Is 433

And David: 1 Samuel 16:1, 1 Samuel 16:13, 1 Samuel 23:17, 1 Samuel 25:30, Psalms 116:11, Proverbs 13:12, Isaiah 40:27-31, Isaiah 51:12, Matthew 14:31, Mark 4:40, 2 Corinthians 7:5

I shall: This was a rash conclusion: God had caused him to be anointed king of Israel, and promised his accession to the throne, and had so often interposed in his behalf, that he was authorised to believe the very reverse.

perish: Heb. be consumed

there is nothing: 1 Samuel 22:5, Exodus 14:12, Numbers 14:3, Proverbs 3:5, Proverbs 3:6, Isaiah 30:15, Isaiah 30:16, Lamentations 3:26, Lamentations 3:27

into the land: 1 Samuel 27:10, 1 Samuel 27:11, 1 Samuel 21:10-15, 1 Samuel 28:1, 1 Samuel 28:2, 1 Samuel 29:2-11, 1 Samuel 30:1-3

Reciprocal: Genesis 12:12 - will kill Genesis 14:7 - Amalekites Genesis 19:19 - lest some Genesis 34:30 - and I shall Genesis 42:36 - all these things are against me Judges 15:18 - and fall 1 Samuel 20:3 - but truly 1 Samuel 23:14 - Saul 2 Samuel 22:1 - and out 1 Kings 12:26 - Now shall 1 Kings 19:3 - he arose 2 Kings 8:2 - land Psalms 11:1 - how Psalms 31:22 - I said Psalms 34:4 - from Psalms 55:7 - General Psalms 56:8 - tellest Psalms 142:4 - refuge Proverbs 24:10 - thou Proverbs 27:8 - man Proverbs 29:25 - fear Lamentations 3:18 - General Acts 25:11 - I appeal 2 Corinthians 1:8 - insomuch

Cross-References

Genesis 27:23
And he did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau's hands. So he blessed him.

Genesis 27:23
And he did not discern him, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau's hands. So he blessed him.

Genesis 27:23
Isaac did not know it was Jacob, because his hands were hairy like Esau's hands, so Isaac blessed him.

Genesis 27:23
He did not recognize him because his hands were hairy, like his brother Esau's hands. So Isaac blessed Jacob.

Genesis 27:23
And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau's hands: So he blessed him.

Genesis 27:23
He didn't recognize him, because his hands were hairy, like his brother, Esau's hands. So he blessed him.

Genesis 27:23
He could not recognize him [as Jacob], because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau's hands; so he blessed him.

Genesis 27:23
And Isaac knew not Jacob, for the heery hondis expressiden the licnesse of the more sone.

Genesis 27:23
And he hath not discerned him, for his hands have been hairy, as the hands of Esau his brother, and he blesseth him,

Genesis 27:23
Isaac did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like those of his brother Esau; so he blessed him.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And David said in his heart,.... Within himself, and to himself; while he was pondering things in his own mind, and considering the circumstances in which he was, and things appearing, very gloomy to him, he falls into a fit of unbelief and thus addresses himself:

I shall now one day perish by the hand of Saul; for though he was returned to his place, he knew he was restless and uneasy, very inconstant and unstable, and not at all to be depended on; yea, he might conclude that Saul, observing that God was with him in protecting and defending him, and by delivering him into his hands once and again, he would be the more jealous of him, and envious at him, and seek all opportunities and advantages against him; and he feared that one time or another such would offer, and would be taken, and so he should perish by him: this was a strange fit of unbelief he was sunk into, and very unaccountable and unreasonable it was, had he but considered his being anointed king by the Lord, the promise of God to him, which could not fail, and the providence of God that watched over him from time to time:

[there is] nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; which may seem strange, when he was advised by the Prophet Gad to depart from the land of Moab, and go into the land of Judah, 1 Samuel 22:5, and where he had been so wonderfully preserved; and when he was in so much danger, when in the land of the Philistines before, insomuch that he was obliged to feign himself mad, 1 Samuel 21:13; and seeing this also was the very thing he lately dreaded, and cursed the men that should be the cause of his going out of his own land into an idolatrous one:

and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel; hearing that he was gone into a foreign country, would seek for him no more in any part of the land of israel, and so despair of ever getting him into his hands, would lay aside all thoughts about him for the future:

so shall I escape out of his hand; and be for ever safe: these were the carnal reasonings of his mind, under the prevalence of unbelief; and shows what poor weak creatures the best of men are, and how low their graces may sink as to exercise, when left to themselves.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER XXVII

David flies to Achish, king of Gath, who receives him kindly,

and gives him Ziklag to dwell in, where he continues a year

and four months, 1-7.

David invades the Geshurites and Amalekites, and leaves neither

man nor woman alive, 8, 9.

He returns to Achish, and pretends that he had been making

inroads on the Israelites, and Achish believes it, 10-12.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXVII

Verse 1 Samuel 27:1. I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul — This was a very hasty conclusion: God had so often interposed in behalf of his life, that he was authorized to believe the reverse. God had hitherto confounded all Saul's stratagems, and it was not at all likely that he would now abandon him: there was now no additional reason why he should withdraw from David his helping hand.