Cornelius a Lapide
Table of Contents
Synopsis of the Chapter
David flees to the king of Gath, and from him obtains the city of Ziklag, from which he continually goes out on raids against the enemies of Israel, killing everyone, so that no one may accuse him before the king.
Vulgate Text: 1 Kings 27:1-12
1. And David said in his heart: Someday I shall fall into the hands of Saul; is it not better that I flee and be saved in the land of the Philistines, so that Saul may despair and cease to seek me in all the borders of Israel? I shall therefore flee from his hands. 2. And David arose and went, he and six hundred men with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath. 3. And David dwelt with Achish in Gath, he and his men, each man with his household, and David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelite, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 4. And it was reported to Saul that David had fled to Gath, and he no longer sought him. 5. And David said to Achish: If I have found favor in your eyes, let a place be given to me in one of the cities of this region, that I may dwell there: for why should your servant remain in the royal city with you? 6. So Achish gave him Ziklag on that day: for which reason Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day. 7. And the number of days that David dwelt in the region of the Philistines was four months. 8. And David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, and the Girzites, and the Amalekites. 9. And David struck the whole land and left alive neither man nor woman: and taking sheep, and oxen, and donkeys, and camels, and garments, he would return and come to Achish. 10. And Achish would say to him: Where did you raid today? David would answer: Against the south of Judah, and against the south of Jerahmeel, and against the south of the Kenites. 11. David would leave alive neither man nor woman, nor bring them to Gath, saying: Lest perhaps they speak against us. 12. Achish therefore believed David, saying: He has committed many evils against his own people Israel; he will therefore be my servant forever.
Verse 1: Someday I Shall Fall
1. SOMEDAY I SHALL FALL INTO THE HANDS OF SAUL. -- For although David himself had been anointed as king by God through Samuel, this was only on the condition that he would outlive King Saul. Or David thought that he could forfeit this anointing and God's promise through his sins, so that by God's permission he might fall into Saul's hands and lose both kingdom and life, as Saul had. So says Abulensis.
Verse 2: Achish King of Gath
2. AND DAVID AROSE AND WENT WITH SIX HUNDRED MEN TO ACHISH THE SON OF MAOCH, KING OF GATH -- which was one of the five cities and satrapies of the Philistines. This is the same Achish to whom David had previously fled, chapter 21, and fearing the accusations of the Philistines, had pretended to be mad before him and escaped free. But now he did not fear the same, because by now it was known everywhere, even in Philistia, that Saul's hatred of David was longstanding and continuous. Therefore Achish feared nothing from David, even though he recognized him, and indeed hoped to use him as a faithful general against Saul his enemy.
Verse 3: The Gittites
3. AND DAVID DWELT WITH ACHISH IN GATH, HE AND HIS MEN; EACH MAN AND HIS HOUSEHOLD. -- From Gath came the name of the Gittites, the most faithful and bravest soldiers of David, because they had followed him in his flight to Gath, and lived there with him. They were Jews by origin, not Gittites and Philistines, for it was expressly stated in verse 2 that these six hundred men had fled from Judea with David to Gath.
Verse 5: Why Stay in the Royal City?
5. FOR WHY SHOULD YOUR SERVANT REMAIN IN THE ROYAL CITY WITH YOU? -- David desired to be separated from Achish and his court for many reasons. First, so that he might more freely make raids against the Philistines and Amalekites; second, to protect the modesty of his wives and his soldiers from dissolute courtiers; third, lest his soldiers be infected by the pride, gluttony, luxury, and especially the idolatry of the Philistines.
Verse 6: Ziklag
6. SO ACHISH GAVE HIM ZIKLAG ON THAT DAY. -- "Ziklag" first fell by lot to the tribe of Judah, Joshua chapter 15, verse 31; then it was given to the tribe of Simeon, Joshua chapter 19, verse 5; afterwards it was occupied by the Philistines. Moreover, Ziklag in Hebrew means "straitness of a measure," says Pagninus, which is fitting since David resided there with his soldiers, suffering from straitened food and drink.
Verse 7: Four Months
7. AND THE NUMBER OF DAYS THAT DAVID DWELT IN THE REGION OF THE PHILISTINES WAS FOUR MONTHS. -- In Hebrew it says he stayed "days and four months," that is, for a year and four months. But others commonly say that David stayed with Achish only four months and some days. For this is what the Latin Vulgate version requires, and so think Abulensis, Serarius, Salianus, and others.
Verse 8: Raids Against Israel's Enemies
8. AND HE RAIDED THE GESHURITES AND THE GIRZITES AND THE AMALEKITES. -- The inhabitants of "Geshur" were, equally with the "Girzites" and "Amalekites," enemies of Israel, and consequently David justly raided them.
Verse 9: No Survivors
9. AND HE LEFT ALIVE NEITHER MAN NOR WOMAN. -- David had the right from the law of Deuteronomy chapter 20, which commands that all inhabitants of the land promised by God to the Hebrews be killed. David therefore, as a commander of Israel's war authorized by Saul, had public authority to do all these things and to carry out God's commands. So say Abulensis, Cajetan, and others.
Verse 10: David's Deception
10. WHERE DID YOU RAID TODAY? DAVID WOULD ANSWER: AGAINST THE SOUTH OF JUDAH -- David lied that he had raided the Jews, the enemies of King Achish, when he had actually raided the Philistines, Canaanites, and Amalekites, allies of Achish. This was an officious lie, which David thought necessary for protecting his life.
Verse 12: Achish Believes David
12. ACHISH THEREFORE BELIEVED DAVID. -- It was remarkable that from so many defeats and slaughters of the Philistines inflicted by David, none had reached the ears of King Achish. Humanly speaking, this could scarcely happen; but God, who directed all of David's works, likewise directed these matters so that Achish learned nothing. For just as He sent sleep upon the whole camp of Saul to save David, chapter 26, verse 12; so here He sent as it were inattention and blindness upon Achish and all his courtiers.