1 Samuel 27:1

And David said in his heart: I shall gone 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.

Douay-Rheims 1899

In The King James Version

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.

In Context

2And 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.

Read all of 1 Samuel 27

Cross References

Numbers 14:3Would God that we had died in Egypt and would God we may die in this vast wilderness, and that the Lord may not bring us into this land, lest we fall by the sword, and our wives and children be led away captives. Is it not better to return into Egypt?

1 Samuel 16:13Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward: and Samuel rose up, and went to Ramatha.

1 Samuel 21:10And David arose and fled that day from the face of Saul: and came to Achis the king of Geth:

1 Samuel 22:5And Gad the prophet said to David: Abide not in the hold, depart, and go into the land of Juda. And David departed, and came into the forest of Haret.

1 Samuel 25:30And when the Lord shall have done to thee, my lord, all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee, and shall have made thee prince over Israel,

1 Samuel 28:1And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered together their armies to be prepared for war against Israel: and Achis said to David: Know thou now assuredly, that thou shalt go out with me to the war, thou, and thy men.

Matthew Henry on 1 Samuel 27:1

David was a man after God's own heart, and yet he had his faults, which are recorded, not for our imitation, but for our admonition; witness the story of this chapter, in which, though, I. We find, to his praise, that he prudently took care of his own safety and his family's ( ver. 2-4 ) and valiantly fought Israel's battles against the Canaanites ( ver. 8-9 ), yet, II. We find, to his dishonour, 1. That he began to despair of his deliverance, ver. 1 . 2. That he deserted his own country, and went to dwell in the… Read the whole commentary →

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