1 Samuel 27:12 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And Achish trusted David, thinking, "He has made himself an utter stench to his people Israel; therefore he shall always be my servant."

NIV: Achish trusted David and said to himself, "He has become so obnoxious to his people, the Israelites, that he will be my servant for life."

NASB: So Achish believed David, saying, 'He has undoubtedly made himself repulsive among his people Israel; therefore he will become my servant forever.'

CSB: So Achish trusted David, thinking, "Since he has made himself repulsive to his people Israel, he will be my servant forever."

NLT: Achish believed David and thought to himself, 'By now the people of Israel must hate him bitterly. Now he will have to stay here and serve me forever!'

KJV: And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever.

NKJV: So Achish believed David, saying, “He has made his people Israel utterly abhor him; therefore he will be my servant forever.”

First Samuel 27:8–12 shows David's success when finally free to fight Israel's enemies. Since he and his men saved Keilah, they have spent all their time fleeing from Saul and his army (1 Samuel 23:1–14). They've finally found peace with the Philistine king Achish. From the city Achish has given them (1 Samuel 27:1–7), David's troops destroy the tribes God had told Joshua to. When they return, they tell Achish their victims are Israelites in Judah. Achish trusts them so much, he invites them to fight Saul with him. Fortunately, the other Philistine kings don't approve (1 Samuel 29).

David takes his people to safety. Convinced that Saul will eventually kill him, David asks the king of the Philistine city of Gath to provide protection for him, his men, and their families. Achish agrees and eventually gives David the town of Ziklag. From there, David and his men conduct raids on Israel's enemies and bring the king some of the plunder. David tells the king he has been attacking the people of Israel and their allies, and Achish believes the lie, growing to trust David fully. Even better, Saul stops hunting them.

After being hunted by King Saul (1 Samuel 24—26), David finds safety with the Philistines. Saul will never stop trying to kill him, but King Achish of Gath is willing to give David and his people a city of their own. Achish trusts David so much he brings David and his men to fight the Israelites. David goes willingly, but the other Philistine kings refuse to fight with the man who killed so many of them. David's unit returns to find their city burned and their wives and children taken. While they rescue their families, Saul and Jonathan die in battle with the Philistines (1 Samuel 29—31).

First Samuel introduces the key figures who led Israel after the era of the judges. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel were originally part of a single text, split in certain translations shortly before the birth of Christ. Some of the Bible’s most famous characters are depicted in this book. These including the prophet Samuel, Israel’s first king, Saul, her greatest king, David, and other famous names such as Goliath and Jonathan. By the end of this book, Saul has fallen; the book of 2 Samuel begins with David’s ascension to the throne.

Accessed 9/19/2025 6:31:30 AM