1 Samuel 27:8 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Now David and his men went up and made raids against the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites, for these were the inhabitants of the land from of old, as far as Shur, to the land of Egypt.

NIV: Now David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Girzites and the Amalekites. (From ancient times these peoples had lived in the land extending to Shur and Egypt.)

NASB: Now David and his men went up and attacked the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites; for they were the inhabitants of the land from ancient times, as you come to Shur even as far as the land of Egypt.

CSB: David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites. From ancient times they had been the inhabitants of the region through Shur as far as the land of Egypt.

NLT: David and his men spent their time raiding the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites — people who had lived near Shur, toward the land of Egypt, since ancient times.

KJV: And David and his men went up, and invaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites: for those nations were of old the inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt.

NKJV: And David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites. For those nations were the inhabitants of the land from of old, as you go to Shur, even as far as the land of Egypt.

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.