Chapter 27 of Shmuel Aleph opens a new chapter in David's life: after two miraculous rescues from Shaul, in the cave at Ein Gedi and at Shaul's camp, David decides to leave the borders of Israel and seek refuge with Achish, king of Gat. The chapter teaches us about sound judgment in matters of rescue, about calculated planning, and about the way David preserves his loyalty to the people of Israel even while sheltering in the shadow of an enemy. We will follow the Malbim's commentary in the order of the verses.
A Miracle Does Not Happen Every Day
וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד אֶל־לִבּוֹ: עַתָּה אֶסָּפֶה יוֹם־אֶחָד בְּיַד־שָׁאוּל, אֵין־לִי טוֹב כִּי הִמָּלֵט אִמָּלֵט אֶל־אֶרֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּים, וְנוֹאַשׁ מִמֶּנִּי שָׁאוּל לְבַקְשֵׁנִי עוֹד בְּכָל־גְּבוּל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְנִמְלַטְתִּי מִיָּדוֹ. - And David said in his heart: Now I shall one day perish by the hand of Shaul; there is nothing better for me than to escape to the land of the Philistines, and Shaul will despair of seeking me any more within all the border of Israel, and I shall escape from his hand.
"Now I shall one day perish by the hand of Shaul" - David makes a true reckoning. A miracle does not happen every day, and even one for whom a miracle is done has it deducted from his merits. David said: perhaps in the two previous rescues I have already used up my merits, and therefore it is not worthwhile to keep relying on yet another miracle occurring, lest I have already exhausted the opportunities that were given to me.
Therefore he concludes: better that I escape to the land of the Philistines, and in this I will have rescue for three reasons. The first: as long as I am within the border of Israel, Shaul suspects me. He sees that I am organizing companies here - why does David need six hundred men? Surely he intends to come upon me at a surprising moment and seize the kingship. A king always has cause for concern when someone is organizing an army within his border. But if I am in the land of the Philistines, he will not suspect me of intending to rebel, and therefore "Shaul will despair of me."
The second reason: "to seek me" - once Shaul knows that it is impossible for him to catch me and find me, he will no longer seek my life. Even if we suppose it becomes clear to him that I do not seek the kingship, he still seeks my life; but when I am far from him, he will not seek my life at all.
And the third reason: "and I shall escape from his hand" - the king of the Philistines will save me, since I will be under his protection. And if the king of Israel comes and seeks my life, he will not hand me over to him, for there is no extradition agreement between Israel and the Philistines; and generally they were in a state of warfare, as we will see further on.
Why This Time David Does Not Disguise Himself as a Madman
וַיָּקָם דָּוִד וַיַּעֲבֹר הוּא וְשֵׁשׁ־מֵאוֹת אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר עִמּוֹ אֶל־אָכִישׁ בֶּן־מָעוֹךְ מֶלֶךְ גַּת. - And David arose and crossed over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish son of Maoch, king of Gat.
In chapter 21 we saw that David had already fled once to Achish, king of Gat, and there the servants of Achish said: this is the very man of whom they sang "Shaul has slain his thousands and David his tens of thousands"! What, would you have him do to you as he did to us, and have a new song composed for him? And how did David escape from the danger? He made himself out to be a madman: he let saliva run down his beard, made a mark on the doors of the gate, and wrote that Achish owed him a thousand zuz and the like.
And here he goes to him again and does not make himself out to be a madman. What has changed? The Malbim says: there they suspected him of spying, since the way of a spy is that he comes as a lone individual. A spy does not come with six hundred men. And since now he comes with six hundred men with him, there is no basis for suspicion of spying. Not only that: in such a situation Achish, king of Gat, has an expectation and benefit from David and his men, as we will see further on - for here before him is an additional force, an army that can assist him in his wars with his enemies.
וַיֵּשֶׁב דָּוִד עִם־אָכִישׁ בְּגַת הוּא וַאֲנָשָׁיו אִישׁ וּבֵיתוֹ, דָּוִד וּשְׁתֵּי נָשָׁיו אֲחִינֹעַם הַיִּזְרְעֵאלִת וַאֲבִיגַיִל אֵשֶׁת־נָבָל הַכַּרְמְלִית. - And David dwelt with Achish in Gat, he and his men, each man with his household, David and his two wives, Achinoam the Yizreelite and Avigail, the wife of Naval the Carmelite.
There is another reason David is not worried about coming: the first time he came without his household, and then there was a concern on Achish's part that David might flee from him at some opportunity. But now Achish says: I am not afraid of David; his wives and his children are here. This is a guarantee and an assurance that if there is a problem with him he will not disappear. He is not a lone man who strikes a blow and flees, but everyone is here - the wives, the children - and therefore in such a situation Achish does not fear David's presence.
וַיֻּגַּד לְשָׁאוּל כִּי־בָרַח דָּוִד גַּת, וְלֹא־יָסַף עוֹד לְבַקְשׁוֹ. - And it was told to Shaul that David had fled to Gat, and he no longer continued to seek him.
Exactly as David had anticipated, so it indeed was: they told Shaul that David had fled to Gat, and he stopped searching for him.
The Request for a City in the Field: The Plan Behind the Courtesy
וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד אֶל־אָכִישׁ: אִם־נָא מָצָאתִי חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ יִתְּנוּ־לִי מָקוֹם בְּאַחַת עָרֵי הַשָּׂדֶה וְאֵשְׁבָה שָּׁם, וְלָמָּה יֵשֵׁב עַבְדְּךָ בְּעִיר הַמַּמְלָכָה עִמָּךְ. - And David said to Achish: If I have now found favor in your eyes, let them give me a place in one of the cities in the field that I may dwell there, and why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you.
David says to him: if I dwell with you in the royal city I will trouble you and become a burden to you, for supporting six hundred men is no simple matter. Therefore I propose: give me one of the cities in the field, and we will provide for ourselves.
But is David's whole concern truly for Achish's trouble and expenses? No. David wants to raid marauding bands. And since this was so, he knew that if he raided the bands and Achish found out what he was doing, he would put him in his place, and the matter could even be dangerous for David. Therefore he says: I want to be far from sight. He knows that Achish's eyes do not reach the place he arrives at, and thereby he will be able to do as he wishes without Achish knowing anything. We will soon see how the plan takes shape.
Tziklag - Why Specifically to the Kings of Yehuda
וַיִּתֶּן־לוֹ אָכִישׁ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא אֶת־צִקְלָג, לָכֵן הָיְתָה צִקְלַג לְמַלְכֵי יְהוּדָה עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה. - And Achish gave him Tziklag on that day, therefore Tziklag has belonged to the kings of Yehuda until this day.
This seems difficult: in Sefer Yehoshua chapter 15 it is stated that Tziklag was part of the inheritance of Yehuda, so how do the Pelishtim suddenly give us something that is ours? The Metzudat David explains: afterward the Pelishtim took Tziklag from our hands, and now he returns and gives it to David.
The Metzudat David adds: he gave it to David and not to the entire tribe. Therefore it says that it continued to belong "to the kings of Yehuda until this day," and it does not say that it continued to belong to the tribe of Yehuda - because he gave it to David privately, and David bequeathed it to his sons after him, to the kings and not to the whole tribe.
"Days and Four Months" - Why in Reverse Order
וַיְהִי מִסְפַּר הַיָּמִים אֲשֶׁר־יָשַׁב דָּוִד בִּשְׂדֵה פְלִשְׁתִּים: יָמִים וְאַרְבָּעָה חֳדָשִׁים. - And the number of the days that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was days and four months.
"Days" means a few days, plus another four months. True, sometimes "days" in Scripture means years, but here the Malbim says the intent is a few days. Why? Because seemingly it should have said "four months and days" - first the larger amount and then the smaller, whereas here it is stated the reverse. The Malbim explains: the verse arranges matters in the order in which they occurred. In Gat he dwelt a few days, and the four months are the time he dwelt in Tziklag.
Against whom did David raid, and why
וַיַּעַל דָּוִד וַאֲנָשָׁיו וַיִּפְשְׁטוּ אֶל־הַגְּשׁוּרִי וְהַגִּזְרִי וְהָעֲמָלֵקִי, כִּי הֵנָּה יֹשְׁבוֹת הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר מֵעוֹלָם בּוֹאֲךָ שׁוּרָה וְעַד־אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם. - And David and his men went up and raided the Geshuri and the Gizri and the Amaleki, for those were the inhabitants of the land, who were of old, as you go to Shur, all the way to the land of Egypt.
This was David's plan: that he could raid with a band, going and taking spoil from the Geshuri, the Gizri and the Amaleki, without the knowledge of Achish king of Gat. And why did he raid specifically these nations? The Malbim explains: because they were "inhabitants of the land," that is, they had dwelt there from ancient times, and they already had a feud with the Philistines from before. Generally, when a nation dwells on the border of another nation, there is tension between them. And since they were "the inhabitants of the land who were of old," David said: the Philistines will not object if I have a feud with them; on the contrary, they will say: excellent, let David strike them too.
And furthermore: if they were inhabitants of the land of old, that is, already from the time of Yehoshua, then they are among the seven nations. And what were we commanded when we entered the land? "You shall not let any soul live." David said: if so, then I am fulfilling a mitzvah even when I kill them, for they are among those nations about whom it was said, "You shall not let any soul live."
וְהִכָּה דָוִד אֶת־הָאָרֶץ וְלֹא יְחַיֶּה אִישׁ וְאִשָּׁה, וְלָקַח צֹאן וּבָקָר וַחֲמֹרִים וּגְמַלִּים וּבְגָדִים, וַיָּשָׁב וַיָּבֹא אֶל־אָכִישׁ. - And David struck the land and left neither man nor woman alive, and took the sheep and the cattle and the donkeys and the camels and the garments, and he returned and came to Achish.
He did not leave any man or woman alive, but took only the sheep and cattle. And why did he not leave any man or woman alive? So that the survivors would not come and tell Achish king of Gat. So that the matter would not become known, he would strike them and leave nothing behind, leaving no witnesses to what had happened.
The report to Achish
וַיֹּאמֶר אָכִישׁ: אַל־פְּשַׁטְתֶּם הַיּוֹם? וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד: עַל־נֶגֶב יְהוּדָה וְעַל־נֶגֶב הַיְּרַחְמְאֵלִי וְאֶל־נֶגֶב הַקֵּינִי. - And Achish said: Where did you raid today? And David said: Against the Negev of Yehuda, and against the Negev of the Yerachmeeli, and against the Negev of the Keini.
Achish always wanted an update: what did you do today, where were you? And David would tell him that we took from the Jews, from the Negev of Yehuda and from the Negev of Israel. These things were pleasing to Achish and welcome to his ears, for he said: if so, there is no chance he will return to them. He is already trusted by me, from now on he is locked in with me. Does he have anywhere to return to? He has nowhere.
וְאִישׁ וְאִשָּׁה לֹא־יְחַיֶּה דָוִד לְהָבִיא גַת לֵאמֹר, פֶּן־יַגִּדוּ עָלֵינוּ לֵאמֹר כֹּה־עָשָׂה דָוִד, וְכֹה מִשְׁפָּטוֹ כָּל־הַיָּמִים אֲשֶׁר יָשַׁב בִּשְׂדֵה פְלִשְׁתִּים. - And David would leave neither man nor woman alive to bring to Gat, saying: lest they tell about us, saying, thus did David do, and such was his practice all the days that he dwelt in the country of the Philistines.
"And David would leave alive neither man nor woman to bring to Gat" - he did not even bring them back as slaves, but killed them all. "Lest they tell on us, saying: So did David do" - lest these people go to Achish and report to him: So did David do, and through this Achish would learn the truth: that David was not striking his own brethren but striking the nations. And the prophet continues: "And such was his practice all the days that he dwelt in the field of the Philistines" - this was his custom the entire time he stayed with the Philistines: he would go out, strike the nations, and return and tell stories to Achish king of Gat.
"He has made himself thoroughly odious among his people, among Israel"
וַיַּאֲמֵן אָכִישׁ בְּדָוִד לֵאמֹר: הַבְאֵשׁ הִבְאִישׁ בְּעַמּוֹ בְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְהָיָה לִי לְעֶבֶד עוֹלָם. - And Achish trusted David, saying: He has made himself thoroughly odious among his people, among Israel, and so he shall be my servant forever.
Achish trusted David and said: "He has made himself thoroughly odious among his people, among Israel." How so? Achish reasoned as follows: it could have been that David was fighting against Israel, that is, against the other tribes, while his own people, Yehuda, his tribe, were supporting him and aiding him; meaning that he was fighting against part of the nation, but part of Israel was helping him. And likewise the opposite: it could have been that he was fighting against his own tribe in order to find favor in the eyes of the other tribes, so that they would not say that he leaned toward his own tribe.
But now that Achish sees that David is fighting both against his own tribe and against the other tribes, David has no one from whom to gain benefit, and no one in whose eyes to find favor. Had he fought only against Yehuda, he would have found favor in the eyes of the other tribes; had he fought only against the other tribes, he would have found favor in the eyes of Yehuda. But since "he has made himself odious among his people" - that is his tribe, Yehuda - "among Israel" - these are the other tribes, then he has become odious in the eyes of all of them, and this guarantees that "he shall be my servant forever."
In summary:
David goes down to Gat out of careful calculation: miracles do not happen every day, and merits are not unlimited. He comes with six hundred men and with the members of his household, and therefore Achish does not suspect him of spying and even sees benefit in him; and once Shaul learned that David was in Gat, he ceased pursuing him. David's request for a town in the field appears to be an act of courtesy, but its purpose is to distance himself from Achish's eyes and to raid the Geshuri, the Gizri, and the Amaleki - nations that were at odds with the Philistines and were also among those peoples concerning whom we were commanded "you shall not let a soul live." He leaves no witnesses, and reports to Achish that he raided the Negev of Yehuda, until Achish believes that David has become odious in the eyes of all Israel and will be his servant forever. In this way David protects both his people and himself at once, through planning, caution, and faith.