1 Samuel 27:1-28:2

27:2-3 | If this is the same Achish as in 21:10, it is unclear why David found favor with him this time and not previously. Perhaps Achish was so impressed with David’s cleverness that he was willing to overlook his previous deception. Or maybe David’s “battalion” of 600 fighting men appealed to him because they would be obligated to ally with Achism in battle. At any rate, David’s time with the Philistines kept him safe from Saul and allowed him to learn Philistine battle techniques and culture that would help him later.

27:4-7 | To ask a king for land was common practice. David may have had mixed motives, desiring to simultaneously have authority over a territory and remove himself from Gath and the king’s oversight.

27:6-7 | David resided in Ziklag until the death of Saul. The city was in the southern part of the land, and by rights, it belonged to Judah rather than Philistia. Ziklag was later captured and controlled by the Philistines, but they never occupied the city. They left its inhabitants, descendants of Simeon, to live there.

27:8-12 | David’s reports lead Achish to believe that David was raiding Israelite territories. In reality, David was raiding Philistine territories (Josh. 6:17-21). In this, David remained loyal to Israel while gaining Achish’s trust, displaying future king’s cleverness as he outwitted an enemy king who wished to harm God’s people.

28:1-2 | Living in Philistine territory obligated David and his men to fight for Achish. Achish so trusted David that he made David his bodyguard (chief guardian).