1 Samuel 21:10 meaning, Cross Ref, ai commentary KJV NIV ESV NLT

1 Samuel 21:10 kjv

And David arose and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.

1 Samuel 21:10 nkjv

Then David arose and fled that day from before Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.

1 Samuel 21:10 niv

That day David fled from Saul and went to Achish king of Gath.

1 Samuel 21:10 esv

And David rose and fled that day from Saul and went to Achish the king of Gath.

1 Samuel 21:10 nlt

So David escaped from Saul and went to King Achish of Gath.

1 Samuel 21 10 Cross References

Verse	Text	Reference
Ps 34:Sup.	A Psalm of David when he changed his behavior before Abimelech...	Psalm relates directly to this incident.
Ps 56:Sup.	To the choirmaster: according to The Dove on Far-off Terebinths. A Miktam of David, when the Philistines seized him in Gath.	Another Psalm directly linked to this event.
1 Sam 19:9-10	...an evil spirit from the LORD was upon Saul... and Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear...	Context of Saul's continuous attempts to kill David.
1 Sam 20:1	Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah and came and said before Jonathan...	Earlier flight, setting precedent for 1 Sam 21.
1 Sam 21:1	Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest...	Immediate preceding event leading to this flight.
1 Sam 21:9	The priest said, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine... it is here..."	Irony: David takes Goliath's sword, then flees to Goliath's city.
1 Sam 27:2-3	And David arose and crossed over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath.	David later takes more permanent refuge in Gath.
1 Kgs 2:39-40	At the end of three years, two of Shimei’s servants ran away to Achish...	Achish of Gath as a persistent political figure.
Ps 57:Sup.	A Miktam of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave.	Similar context of flight and refuge.
Ps 142:Sup.	A Maskil of David, when he was in the cave. A Prayer.	Another Psalm related to his fugitive life.
Ps 7:1	O LORD my God, in you do I take refuge; save me from all my pursuers...	David's typical prayer for refuge, contrasting with this flight.
2 Sam 15:14	And David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise, let us flee..."	David again in flight, highlighting the precariousness of kingship.
Jer 40:11-12	When all the Jews who were in Moab... heard that the king of Babylon... had left a remnant... they returned...	Theme of seeking refuge in foreign lands.
Mt 2:13	...an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt..."	Flight of Holy Family to foreign land for safety.
Exod 14:13	Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD..."	Trusting God in moments of imminent danger, contrast.
Prov 29:25	The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe.	Reflection on David's choice driven by fear.
Heb 11:32-34	And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets...	David among those who through faith escaped the edge of the sword.
2 Cor 1:9-10	...we had the sentence of death within ourselves, that we would not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead. He delivered us...	Principle of trusting God in life-threatening situations.
Num 35:6	You shall have six cities of refuge...	Israelite cities designated for refuge, contrasting foreign refuge.
Josh 20:3	That the manslayer who kills any person without intent or unwittingly may flee there...	Purpose of cities of refuge in Israel.
1 Sam 17:4	A champion came out from the Philistine camp named Goliath, of Gath...	Highlights the enemy identity of Gath, David's irony.
Psa 118:8	It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man.	Illustrates David's initial error in trusting Achish.

1 Samuel 21 verses

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

1 Samuel 21 10 Meaning

This verse describes David's immediate and desperate flight from Saul's relentless persecution, following the incident at Nob. It marks a critical turning point where David, in fear for his life, makes the audacious and seemingly illogical decision to seek refuge among the Philistines, Israel's chief enemies, specifically with Achish, the king of the powerful Philistine city of Gath. This act underscores David's vulnerability, the severity of Saul's threat, and David's temporary reliance on his own ingenuity rather than explicit divine guidance.

1 Samuel 21 10 Context

First Samuel chapter 21 immediately follows Saul's intensified attempts to kill David. David, having narrowly escaped several assassination attempts and having been warned by Jonathan (1 Sam 20), has been reduced to a fugitive. He first goes to Nob, the city of priests, where he feigns a royal mission to Ahimelech, receiving holy bread and Goliath's sword (1 Sam 21:1-9). This seemingly providential provision is ironically facilitated by deceit. Doeg the Edomite, an official of Saul, witnesses this encounter. Knowing that Saul is capable of extreme violence, David realizes that staying in Israel or in the vicinity of any friendly figures poses a grave danger, not only to himself but also to those who assist him. His flight to Gath, the heartland of his enemy, is therefore an act born of immense pressure, desperation, and perhaps a moment of human strategizing over outright trust in God's miraculous intervention, making his destination of Achish the king of Gath, especially significant.

1 Samuel 21 10 Word analysis

And David (וַיָּקָם דָּוִד, Vayyāqām Dawid): "David" (Heb. דָּוִד, Dawid) is Israel's future king, but here he is a hunted man. "And arose" (וַיָּקָם, vayyāqām) signifies immediate action, a quick departure due to the pressing danger. It conveys decisiveness and readiness.
and fled (וַיִּבְרַח, vayyivraḥ): This strong verb explicitly means "he fled" or "he escaped." It emphasizes the urgency, the fear, and the pursuit, clearly depicting David as a refugee.
that day (בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא, bayyôm hahû): This phrase highlights the immediacy and direct consequence of the events at Nob. There was no time to lose, suggesting that the danger from Saul, possibly intensified by Doeg's presence, was critically close.
from before Saul (מִפְּנֵי שָׁאוּל, mippĕnê Šā'ûl): Literally "from the face of Saul." This denotes escaping from Saul's direct presence, his reach, and his relentless authority. Saul's hatred had driven David into desperate exile.
and went (וַיָּבֹא, vayyābō’): A simple verb indicating movement toward a specific destination. It completes the picture of David's journey.
to Achish (אֶל־אָכִישׁ, ’el-’Āḵîš): Achish was the king of Gath. His name (Heb. אָכִישׁ, ’Āḵîš) indicates his specific identity. Seeking refuge with an enemy king highlights David's extreme predicament and apparent abandonment of trusting solely in God's immediate protection. This desperate choice showcases a profound moment of human weakness and strategy, leading him to hide among the very people he had previously defeated.
the king of Gath (מֶלֶךְ גַּת, melek Gat): "Gath" (Heb. גַּת, Gat) was one of the five major Philistine cities, historically strong and a consistent enemy of Israel (e.g., home of Goliath). The mention of "king of Gath" underscores Achish's authority and the potential danger and irony of David's choice. It signifies going into the lion's den.

"And David arose and fled that day": This phrase highlights the spontaneous and urgent nature of David's departure. The danger from Saul was perceived as imminent, necessitating an immediate escape without delay.
"from before Saul and went to Achish the king of Gath": This juxtaposition creates a powerful dramatic tension. Fleeing the divinely appointed (though now rejected) king of Israel, David paradoxically seeks asylum with an uncircumcised, pagan enemy king in a land explicitly hostile to Israel. This choice demonstrates the profound depths of David's desperation and the apparent hopelessness of his situation within Israel.

1 Samuel 21 10 Bonus section

This incident, particularly David's flight to the Philistine king, serves as a dark mirror to later periods of his life and Israel's history. David's seeking refuge among enemies due to the rejection by his own king prefigures the rejection of Christ by His own people. It also demonstrates a key principle that God can work His plan through a person's low points, errors, and desperate human strategies. This episode, though a moment of David's apparent lack of full faith, taught him profound lessons in humility and reliance on God, lessons that are vividly expressed in the Psalms connected to this period (Psalm 34 and 56), which articulate God's deliverance despite human folly. David’s return to Gath in 1 Samuel 27 with 600 men for a more extended stay highlights the continuing and unique relationship David formed with Achish, showing that God's plan can leverage even strained relationships for a higher purpose.

1 Samuel 21 10 Commentary

1 Samuel 21:10 marks a pivotal moment in David's life as a fugitive, driven to extremes by Saul's insane jealousy. David's flight to Gath is born of sheer terror and desperation, as staying in Israel meant certain death or the endangerment of anyone who harbored him. This move is deeply ironic: the man who single-handedly defeated Goliath of Gath now seeks refuge with the Philistine king in Goliath's hometown. It represents a temporary departure from explicit trust in the LORD, reflecting David's human vulnerability and fear. While he sought refuge, it was in a place fraught with danger, where he would later have to feign madness to escape (1 Sam 21:11-15). This period of forced exile and living among enemies would refine David's character, teach him dependence on God, and prepare him for the complex role of kingship, illustrating how God works through human desperation and apparent failures to achieve His sovereign purposes.