1 Samuel 27 12

1 Samuel 27:12 kjv

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

1 Samuel 27:12 nkjv

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

1 Samuel 27:12 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."

1 Samuel 27:12 esv

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

1 Samuel 27:12 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!"

1 Samuel 27 verses

1 Samuel 27 12 Meaning

Achish, the Philistine king of Gath, became convinced that David had completely estranged himself from his own Israelite people. This conviction led Achish to conclude that David would therefore remain loyal to him and serve him permanently as a vassal. This belief was based on David's cunning deception about the targets of his raids.

1 Samuel 27 12 Context

This verse occurs during David's desperate flight from King Saul, who persistently sought to kill him. Having previously fled to Achish king of Gath (1 Sam 21), an incident where he had to feign madness to escape, David again seeks refuge among the Philistines, this time for a sustained period (1 Sam 27:1). He persuades Achish to grant him the town of Ziklag as his base. From Ziklag, David conducts raids, but he intentionally deceives Achish about the targets of these attacks. Instead of raiding Philistine territory, David attacks the Geshurites, Girzites, and Amalekites—peoples who were historical enemies of Israel. When reporting back to Achish, David claims to have raided Judah or other Israelite areas, thus solidifying Achish's belief that David had truly become an enemy of Israel and a permanent ally of the Philistines. Achish's conclusion in verse 12 directly stems from David's calculated deceit in the preceding verses, allowing David to gain favor and resources while still fighting Israel's enemies.

1 Samuel 27 12 Word analysis

• So Achish: Achish was the Philistine king of Gath, one of the five major Philistine cities. His role here is a powerful monarch exercising authority and forming alliances, indicative of the geopolitical dynamics of the era where kings sought strategic vassals.

• believed: The Hebrew word is 'aman (אָמַן), meaning to confirm, to support, to be firm, faithful, or trustworthy. In this context, it signifies that Achish put his full trust and conviction in David's false reports, accepting them as reliable and true. This is ironic, as the word 'aman' is frequently used in the Bible to describe believing in God's faithfulness and truth (e.g., Gen 15:6), contrasting with Achish's misplaced trust in human deceit.

• David: The future king of Israel, divinely anointed but currently living as a fugitive. This period in Gath is a morally complex phase for David, where he employs deception to survive, highlighting the tension between his destiny, human vulnerability, and reliance on unconventional means.

• saying: Indicates Achish's explicit conclusion and the firmness of his internal conviction based on the fabricated evidence David presented.

• He has made himself utterly abhorrent: The Hebrew phrase hibh'ish ba'osh (הִבְאִישׁ בָּאוֹשׁ). The verb ba'ash literally means "to smell bad" or "to stink." The reduplication (ba'osh is an emphatic form) intensifies the meaning to "utterly abhorrent," "making himself truly repulsive" or "extremely odious." It reflects Achish's perception that David's supposed actions against his own people had created an irreversible and extreme separation, making any return to Israel impossible. This strong imagery conveys the Philistine understanding of tribal allegiance and David's perceived definitive breach of it.

• to his people in Israel: This refers to the Israelite nation and particularly the tribe of Judah, to which David belonged. Achish assumed David was actively campaigning against his kin and homeland, making him an outcast among them, thereby solidifying his loyalty to Achish. This showcases the cultural understanding of identity and belonging rooted in one's people group.

• therefore: A logical consequence drawn by Achish based on his mistaken premise. David's supposed irreparable break with Israel directly led to Achish's confidence in his perpetual servitude.

• he shall be my servant: This implies a permanent vassal or loyal subject relationship. In ancient Near Eastern contexts, a "servant" to a king implied a binding agreement of allegiance, often providing military service in exchange for protection and provision.

• always: The Hebrew kol ha-yamim (כָּל הַיָּמִים) means "all the days," denoting an indefinite and permanent duration. This stands in stark ironic contrast to David's actual destiny as God's anointed king of all Israel, illustrating Achish's complete misjudgment of divine providence and David's true allegiance. This permanent servitude imagined by Achish would be providentially overturned very soon.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "Achish believed David": This phrase highlights Achish's complete credulity regarding David's deceptions. It underscores the effectiveness of David's cunning, yet also Achish's vulnerability to manipulation due to his vested interest in David as a potential powerful asset.
  • "He has made himself utterly abhorrent to his people in Israel": This represents Achish's flawed understanding of David's loyalty and status. It's the lynchpin of his misguided judgment, predicated on the Philistine perspective of unredeemable tribal betrayal, which was crucial for David's scheme to work.
  • "therefore he shall be my servant always": This reveals Achish's strategic gain and long-term expectation. He perceived a permanently estranged warrior who could now be fully relied upon, unaware of the divine purpose shaping David's life. This expectation, built on falsehood, ironically placed David in a precarious position requiring further divine intervention to extricate him (as seen in chapter 29).

1 Samuel 27 12 Bonus section

This incident, while seemingly a shrewd maneuver by David, reflects a lapse in his unwavering faith, seen in many of his psalms composed during his flight. He is leaning on his own understanding (Prov 3:5-6) and using human craftiness, which momentarily provides safety and resources but positions him ambiguously between God's chosen people and their sworn enemies. It sets the stage for a dramatic deliverance by God in 1 Samuel chapter 29, where the other Philistine commanders, in a display of divine providence, mistrust David enough to demand his removal from the battle against Israel. This reveals that Achish's complete trust, while effective for David's immediate needs, was ultimately undermined by others' suspicion, demonstrating God's hidden hand working to prevent His anointed from participating in a battle against His people.

1 Samuel 27 12 Commentary

This verse is a pivotal point demonstrating the precariousness of David's exile and his reliance on human cunning rather than complete, transparent trust in God. While the situation ultimately served God's sovereign plan for David's safety and provisions, it highlights a period where David resorted to deliberate deception, causing him to live by wits rather than overt faith. Achish, the Philistine king, misinterprets David's actions through a political lens, concluding that David has irrevocably burned bridges with Israel and therefore poses no threat to Philistia. This allows David continued refuge and resources, yet it creates ethical tensions. The passage implies God's capacity to use even morally questionable human actions within His larger redemptive narrative, though not condoning the sin itself. This situation ultimately sets up the intense dilemma David faces later when asked to fight against Israel (1 Sam 29), illustrating the complications that arise from deceptive living and divided loyalties.

• Practical Examples: This verse illustrates the temporary nature of solutions built on deceit. While deception might offer short-term relief (like David gaining safety), it inevitably leads to complex dilemmas (like Achish expecting David to fight against Israel) that can compromise one's true calling or identity. It reminds us that living truthfully, even in challenging circumstances, aligns more consistently with God's character and simplifies one's path in the long run.