1 Samuel 27 7

1 Samuel 27:7 kjv

And the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months.

1 Samuel 27:7 nkjv

Now the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was one full year and four months.

1 Samuel 27:7 niv

David lived in Philistine territory a year and four months.

1 Samuel 27:7 esv

And the number of the days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was a year and four months.

1 Samuel 27:7 nlt

and they lived there among the Philistines for a year and four months.

1 Samuel 27 verses

1 Samuel 27 7 Meaning

This verse records a specific duration of time: "a full year and four months." During this period, David, the anointed king-in-waiting, resided in the land of the Philistines, specifically in the city of Gath, along with his retinue. This marked a significant, lengthy segment of David's life while he was fleeing from King Saul, representing a period of exile in hostile territory.

1 Samuel 27 7 Context

Chapter 27 of 1 Samuel marks a pivotal and controversial period in David's life. After years of relentless pursuit by King Saul, during which David narrowly escaped death multiple times, his faith seemingly faltered. He concluded, "Now I will perish one day by the hand of Saul" (1 Sam 27:1). This declaration signals a loss of perspective, suggesting a belief that God's protection might have limits or was insufficient. Driven by this fear and doubt, David chose to seek refuge among the Philistines, Israel's traditional enemies. This decision to align with Achish, the king of Gath, placed David in a precarious moral and political position, as it implied service to a pagan king and potentially pitted him against his own people. This particular verse, 1 Sam 27:7, precisely states the duration of this highly irregular and dangerous alliance, emphasizing its significance as not a mere brief stay but a substantial period of over a year, during which David operated as a mercenary, albeit a deceptive one.

1 Samuel 27 7 Word analysis

• And the duration: The Hebrew phrase is mispār ha-yāmim (מִסְפַּר הַיָּמִים), literally "number of days." However, yāmim (days) in biblical Hebrew can also denote a longer period, often translated as "year" or "years" in certain contexts (e.g., Gen 24:55; Lev 25:29). The precise measurement that follows confirms it refers to years.
• that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines: va-yēšev Dawid be-erets Peleštîm (וַיֵּשֶׁב דָּוִד בְּאֶרֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּים).
  • David (דָּוִד, Dawid): The future king of Israel, anointed by Samuel. His current dwelling place in enemy territory is significant as it contrasts sharply with his destiny as king over Israel and as a type of the Messiah. This period tests his resolve and dependence on God.
  • dwelt (וַיֵּשֶׁב, va-yēšev): From the root yāšav (ישׁב), meaning "to sit, remain, settle, inhabit." It implies a settled residence, not merely a transient visit, underscoring the length and deliberate nature of his stay.
  • in the country of the Philistines (בְּאֶרֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּים, be-erets Peleštîm): This refers to Philistia, the coastal region of five prominent Philistine city-states, known as Israel's perennial enemies. David's choice of refuge here is ethically problematic, a potential breach of loyalty to Israel and God.
• was a full year and four months: yāmīm ve-ḥodašīm (יָמִים וְחֳדָשִׁים), literally "days and months," specified as aḥat šānāh ve-’arba‘at ḥodašīm (אַחַת שָׁנָה וְאַרְבַּע מַה בְּחוּצִי).
  • a full year (אַחַת שָׁנָה, aḥat šānāh): Emphasizes the duration. A year often signifies a significant period in biblical narratives. This prolonged stay solidifies David's identity as a mercenary in Philistine eyes.
  • and four months (וְאַרְבַּע מַה בְּחוּצִי, ve-’arba‘at ḥodašīm): Adds precision to the lengthy period, emphasizing its non-trivial nature. The exactness indicates its importance in the unfolding narrative and perhaps hints at a divinely appointed boundary to this phase of David's life.

Words-group analysis:

• "And the duration... was a full year and four months": This precise temporal statement underscores the unusual length of David's Philistine residency. It's not a hasty decision but a prolonged engagement. This extended period would solidify his cover with Achish and the Philistines, but simultaneously deepen the perceived distance from his true allegiance to Israel. For an Israelite leader, to live so long among the chief enemies of God's people was a profound spiritual and practical compromise.
• "David dwelt in the country of the Philistines": This phrase highlights the paradox. David, the "man after God's own heart" (1 Sam 13:14), the very one chosen to lead God's people against their enemies, now finds himself residing among them. This strategic retreat born out of fear reflects a human failing, but also a period of divine testing and shaping. His presence there was also a critical strategic advantage later, as it kept him safe from Saul while providing intelligence and resources that would prove beneficial, albeit through dubious means, to his future kingship.

1 Samuel 27 7 Bonus section

This specified time period, "a full year and four months," marks a liminal phase, neither truly fleeing nor yet reigning. It highlights the divine allowance for a period of stagnation or seemingly errant paths in a chosen servant's journey. It's a testament to God's patient long-suffering and His overarching plan, which often transcends immediate human comprehension or strategic perfection. This timeframe would have given David's presence in Gath an air of legitimacy to the Philistines, allowing him the freedom to conduct "raids" on other enemies (like the Geshurites, Gezrites, and Amalekites) without Achish's full awareness of his true allegiances. Such an extended period would have also further matured David's military leadership skills and solidified the loyalty of his men, forming the core of his future army. The specificity of the duration might also subtly imply that this "exile" had a purpose and a divinely appointed end, beyond which God's clear purpose for David's life as Israel's king would resume its unobstructed course.

1 Samuel 27 7 Commentary

First Samuel 27:7 provides a stark marker of a unique and somewhat troubling chapter in David's life. His extended stay of sixteen months in Philistine territory, following a moment of apparent fear-driven despair, demonstrates the reality of even a godly leader experiencing moments of spiritual weakness and human-driven strategizing. While the Bible doesn't condemn David explicitly for this specific act of seeking refuge, it underscores a departure from absolute reliance on God for protection, as evidenced by his preceding declaration (1 Sam 27:1). This period, however, served various purposes under God's sovereign hand: it secured David's safety from Saul's relentless pursuit, allowed him to gather and train a strong fighting force without open conflict with Saul, and unknowingly prepared him for future military tactics against the Philistines by providing him with intimate knowledge of their land and movements. Despite the questionable means (deceiving Achish about his raids), God continued to preserve and prepare David for the throne, demonstrating His faithfulness even amidst human shortcomings. This phase emphasizes that God can work His purposes even through circuitous routes influenced by human fallibility.