1 Samuel 27:9 Meaning and Explanation
“And David smote the land, and left neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel, and returned, and came to Achish.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →David strikes these peoples completely, takes their livestock and goods, and returns to report to Achish.
What Does 1 Samuel 27:9 Mean?
The raid is total, leaving no survivors to carry word back, and David returns to Gath with captured flocks, herds, and plunder. He then presents himself to Achish, his Philistine overlord.
This is wartime narrative told without ornament, the grim arithmetic of survival in a violent era. The thoroughness that leaves no witness will become, in the next verses, the cover for David's deception of the king. Scripture records the deed plainly, neither glorifying it nor hiding it, trusting the reader to see a flawed servant in a tangled world and to long for the spotless King who would one day come from his line.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Samuel 27:9
What does 1 Samuel 27:9 mean?
David strikes these peoples completely, takes their livestock and goods, and returns to report to Achish.