VERSE STUDY • KJV

1 Samuel 27:1

And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: [there is] nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.

Read it in 5 translations

KJV King James Version

And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: [there is] nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.

BSB Berean Standard Bible

David, however, said to himself, “One of these days now I will be swept away by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will stop searching for me all over Israel, and I will slip out of his hand.”

WEB World English Bible

David said in his heart, “I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me any more in all the borders of Israel. So shall I escape out of his hand.”

ASV American Standard Version

And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me any more in all the borders of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.

YLT Young’s Literal Translation

And David saith unto his heart, ‘Now am I consumed one day by the hand of Saul; there is nothing for me better than that I diligently escape unto the land of the Philistines, and Saul hath been despairing of me—of seeking me any more in all the border of Israel, and I have escaped out of his hand.’

Surrounding context — 1 Samuel 27

1 And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: [there is] nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.

2 And David arose, and he passed over with the six hundred men that [were] with him unto Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath.

3 And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, [even] David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s wife.

4 And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him.

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Original-language word links

These Hebrew/Greek tokens are linked by Strong's number. Click one for its lexicon definition and other occurrences.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶרH559 · a.marto say דָּוִד֙H1732 · da.vidDavid אֶל־H413 · elto(wards)לִבּ֔וֹH3820 · levheart עַתָּ֛הH6258 · at.tahnow אֶסָּפֶ֥הH5595 · sa.phahto snatch יוֹם־H3117 · yomday אֶחָ֖דH259 · e.chadone בְּיַד־H3027 · yadhand שָׁא֑וּלH7586 · sha.ulSaul אֵֽין־H369 · a.yinnothing לִ֨יH9030 · nime ט֜וֹבH2896 · tovpleasant כִּ֣יH3588 · kifor הִמָּלֵ֥טH4422 · ma.latto escape אִמָּלֵ֣ט׀H4422 · ma.latto escape אֶל־H413 · elto(wards)אֶ֣רֶץH776 · e.retsland: country/planet פְּלִשְׁתִּ֗יםH6430 · pe.lish.tiPhilistine וְנוֹאַ֨שׁH2976 · ya.ashto despair מִמֶּ֤נִּיH4480 · minfrom שָׁאוּל֙H7586 · sha.ulSaul לְבַקְשֵׁ֤נִיH1245 · ba.qashto seek עוֹד֙H5750 · odstill בְּכָל־H3605 · kolall גְּב֣וּלH1366 · ge.vulborder: boundary יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לH3478 · yis.ra.elIsrael וְנִמְלַטְתִּ֖יH4422 · ma.latto escape מִיָּדֽוֹ׃H3027 · yadhand

Cross-references

Isaiah 40:27-31Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over from my God?Isaiah 51:12I, [even] I, [am] he that comforteth you: who [art] thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man [that] shall die, and of the son of man [which] shall be made [as] grass;Isaiah 30:15-16For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.1 Samuel 16:13Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.1 Samuel 27:10-11And Achish said, Whither have ye made a road to day? And David said, Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelites, and against the south of the Kenites.1 Samuel 28:1-2And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered their armies together for warfare, to fight with Israel. And Achish said unto David, Know thou assuredly, that thou shalt go out with me to battle, thou and thy men.1 Samuel 23:17And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.1 Samuel 21:10-15And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.1 Samuel 16:1And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.Psalm 116:11I said in my haste, All men [are] liars.Exodus 14:12[Is] not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For [it had been] better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.1 Samuel 29:2And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands: but David and his men passed on in the rereward with Achish.Proverbs 13:12Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but [when] the desire cometh, [it is] a tree of life.Proverbs 3:5-6Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.1 Samuel 25:30And it shall come to pass, when the LORD shall have done to my lord according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee, and shall have appointed thee ruler over Israel;1 Samuel 22:5And the prophet Gad said unto David, Abide not in the hold; depart, and get thee into the land of Judah. Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hareth.Mark 4:40And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?Numbers 14:3And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?

HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION

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CLASSIC COMMENTARY & PREACHING

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