Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Samuel 27:8
And David and his men went up, and invaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites: for those [nations were] of old the inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt.
8 12. David’s raids upon neighbouring tribes
8. the Geshurites ] A tribe dwelling south of Philistia near the Amalekites (see Jos 13:2), to be distinguished from the Geshurites in Syria (2Sa 15:8).
the Gezrites ] These cannot be the inhabitants of Gezer (Jos 10:33), which was far away from the scene of David’s operations. The written text ( Kthbh) as distinguished from the traditional reading ( Qr) has Gerzites. It has been conjectured that this was an ancient Arab tribe which at one time wandered up northwards and gave its name to Mount Gerizim; as their neighbours the Amalekites left traces of former migrations in the name “the mountain of the Amalekites” in the territory of Ephraim (Jdg 12:15).
the Amalekites ] Such remnants of them as had escaped from Saul’s sword. See on 1Sa 15:8.
those nations were of old, &c.] If the text is right, the E. V. gives the general sense correctly. The allusion to their ancient occupation of the district may be inserted with reference to the Amalekite attack upon Israel in the march from Egypt (Exo 17:8 ff.). But the Heb. is obscure, and possibly should be emended so as to give the sense, “for these nations inhabited the land from Telem until thou comest to Shur, and unto the land of Egypt.” Telem would be mentioned as the southernmost city of Israel. See on 1Sa 15:4.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The Geshurites bordered upon the Philistines, and lived in the mountainous district which terminates the desert on the northeast (marginal reference). They were a different tribe, or, at least, a different branch of it, from the Geshurites who lived on the northeast border of Bashan, and were Arameans 2Sa 15:8. The Gezrites, or Gerzites, may be connected with those who gave their name to Mount Gerizim.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
The Gezrites were anciently seated in other places, Jos 12:12; 16:3, but for some reasons not now known they changed their seats, as was then very usual, and seated themselves, and had for some considerable time lived, near the Amalekites.
The Amalekites; the remnant of those whom Saul destroyed, 1Sa 15, who fled from his sword, and retired into remote and desert places.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
8. David . . . went up, and invadedthe Geshurites(See Jos 13:2).
and the Gezritesor theGerizi [GESENIUS], (Jos12:12), some Arab horde which had once encamped there.
and the AmalekitesPartof the district occupied by them lay on the south of the land ofIsrael (Jdg 5:14; Jdg 12:15).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And David and his men went up,…. From Ziklag, where they dwelt:
and invaded the Geshurites; some of the old inhabitants of the land of Canaan, the remains of the Amorites, whose land was given to the half tribe of Manasseh, but could never be expelled; and therefore David had a just right to invade them, and, if he could, either expel or destroy them; see De 3:14; these are the Geshurites which are joined with the Philistines, Jos 13:2;
and the Gezrites; the inhabitants of Gezer, which place fell to the tribe of Ephraim; but that tribe could not drive out the inhabitants of it, and therefore David now fell upon them as the enemies of Israel, and seized on their country, as belonging to them, Jos 16:3;
and the Amalekites; the sworn and implacable enemies of Israel, and whose memory they were laid under obligation to root out. These were such as had escaped the sword of Saul, and had fled to the more distant parts, against whom David now went; and perhaps these had fled to and mixed themselves with the people here mentioned:
for these [nations were] of old the inhabitants of the land; of the land of Canaan;
as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt; see 1Sa 15:7.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
From Ziklag David made an attack upon the Geshurites, Gerzites, and Amalekites, smote them without leaving a man alive, and returned with much booty. The occasion of this attack is not mentioned, as being a matter of indifference in relation to the chief object of the history; but it is no doubt to be sought for in plundering incursions made by these tribes into the land of Israel. For David would hardly have entered upon such a war in the situation in which he was placed at that time without some such occasion, seeing that it would be almost sure to bring him into suspicion with Achish, and endanger his safety. , “ he advanced,” the verb being used, as it frequently is, to denote the advance of an army against a people or town (see at Jos 8:1). At the same time, the tribes which he attacked may have had their seat upon the mountain plateau in the northern portion of the desert of Paran, so that David was obliged to march up to reach them. , to invade for the purpose of devastation and plunder. Geshuri is a tribe mentioned in Jos 13:2 as living in the south of the territory of the Philistines, and is a different tribe from the Geshurites in the north-east of Gilead (Jos 12:5; Jos 13:11, Jos 13:13; Deu 3:14). These are the only passages in which they are mentioned. The Gerzites, or Gizrites according to the Keri, are entirely unknown. Bonfrere and Clericus suppose them to be the Gerreni spoken of in 2 Macc. 13:24, who inhabited the town of Gerra, between Rhinocolura and Pelusium (Strabo, xvi. 760), or Gerron (Ptol. iv. 5). This conjecture is a possible one, but is very uncertain nevertheless, as the Gerzites certainly dwelt somewhere in the desert of Arabia. At any rate Grotius and Ewald cannot be correct in their opinion that they were the inhabitants of Gezer (Jos 10:33). The Amalekites were the remnant of this old hereditary foe of the Israelites, who had taken to flight on Saul’s war of extermination, and had now assembled again (see at 1Sa 15:8-9). “ For they inhabit the land, where you go from of old to Shur, even to the land of Egypt.” The before may be explained from the fact that is not adverbial here, but is construed according to its form as an infinitive: literally, “ where from of old thy coming is to Shur.” cannot have crept into the text through a copyist’s mistake, as such a mistake would not have found its way into all the MSS. The fact that the early translators did not render the word proves nothing against its genuineness, but merely shows that the translators regarded it as superfluous. Moreover, the Alexandrian text is decidedly faulty here, and is confounded with , . Shur is the desert of Jifar, which is situated in front of Egypt (as in 1Sa 15:7). These tribes were nomads, and had large flocks, which David took with him as booty when he had smitten the tribes themselves. After his return, David betook himself to Achish, to report to the Philistian king concerning his enterprise, and deceive him as to its true character.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
| David Smites the Amalekites. | B. C. 1055. |
8 And David and his men went up, and invaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites: for those nations were of old the inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt. 9 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. 10 And 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. 11 And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring tidings to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on us, saying, So did David, and so will be his manner all the while he dwelleth in the country of the Philistines. 12 And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever.
Here is an account of David’s actions while he was in the land of the Philistines, a fierce attack he made upon some remains of the devoted nations, his success in it, and the representation he gave of it to Achish. 1. We may acquit him of injustice and cruelty in this action because those people whom he cut off were such as heaven had long since doomed to destruction, and he that did it was one whom heaven had ordained to dominion; so that the thing was very fit to be done, and he was very fit to do it. It was not for him that was anointed to fight the Lord’s battles to sit still in sloth, however he might think fit, in modesty, to retire. He desired to be safe from Saul only that he might expose himself for Israel. He avenged an old quarrel that God had with these nations, and at the same time fetched in provisions for himself and his army, for by their swords they must live. The Amalekites were to be all cut off. Probably the Geshurites and Gezrites were branches of Amalek. Saul was rejected for sparing them, David makes up the deficiency of his obedience before he succeeds him. He smote them, and left none alive,1Sa 27:8; 1Sa 27:9. The service paid itself, for they carried off abundance of spoil, which served for the subsistence of David’s forces. 2. Yet we cannot acquit him of dissimulation with Achish in the account he gave him of this expedition. (1.) David, it seems, was not willing that he should know the truth, and therefore spared none to carry tidings to Gath (v. 11), not because he was ashamed of what he had done as a bad thing, but because he was afraid, if the Philistines knew it, they would be apprehensive of danger to themselves or their allies by harbouring him among them and would expel him from their coasts. It would be easy to conclude, If so he did, so will be his manner, and therefore he industriously conceals it from them, which, it seems, he could do by putting them all to the sword, for none of their neighbours would inform against him, nor perhaps would soon come to the knowledge of what was done, intelligence not being so readily communicated then as now. (2.) He hid it from Achish with an equivocation not at all becoming his character. Being asked which way he had made his sally, he answered, Against the south of Judah, v. 13. It was true he had invaded those countries that lay south of Judah, but he made Achish believe he had invaded those that lay south in Judah, the Ziphites for example, that had once and again betrayed him; so Achish understood him, and thence inferred that he had made his people Israel to abhor him, and so riveted himself in the interest of Achish. The fidelity of Achish to him, his good opinion of him, and the confidence he put in him, aggravate his sin in deceiving him thus, which, with some other such instances, David seems penitently to reflect upon when he prays, Remove from me the way of lying.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Davids Pretended Campaign Against Judah. 1Sa. 27:8-12
8 And David and his men went up, and invaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites: for those nations were of old the inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt.
9 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.
10 And Achish said, Whither have ye made a road today? And David said, Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelites, and against the south of the Kenites.
11 And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring tidings to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on us, saying, So did David, and so will be his manner all the while he dwelleth in the country of the Philistines.
12 And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever.
5.
Who were the people whom David attacked? 1Sa. 27:8
The Geshurites, the Gezrites and the Amalekites were nomadic people who lived on the southwest border of Palestine. Their territory is described as being that land along the route to Shur. This was the wilderness where Hagar lived after she was driven out from Abrahams household (Gen. 16:7). Geshurites are noted in Jos. 13:2 as south of Palestine. Gesenius connects the Gezrites with Mt. Gerizim, but this is very doubtful. They, too, must have been south of Palestine proper.
6.
What was Davids purpose in his campaigns? 1Sa. 27:9
David attacked the non-Israelitish people and utterly destroyed them so that there would be no living witnesses of his attacks. He did this and then told Achish that he had been fighting his own people. In this way he hoped to convince Achish that he was completely divorced from his former allegiance to Saul. If Achish believed that David was fighting against the people of Judah, he would believe that David would support the Philistines in their wars against the Israelites.
7.
Against whom did David say he was fighting? 1Sa. 27:9
David said he had been fighting against the south of Judah, the Jerahmeelites, and the Kenites. The Jerahmeelites were the inhabitants of Jerahmeel. This was a city in Judah southwest of Hebron. The Kenites were the descendants of Hobab, Moses brother-in-law (Num. 10:29). These people were ordered to get out of the area when Saul was told to wipe out the Amalekites (1Sa. 15:6).
8.
Why did David use this deception? 1Sa. 27:12
David was beginning to weaken in his honest purposes. He had left Israel against the commandments of God. He found himself in a position where he had to convince Achish that he was loyal to him. He saw no other way to insure his safety. Some of his own people had betrayed him and he was not safe to live among the people of his own tribe, the tribe of Judah. Had he only trusted in the Lord he would not have been forced to come to the place where he lived by deception.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(8) Went up.The expression is strictly accurate. The nomad tribes against whom his expeditions were directed dwelt on higher ground than Davids home at Ziklag, apparently on the wide extent of the mountain plateau, that high table-land at the north-east of the desert of Paran.
The Geshurites, and the Gezerites, and the Amalekites.These were all Bedaween tribes, the scourge of the Israelitish families dwelling on the south of Canaan. It is not easy to identify the first two named of these nomades against whom David directed his operations. We hear of these Geshurites in the neighbourhood of Bashan (Deu. 3:14), and of another tribe of them in Syria (2Sa. 15:8). They were a widely scattered race of nomad Arabs. The Gezerites, or Gizrites, it has been supposed, were the remains of a once powerful race dispossessed by the Amorites. The third named, the Amalekites, were the remnant of that once powerful tribe destroyed by Saul in his famous war, when his disobedience incurred the wrath of Samuel.
For those nations were of old the inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt.The grammar and construction of this sentence is confused and difficult. On the whole, the rendering and explanation of Erdmann in Lange seems the most satisfactory: David . . . invaded the . . . and the Amalekites (for these were inhabitants of the land, who inhabited it of old) as far as Shur and Egypt. Thus Davids raids extended as far as the desert frontier of Egypt.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
8. The Geshurites A nomadic people occupying the desert south of the Philistines. See at Jos 13:2; Jos 13:13.
The Gezrites Rather, The Gerzites, as in the margin. Of these we have no certain trace elsewhere, but from this verse we readily infer that their territory was contiguous to that of the Geshurites and Amalekites.
The Amalekites See Exo 17:8.
Shur The name given to the wilderness extending from the Isthmus of Suez eastward to an indefinite extent, and comprising a considerable portion of Northern Arabia. Gen 16:7; Exo 15:22.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
David’s Campaign Against the Heathen
v. 8. And David and his men, v. 9. And David smote the land, and left neither man nor woman alive, v. 10. And Achish said, v. 11. And David saved neither man nor woman alive to bring tidings to Gath v. 12. And Achish believed David, saying,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
1Sa 27:8. Davidinvaded the Geshurites, &c. This action has been condemned by minute critics, as a piece of ingratitude, and a breach of the principles of hospitality: but as the charge is founded upon a supposition that the nations invaded were Philistines, and the confederates of Achish, it will be found to be groundless if we attend to what follows: “It may be observed, that these clans were not confederates with Achish, but in a state of hostility against him; particularly the Amalekites, whom we find soon after making great depredations upon the Philistine territories, chap. 1Sa 30:16 and, therefore, David did not act in the least dishonourably by him, but in reality for his service, in the attack he made on them. Besides that the Amalekites were many ages before doomed to destruction; and the Geshurites and Gezrites, the old inhabitants of the land, and the Canaanites, as appears from Joshua 13 were by God himself commanded to be extirpated, for such reasons as render such a command worthy of his character. It is further to be remarked, that as those people were on the south of Judah, they made frequent incursions into the land, and were the avowed enemies of the Hebrews: this is certain, at least, of the Amalekites, of whom frequent mention is made in the books of the Old Testament, as being engaged in many expeditions to plunder the country, and destroy the inhabitants. David, therefore, had a right to cut off those nations; as deserving the character of a man after God’s own heart, he was called upon to do it; and in doing it, he served his country, without injuring his protector and friend.” See Chandler.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
(8) And David and his men went up, and invaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites: for those nations were of old the inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt. (9) 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. (10) And 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. (11) And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring tidings to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on us, saying, So did David, and so will be his manner all the while he dwelleth in the country of the Philistines. (12) And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant forever.
No doubt a zeal for the honor of God, with an eye to what the Lord had determined concerning the utter destruction of the Amalekites, was the leading object David had in view in this excursion. See Exo 17:14 . It is astonishing to see, in the dissimulation of David with Achish in this business, what littleness, mixed with much greatness, the mind of man is made up of. Alas! what is any man, the best of men, but a mass of sin and unworthiness in himself. Oh! how precious is the Lord Jesus endeared to the heart, in every review of what he is to us, and what we are without him. 1Co 1:30 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
1Sa 27:8 And David and his men went up, and invaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites: for those [nations were] of old the inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt.
Ver. 8. And the Gezrites. ] Otherwise called Girgashites, as some hold.
And the Amalekites. am 2948, bc 1056, An, Ex, Is, 435
the Geshurites: Jos 13:2, Jos 13:13, 2Sa 13:37, 2Sa 13:38, 2Sa 14:23, 2Sa 14:32, 2Sa 15:8, 1Ch 2:23
Gezrites: or, Gerzites, These people seem to be the Gerrhenians – 2; Mac 13:24whose chief city, Gerrha, is mentioned by Strabo as lying between Gaza and Pelusium in Egypt.
the Amalekites: Jos 16:10, Jdg 1:29, 1Ki 9:15-17
as thou goest: 1Sa 15:7, 1Sa 15:8, 1Sa 30:1, Exo 17:14-16
Reciprocal: Num 24:20 – his latter end Deu 25:19 – thou shalt Jos 12:5 – unto the 2Sa 1:8 – an Amalekite 2Sa 3:3 – Geshur 1Ch 18:11 – Amalek
1Sa 27:8. David and his men invaded the Geshurites, &c. These were some remains of the Amorites, and other ancient inhabitants of the country; whom God, for their inveterate and incorrigible wickedness, had commanded to be extirpated. And they were not confederate with Achish, but in a state of hostility with him; particularly the Amalekites, whom we find soon after making great depredations upon the Philistine territories, chap. 1Sa 30:16. David, therefore, did not act in the least dishonourably by him, but in reality for his service, in the attack he made on them. It is further to be remarked, that as those people were on the south of Judah, they made frequent incursions into the land, and were the avowed enemies of the Hebrews. This is certain at least of the Amalekites, the remnant of those whom Saul destroyed, (chap. 15.,) who had retired into remote and distant places. Of these frequent mention is made in the books of the Old Testament, as engaged in many expeditions to plunder the country and destroy the inhabitants. David, therefore, had a right to cut off those nations; as deserving the character of a man after Gods own heart, he was called upon to do it; and in doing it he served his country, without injuring his protector and friend. Chandler. But it has been objected, that it was unjustifiable in David, being a private man, to act thus without a warrant from Achish or from God, which it does not appear that he had. In answer to this it must be observed, that he did not act as a private man, but as one elected and anointed to the kingdom. And the same Spirit of God which once inspired Saul with all regal virtues, was now gone over to David, and rested on him, and it were very strange if David, as king-elect of Israel, could have any guilt in doing that which Saul, as a king in possession, was deposed for not doing. Delaney.
27:8 And David and his men went up, and invaded the {d} Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites: for those [nations were] of old the inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt.
(d) These were the wicked Canaanites, whom God had appointed to be destroyed.
David’s raids to the south 27:8-12
David used the opportunity that his location afforded to defeat and to annihilate the common enemies of Israel and the Philistines that lived to Israel’s southwest. David did not leave any survivors, as the Lord had commanded (Deu 3:18-20; Jos 1:13). He was clearing the Promised Land of foreign foes so the Israelites could occupy it. David walked a thin line of deception but was able to convince Achish that his victories were for the welfare of the Philistines. Really he was conquering Israel’s surrounding enemies, but he gave Achish the impression that his raids were against the southern portions in Judah. David continued to subdue Israel’s enemy neighbors later when he became king (2 Samuel 8). Achish believed that David had alienated himself from the Israelites and would therefore be loyal to him from then on (1Sa 27:12; cf. 1Sa 17:9).
"Like Nabal [in 1Sa 25:10], Achish seriously underestimates David by regarding him as a servant or slave." [Note: Miscall, p. 165. Cf. Gunn, The Fate . . ., p. 107.]
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)