1 samuel 27:12 - Achish believed David, saying, “He has made his people Israel utterly to abhor him. Therefore he will be my servant forever.”
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What does "1 samuel 27:12" mean?
This verse, 1 Samuel 27:12, describes Achish's (the Philistine king of Gath) flawed interpretation of David's actions. Let's break it down:
"Achish believed David...": David had been deceiving Achish into believing he was attacking Israelite villages, when in reality, he was raiding other groups (like the Geshurites, Girzites, and Amalekites). Achish fully bought into David's deception.
"...saying, 'He has made his people Israel utterly to abhor him.'": Achish concluded that because David was supposedly attacking his own people (Israel), the Israelites would now despise David. He thought David had irrevocably ruined his relationship with his own nation.
"Therefore he will be my servant forever.": Because Achish believed David had burned his bridges with Israel, he assumed David would be completely dependent on him for protection and survival. He believed David would have no choice but to serve him indefinitely, essentially as a lifelong vassal.
In essence, Achish was fooled by David's strategy of deception. He believed David was acting against his own people and that this act had permanently alienated him from Israel. He was mistaken because David was not attacking the Israelites.
The irony is that David was acting in a way that protected Israel, albeit through deception. Achish's misinterpretation is key to the narrative because it allows David to survive among the Philistines, seemingly serving them while secretly furthering his own (and ultimately Israel's) interests.
1 samuel 27:12 - Achish believed David, saying, “He has made his people Israel utterly to abhor him. Therefore he will be my servant forever.”
What does "1 samuel 27:12" mean?
This verse, 1 Samuel 27:12, describes Achish's (the Philistine king of Gath) flawed interpretation of David's actions. Let's break it down:
"Achish believed David...": David had been deceiving Achish into believing he was attacking Israelite villages, when in reality, he was raiding other groups (like the Geshurites, Girzites, and Amalekites). Achish fully bought into David's deception.
"...saying, 'He has made his people Israel utterly to abhor him.'": Achish concluded that because David was supposedly attacking his own people (Israel), the Israelites would now despise David. He thought David had irrevocably ruined his relationship with his own nation.
"Therefore he will be my servant forever.": Because Achish believed David had burned his bridges with Israel, he assumed David would be completely dependent on him for protection and survival. He believed David would have no choice but to serve him indefinitely, essentially as a lifelong vassal.
In essence, Achish was fooled by David's strategy of deception. He believed David was acting against his own people and that this act had permanently alienated him from Israel. He was mistaken because David was not attacking the Israelites.
The irony is that David was acting in a way that protected Israel, albeit through deception. Achish's misinterpretation is key to the narrative because it allows David to survive among the Philistines, seemingly serving them while secretly furthering his own (and ultimately Israel's) interests.