King James Version

What Does 1 Samuel 27:9 Mean?

1 Samuel 27:9 in the King James Version says “And David smote the land, and left neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, an...” — study this verse from 1 Samuel chapter 27 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“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.”

1 Samuel 27:9 · King James Version

Context

7

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

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. Gezrites: or, Gerzites

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. Whither: or, Did you not make a road, etc

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.

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Commentaries3 scholars

KJV Study CommentaryPublic Domain
The brutality of David's warfare, leaving 'neither man nor woman alive,' presents modern readers with difficulty but must be understood within its ancient context and specific targets. The Hebrew 'lo yechayeh' (did not keep alive) indicates intentional elimination of witnesses. While morally complex, David's targets were peoples under divine judgment whose survival would expose his deception. The spoils taken (sheep, oxen, asses, camels, apparel) represented the wealth of pastoral peoples and provided resources for David's community.

KJV Study — Public Domain

Historical & Cultural Context

Ancient warfare commonly involved total destruction of enemy populations, particularly in raids. The specific mention of camels suggests David's raids extended into desert-dwelling populations. These activities built David's wealth and reputation as a warrior while eliminating witnesses to his true loyalties.

Reflection Questions

  1. How do you navigate moral complexity when survival seems to require compromising actions?
  2. What aspects of biblical history challenge your understanding of God's purposes?

Compare 3 commentaries from different scholars and time periods for a richer understanding.

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 18 words
וְהִכָּ֤ה1 of 18

“smote”

H5221

to strike (lightly or severely, literally or figuratively)

דָוִד֙2 of 18

“And David”

H1732

david, the youngest son of jesse

אֶת3 of 18
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

הָאָ֔רֶץ4 of 18

“the land”

H776

the earth (at large, or partitively a land)

וְלֹ֥א5 of 18
H3808

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles

יְחַיֶּ֖ה6 of 18

“alive”

H2421

to live, whether literally or figuratively; causatively, to revive

אִ֣ישׁ7 of 18

“and left neither man”

H376

a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)

וְאִשָּׁ֑ה8 of 18

“nor woman”

H802

a woman

וְלָקַח֩9 of 18

“and took away”

H3947

to take (in the widest variety of applications)

צֹ֨אן10 of 18

“the sheep”

H6629

a collective name for a flock (of sheep or goats); also figuratively (of men)

וּבָקָ֜ר11 of 18

“and the oxen”

H1241

a beeve or an animal of the ox family of either gender (as used for plowing); collectively, a herd

וַֽחֲמֹרִ֤ים12 of 18

“and the asses”

H2543

a male ass (from its dun red)

וּגְמַלִּים֙13 of 18

“and the camels”

H1581

a camel

וּבְגָדִ֔ים14 of 18

“and the apparel”

H899

a covering, i.e., clothing

וַיָּ֖שָׁב15 of 18

“and returned”

H7725

to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point);

וַיָּבֹ֥א16 of 18

“and came”

H935

to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)

אֶל17 of 18
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

אָכִֽישׁ׃18 of 18

“to Achish”

H397

akish, a philistine king

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of 1 Samuel. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

1 Samuel 27:9 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to 1 Samuel 27:9 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

1 Samuel 15:31 Samuel 15:7Exodus 15:22Genesis 16:7Genesis 25:18Deuteronomy 25:17-19

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