1 Samuel 27 שְׁמוּאֵל א פרק כ״ז

Masoretic Text, word by word with transliteration and English glosses, the English verse beneath each. Open 1 Samuel 27 in the interlinear reader for roots and notes, or listen to it read aloud in Hebrew.

1. 1

   וַיֹּאמֶרvay/YO/merand saidדָּוִדDa/VIDDavidאֶל־לִבּוֹel-lib/BOin his heartעַתָּהat/TAnowאֶסָּפֶהes/sa/FEI shall be swept awayיוֹם־אֶחָדyom-e/CHADone dayבְּיַד־שָׁאוּלbe/YAD-sha/ULby the hand of Saulאֵין־לִיen-lithere is nothing for meטוֹבtovbetterכִּיkithan thatהִמָּלֵטhim/ma/LETescapeאִמָּלֵטim/ma/LETI should escapeאֶל־אֶרֶץel-E/retsto the land ofפְּלִשְׁתִּיםPe/lish/TIMthe Philistinesוְנוֹאַשׁve/no/ASHand will despairמִמֶּנִּיmim/MEN/niof meשָׁאוּלSha/ULSaulלְבַקְשֵׁנִיle/vak/SHE/niof seeking meעוֹדodanymoreבְּכׇל־גְּבוּלbe/KHOL-ge/VULin all the territory ofיִשְׂרָאֵלYis/ra/ELIsraelוְנִמְלַטְתִּיve/nim/lat/TIand I shall escapeמִיָּדוֹ׃miy/ya/DOfrom his hand

   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. 2

   וַיָּקׇםvay/YA/komand aroseדָּוִדDa/VIDDavidוַיַּעֲבֹרvay/ya/a/VORand crossed overהוּאhuheוְשֵׁשׁ־מֵאוֹתve/SHESH-me/OTand six hundredאִישׁishmenאֲשֶׁרa/SHERwho wereעִמּוֹim/MOwith himאֶל־אָכִישׁel-A/KHISHto Achishבֶּן־מָעוֹךְben-Ma/OKHthe son of MaochמֶלֶךְME/lekhthe king ofגַּת׃GatGath

   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. 3

   וַיֵּשֶׁבvay/YE/shevand stayedדָּוִדDa/VIDDavidעִם־אָכִישׁim-A/KHISHwith Achishבְּגַתbe/GATin Gathהוּאhuheוַאֲנָשָׁיוva/a/na/SHAYVand his menאִישׁishevery manוּבֵיתוֹu/ve/TOwith his householdדָּוִדDa/VIDDavidוּשְׁתֵּיush/TEwith his twoנָשָׁיוna/SHAYVhis wivesאֲחִינֹעַםA/chi/NO/amAhinoamהַיִּזְרְעֵאלִתhay/Yiz/re/e/LITthe Jezreeliteוַאֲבִיגַיִלva/A/vi/GA/yiland Abigailאֵשֶׁת־נָבָלE/shet-Na/VALthe wife of Nabalהַכַּרְמְלִית׃hak/Kar/me/LITthe Carmelite

   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. 4

   וַיֻּגַּדvay/yug/GADand it was toldלְשָׁאוּלLe/sha/ULSaulכִּי־בָרַחki-va/RACHthat had fledדָּוִדDa/VIDDavidגַּתGatto Gathוְלֹא־[יָסַף]ve/LO-ya/SAFand he did not again(יוסף)yavasafעוֹדodanymoreלְבַקְשׁוֹ׃le/vak/SHOseek him

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

5. 5

   וַיֹּאמֶרvay/YO/merand saidדָּוִדDa/VIDDavidאֶל־אָכִישׁel-A/KHISHto Achishאִם־נָאim-naif I prayמָצָאתִיma/TSA/tiI have foundחֵןchenfavorבְּעֵינֶיךָbe/e/NE/khain your eyesיִתְּנוּ־לִיyit/te/NU-lilet them give meמָקוֹםma/KOMa placeבְּאַחַתbe/a/CHATin one ofעָרֵיa/REthe towns ofהַשָּׂדֶהhas/sa/DEthe countryוְאֵשְׁבָהve/ESH/vathat I may liveשָּׁםshamthereוְלָמָּהve/LAM/maand whyיֵשֵׁבye/SHEVshould dwellעַבְדְּךָav/de/KHAyour servantבְּעִירbe/IRin the city ofהַמַּמְלָכָהham/mam/la/KHAthe kingdomעִמָּךְ׃im/MAKHwith you

   And David said unto Achish, If I have now found grace in thine eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there: for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee?

6. 6

   וַיִּתֶּן־לוֹvay/YIT/ten-loso gave himאָכִישׁA/KHISHAchishבַּיּוֹםbay/YOMon the dayהַהוּאha/HUthatאֶת־צִקְלָגet-Tsik/LAGZiklagלָכֵןla/KHENthereforeהָיְתָהha/ye/TAhas belongedצִקְלַגTsik/LAGZiklagלְמַלְכֵיle/mal/KHEto the kings ofיְהוּדָהYe/hu/DAJudahעַדadtoהַיּוֹםhay/YOMdayהַזֶּה׃haz/ZEthis

   Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day.

7. 7

   וַיְהִיvay/HIand wasמִסְפַּרmis/PARthe number ofהַיָּמִיםhay/ya/MIMthe daysאֲשֶׁר־יָשַׁבa/SHER-ya/SHAVthat livedדָּוִדDa/VIDDavidבִּשְׂדֵהbis/DEin the country ofפְלִשְׁתִּיםFe/lish/TIMthe Philistinesיָמִיםya/MIMa yearוְאַרְבָּעָהve/ar/ba/Aand fourחֳדָשִׁים׃cho/da/SHIMmonths

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

8. 8

   וַיַּעַלvay/YA/aland went upדָּוִדDa/VIDDavidוַאֲנָשָׁיוva/a/na/SHAYVand his menוַיִּפְשְׁטוּvay/yif/she/TUand raidedאֶל־הַגְּשׁוּרִיel-Hag/ge/shu/RIthe Geshurites[וְהַגִּזְרִי]Ve/hag/giz/RIand the Gizritesוְהָעֲמָלֵקִיve/Ha/a/ma/le/KIand the AmalekitesכִּיkiforהֵנָּהHEN/nathoseיֹשְׁבוֹתyosh/VOTwere the inhabitants ofהָאָרֶץha/A/retsthe landאֲשֶׁרa/SHERwho wereמֵעוֹלָםme/o/LAMfrom of oldבּוֹאֲךָbo/a/KHAas you goשׁוּרָהSHU/rato Shurוְעַד־אֶרֶץve/AD-E/retseven to the land ofמִצְרָיִם׃Mits/RA/yimEgypt

   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. 9

   וְהִכָּהve/hik/KAand struckדָוִדDa/VIDDavidאֶת־הָאָרֶץet-ha/A/retsthe landוְלֹאve/LOand notיְחַיֶּהye/chay/YEleft aliveאִישׁishmanוְאִשָּׁהve/ish/SHAor womanוְלָקַחve/la/KACHand tookצֹאןtsonsheepוּבָקָרu/va/KARand oxenוַחֲמֹרִיםva/cha/mo/RIMand donkeysוּגְמַלִּיםu/ge/mal/LIMand camelsוּבְגָדִיםu/ve/ga/DIMand garmentsוַיָּשׇׁבvay/YA/shovand returnedוַיָּבֹאvay/ya/VOand cameאֶל־אָכִישׁ׃el-A/KHISHto Achish

   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. 10

    וַיֹּאמֶרvay/YO/merand saidאָכִישׁA/KHISHAchishאַל־פְּשַׁטְתֶּםal-pe/shat/TEMwhere have you raidedהַיּוֹםhay/YOMtodayוַיֹּאמֶרvay/YO/merand saidדָּוִדDa/VIDDavidעַל־נֶגֶבal-NE/gevagainst the Negev ofיְהוּדָהYe/hu/DAJudahוְעַל־נֶגֶבve/AL-NE/gevand against the Negev ofהַיְּרַחְמְאֵלִיhay/Ye/rach/me/e/LIthe Jerahmeelitesוְאֶל־נֶגֶבve/EL-NE/gevand against the Negev ofהַקֵּינִי׃hak/Ke/NIthe Kenites

    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. 11

    וְאִישׁve/ISHand manוְאִשָּׁהve/ish/SHAor womanלֹא־יְחַיֶּהlo-ye/chay/YEdid not leave aliveדָוִדDa/VIDDavidלְהָבִיאle/ha/VIto bring toגַתGatGathלֵאמֹרle/MORsayingפֶּן־יַגִּדוּpen-yag/GI/dulest they tellעָלֵינוּa/LE/nuabout usלֵאמֹרle/MORsayingכֹּה־עָשָׂהko-a/SAso has doneדָוִדDa/VIDDavidוְכֹהve/KHOand soמִשְׁפָּטוֹmish/pa/TOwas his practiceכׇּל־הַיָּמִיםkol-hay/ya/MIMall the daysאֲשֶׁרa/SHERthatיָשַׁבya/SHAVhe livedבִּשְׂדֵהbis/DEin the country ofפְלִשְׁתִּים׃Fe/lish/TIMthe Philistines

    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. 12

    וַיַּאֲמֵןvay/ya/a/MENand trustedאָכִישׁA/KHISHAchishבְּדָוִדBe/da/VIDDavidלֵאמֹרle/MORsayingהַבְאֵשׁhav/ESHmake odiousהִבְאִישׁhiv/ISHhe has made himself odiousבְּעַמּוֹbe/am/MOto his peopleבְיִשְׂרָאֵלve/Yis/ra/ELin Israelוְהָיָהve/ha/YAtherefore he shall beלִיlimyלְעֶבֶדle/E/vedservantעוֹלָם׃o/LAMforever

    And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever.