David Seeks Refuge From Saul in Phillistia
December 21, 2021
Commentary
In this chapter, David is compelled to leave his homeland because of the slander of Cush and the betrayal of the people of Ziph. At Engedi there seemed to be a complete and harmonious reconciliation between David and Saul. Yet, in just a brief time, Saul was again hunting David. The reason this time was that Cush had stirred up Saul’s anger toward David (Psalm 35:15).
For the second time David seeks refuge from Saul in Philistine territory. The man who killed Goliath and conquered the Philistines now asks for permission to live under the protection of King Achish. When Saul finds out about this, he stops pursuing David.
How David explained to Achish his recovery from his (supposed) former insanity is a mystery. Historians tell us that David’s following at this time may have numbered 2500 people. You can imagine what kind of housing shortage and food problem this must have caused King Achish. When David gained the confidence of the king, he made a suggestion. He expressed his desire not to be a burden to his host and suggested that Achish assign him and his followers a city where they can live. The king grants his request by assigning the city of Ziklag to them (vv.5-6).
This is interesting because, in I Chronicles 4:30, we learn that Ziklag had originally been given to the people of Judah. Now David and his followers are once again within the borders of the Promised Land. From this city David launched and won military operations against the Geshurites, the Girzites and the Amalekites, who were the enemies of the people of God.
Application
When I think of Cush and the people of Ziph, I need to remember that the Lord hates the sowing of discord among the brethren. May the Lord set a watch before my mouth and help me not to sin with my tongue (Psalm 141:3).
1 Samuel 27:1– 12 (NET)
1 David thought to himself, “One of these days I’m going to 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 despair of searching for me through all the territory of Israel and I will escape from his hand.”
2 So David left and crossed over to King Achish son of Maoch of Gath accompanied by his 600 men. 3 David settled with Achish in Gath, along with his men and their families. David had with him his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelite and Abigail the Carmelite, Nabal’s widow. 4 When Saul learned that David had fled to Gath, he did not mount a new search for him.
5 David said to Achish, “If I have found favor with you, let me be given a place in one of the country towns so that I can live there. Why should your servant settle in the royal city with you?” 6 So Achish gave him Ziklag on that day. (For that reason Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah until this very day.) 7 The length of time that David lived in the Philistine countryside was a year and four months.
8 Then David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites. (They had been living in that land for a long time, from the approach to Shur as far as the land of Egypt.) 9 When David would attack a district, he would leave neither man nor woman alive. He would take sheep, cattle, donkeys, camels, and clothing and would then go back to Achish. 10 When Achish would ask, “Where did you raid today?” David would say, “The Negev of Judah” or “The Negev of Jerahmeel” or “The Negev of the Kenites.” 11 Neither man nor woman would David leave alive so as to bring them back to Gath. He was thinking, “This way they can’t tell on us, saying, ‘This is what David did.’” Such was his practice the entire time that he lived in the country of the Philistines. 12 So Achish trusted David, thinking to himself, “He is really hated among his own people in Israel! From now on he will be my servant.”