1 Samuel Chapter 29-30:6

The Philistines Reject David

1  Now the Philistines had gathered all their forces at Aphek. And the Israelites were encamped by the spring that is in Jezreel.

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1. How does this Jezreel fit into bible prophesy?

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The word Armageddon, which means “mount of Megiddo,” occurs only once in the Bible. Armageddon is frequently used as a term to label the entire time period starting from when the armies of the world begin to gather together (along with the beast and false prophet) to FIGHT Jesus to his actual return and victorious war over the forces of evil. It is after this victory that Christ sets up His Millennial Kingdom on the earth.

In the sixteenth chapter of Revelation the word Armageddon is used to designate the place of the final conflict between Jesus Christ and the Antichrist:

“Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared . . . For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty . . . And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, ARMAGEDDON.”(Revelation 16:12, 14,16, NKJV) http://www.biblestudy.org/biblepic/megiddo.html

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2 As the lords of the Philistines were passing on by hundreds and by thousands, and David and his men were passing on in the rear with Achish, 3 the commanders of the Philistines said,“What are these Hebrews doing here? ”And Achish said to the commanders of the Philistines, “Is this not David, the servant of Saul, king of Israel, who has been with me now for days and years, and since he deserted to me I have found no fault in him to this day.” 4 But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with him. And the commanders of the Philistines said to him, “Send the man back, that he may return to the place to which you have assigned him. He shall not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us. For how could this fellow reconcile himself to his lord? Would it not be with the heads of the men here? 5 Is not this David, of whom they sing to one another in dances, ‘Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands’?”

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2. Why would the Philistines object to a little help from David and his 600 Hebrew “homeboys”?

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Unlike Achish, the other Philistine commandersmistrusted David, fearing that he would seek to regain the favor of Saul (his lord) by presenting to him the heads of the men here (probably meaning “our heads”).ESV

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David and his 600 mercenaries were bringing up the rear in the Philistine procession. The Philistine lords noticed David and his men and asked each other why Hebrew soldiers were accompanying them since they were going to war against the Israelites. “Hebrew” is the common word that non-Israelites used to describe the Israelites, according to the Old Testament writers. It was an ethnic designation. Achish, whom David had deceived into thinking that he was no longer loyal to Saul, came to his defense. David had lived in Philistia now for almost 16 months. The other Philistine kings could hardly believe how naive Achish was being. They saw that David would probably turn against them in the upcoming battle to regain acceptance with his lord, Saul. They proceeded to use the same phrase Achish had used to defend David, “Is this not David?” to impress on their gullible comrade what a danger David posed to them. David had not only slain many of Israel’s enemies, including many Philistines, but he also enjoyed solidarity with Saul in the minds of all the people, which the song they quoted assumed. CN

The four fellow-commanders are not impressed in the least by the confidence of Achish or by his assurances. If anything, the answer Achish gives them makes them even more angry with him. How can this man be so taken in by David? How can he be so stupid? How can he fail to see what David is really up to? David is a Hebrew. He is a Hebrew in exile. He will do anything he can to win the favor of King Saul. How better to accomplish this than to feign loyalty to the Philistines, and then turn against them in the heat of the battle?152 Has Achish forgotten David’s military genius and might, and his popularity among his own people? Let him hear the poem one more time: “Saul has killed his thousands; David his ten thousands.”

The four commanders do not give Achish any choice. They instruct Achish to send David home – back to Ziklag. He is not going to battle with them, or perhaps more accurately, they are not going into battle with David. If Achish wants to continue to offer David asylum in Ziklag, good enough. That is a place remote enough that David can do little harm there. Let David be sent back to Ziklag, but he will not be going to war with the Philistine army. That is final! RD

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3. So what does this mean for David’s dilemma of possibly having to fight his own nation?

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Here he is, in a seemingly hopeless situation, caught between a rock and a hard place. The four Philistine commanders refuse to allow David to go into battle with them, and Achish sheepishly gives David the “bad news.” 
Bad news? This is fantastic! David does not need to fight with the Israelites, with Saul, or with Jonathan. Neither does David have to fight with Achish or any of the Philistines. All he needs do is go home to his own place in Ziklag. Rather than humbly submit to these orders from Achish and the Philistine commanders, David protests, as though he would talk them out of their decision, as though he is bound and determined to go to war. Given a “way of escape,” it seems that David turns it down.

6 Then Achish called David and said to him, “As the Lord lives, you have been honest, and to me it seems right that you should march out and in with me in the campaign. For I have found nothing wrong in you from the day of your coming to me to this day. Nevertheless, the lords do not approve of you. 7 So go back now; and go peaceably, that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines.” 8 And David said to Achish, “But what have I done? What have you found in your servant from the day I entered your service until now, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?” 9 And Achish answered David and said, “I know that you are as blameless in my sight as an angel of God. Nevertheless, the commanders of the Philistines have said, ‘He shall not go up with us to the battle.’ 10 Now then rise early in the morning with the servants of your lord who came with you, and start early in the morning, and depart as soon as you have light.” 11 So David set out with his men early in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines. But the Philistines went up to Jezreel

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4. Is it possible that as God protects David He exhibits His sense of humor?

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“There is more than a little humor in this scene. Achish stands there, apologetically emphasizing how he thinks David should go with him in this campaign and extolling David’s faithfulness, which he has no reason to extol. On the other hand, David with disbelief on his face and exasperation in his voice protests the rejection he has no reason to protest. The deceived defends his deceiver, and the relieved disputes his relief!”

If David’s words of protest are an act, David is a magnificent actor. Gratefully, the minds of these four Philistine commanders cannot be changed. David will return to Ziklag in the morning. RD

This chapter is an encouraging revelation of how God takes care of His own when they are under extreme stress and not entirely obedient. David had come close to running out of ideas about how he could preserve his life. He had apparently received no special guidance from God in answer to prayer. The name of God does not appear in chapter 27 or in chapter29, except in Achish’s references to Him, suggesting that God’s guidance was scarce while David was in Philistine territory. David had even resorted to deception to protect himself. Nonetheless God continued to guard His anointed servant, even in a foreign land. He convinced Achish of David’s loyalty, which yielded a measure of protection for David. He also convinced the other Philistine lords of David’s threat to themselves, which resulted in their sending him far from the field of battle. CN

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5. “As the Lord lives”, “angel of God”? Is Achish a follower of Yahweh?

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There is some reason to think that Achish had actually embraced or was favourably disposed towards the Jewish religion. He speaks here of the angels of God, as a Jew might be expected to speak; and in 1 Samuel 29:6 he appeals to, and swears by Jehovah; which, perhaps,

                       

YAHWEH

no Philistine ever did. It is possible that he might have learned many important truths from David, during the time he sojourned with him.—ACC

“As the LORD lives, . . .” (29:6). This is not the pagan term for “gods,” but the Hebrew term Yahweh, for the one true God, the God of Israel. Later on in verse 9, this Philistine king tells David he is “like an angel of God.”These are strange words indeed. It is not David who is talking “God talk,” but Achish. It may be that he is carefully choosing words to accommodate David’s faith. It may be that David’s faith is having an effect on Achish. RD

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Chapter 30:1-6David’s Wives Are Captured

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1 Now when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had made a raid against the Negeb and against Ziklag. They had overcome Ziklag and burned it with fire 2 and taken captive the women and all who were in it, both small and great. They killed no one, but carried them off and went their way. 3 And when David and his men came to the city, they found it burned with fire, and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. 4 Then David and the people who were with him raised their voices and wept until they had no more strength to weep. 5 David’s two wives also had been taken captive, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 6 And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.

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6. Why would the Amalekites strike at this particular time?

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It was about 50 miles from Aphek to Ziklag. The Amalekites surely knew that the bulk of the armies of Philistia and Judah had gone to the battle in the north, and they took advantage of that fact. Reaping the consequences of Saul’s failure to utterly destroy the Amalekites (1Sa 15) and David’s raids against them (27:8), David and his men were the victims of a successful raid in which the Amalekites took all of their wives and livestock captive before burning Ziklag, their city. While David and his men are with Achish at Aphek, the Amalekites are plundering Ziklag. If we have learned anything, it is that failure to completely carry out God’s word has devastating consequences. Saul’s failure in regard to the Amalekites is bringing his reign as king to an end. It will cost him his own life and the lives of his sons. David’s raids, while based at Ziklag, are against the enemies of Israel, which include the Amalekites (see 27:8). Is this raid in retaliation? For whatever reason, the Amalekites take advantage of the military moves of the Philistines and attack virtually defenseless villages and cities. Among them is Ziklag. The city is destroyed, burned to the ground. Providentially, all of the people of Ziklagare spared, along with the cattle.Disobedience always results in consequences. The Amalekites were the scavengers of the Holy Land. They attacked the Hebrews immediately after crossing the Red Sea. They should have been destroyed as Yahweh had instructed Saul, but he chose to disobey. This will come back to haunt David, the nation in the book of Esther, and some would attribute the present day hatred of the Jewish people to the “spirit of Amalek”.

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7. Who gets the blame for the destruction of Ziklag and the loss of the families?

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This may be the darkest day in David’s life to this point in time. At this moment, no one seems to be thinking of pursuing those who have done this, whoever they might be.156 David’s two wives have been taken, and so have all the families of his men. The men are grief-stricken. They could not have imagined anything worse. They all weep until they have no strength left to continue.

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This is not a pretty sight, but it gets even uglier. As the apparent reality begins to set in, David’s men begin to think about what has happened. It is all David’s fault. David brought them to Gath and then to Ziklag. David had them bring their families along. David ordered raids on peoples like the Amalekites. David’s wheeling and dealing got them inducted into the Philistine army. Because of David’s relationship with Achish, they are all far away, in Aphek, while their own families are terrorized and kidnapped. They have had just about enough of David and his leadership. They are greatly distressed and ready to vent their anger. Talk begins to circulate among the men about stoning David. RD

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8. Why would God allow this to happen?

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Through this entire episode we do not see David consulting or depending of Yahweh. God has obviously been working in the background, making it possible for David to escape having to fight against his own people, but we do not see David acknowledging the hand of God in his rescue. Now God forces David to turn to the Lord. Unlike Saul, when things spin out of control, David turns to the Lord for strength.

David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.

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·           ACC …. Adam Clarke’s Commentary

·        CN …… Constables Notes

·        ESVN………….ESV Study Bible Notes                          

·        Gill………..John Gill Exposition of the Bible                                                        

·        JFB…………..Jamieson  Fausset Brown Commentary

·        JVM ….J Vernon McGee,·       

         MH………..Matthew Henry Commentary

·        MSBN…….MacArthur NASB Study Notes      

·        NET………Net Bible Study Notes.

·        RD………….Robert Deffinbaugh  bible.org

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