FRAMEWORKS:
1 Samuel 29: David excused fighting his
own people
v.1,2
The Philistines march out against Israel
v.3-5
The Philistine commanders object to David being with them
v.6-11
Achish sends David back
v.1,2
The Philistines march out against Israel
v.1 The
Philistines gathered all their forces at Aphek, and Israel camped
by the spring in Jezreel.
v.2
As
the Philistine rulers marched with their units of hundreds and
thousands, David and his men were marching at the rear with Achish.
[Notes:
Picking
up the story from the beginning of chapter 28 [see v.1-2] the
Philistines march out against Israel with David and his men with
them at the back.]
v.3-5
The Philistine commanders object to David being with them
v.3
The
commanders of the Philistines asked, “What about these Hebrews?”
Achish
replied, “Is this not David, who was an officer of Saul king of
Israel? He has already been with me for over a year, and from
the day he left Saul until now, I have found no fault in him.”
v.4 But
the Philistine commanders were angry with Achish and said, “Send
the man back, that he may return to the place you assigned him.
He must not go with us into battle, or he will turn against us
during the fighting. How better could he regain his master's favor
than by taking the heads of our own men?
v.5
Isn't
this the David they sang about in their dances:
“‘Saul
has slain his thousands,
and David his tens of thousands'?”
[Notes:
Fortune
(or the Lord?) shines on David now in that the Philistine commanders
see David behind them and feel very uncomfortable with him there
and complain to Achish.]
v.6-11
Achish sends David back
v.6
So
Achish called David and said to him, “As surely as the Lord
lives, you
have been reliable, and I would be pleased to have you serve with
me in the army. From the day you came to me until today, I have
found no fault in you, but the rulers don't approve of you.
v.7
Now
turn back and go in peace; do nothing to displease the Philistine
rulers.”
v.8
“But
what have I done?” asked David. “What have you found against your
servant from the day I came to you until now? Why can't I go and
fight against the enemies of my lord the king?”
v.9
Achish
answered, “I know that you have been as pleasing in my eyes as
an angel of God; nevertheless, the Philistine commanders have
said, ‘He must not go up with us into battle.'
v.10
Now
get up early, along with your master's servants who have come
with you, and leave in the morning as soon as it is light.”
v.11
So
David and his men got up early in the morning to go back to the
land of the Philistines, and the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
[Notes:
Achish
has no alternative but to apologise to David and send him back
home while they go off to fight Israel. So David is spared having
to fight his own people.]
CONTINUE
TO CHAPTER 30