Tuesday, October 6, 2015

I Samuel 27: The Enemy Of My Enemy

It is ironic that David feels the safest place for him to go is Gath - the hometown of the Philistine champion Goliath that David killed back in chapter 17!

David realizes that he can't keep eluding Saul forever.  The king has it in for him, and if David is ever to rest easy again, he is going to have to find a new patron - even a new nation - from which to operate.  Perhaps reasoning that "the enemy of my enemy is my friend," David appeals to King Achish of the Philistines, making him an offer to switch his loyalty and work for Achish instead of Saul.  Achish agrees, recognizing that David is a valiant warrior and it would be better to have him working for the Philistines than against them.

David and his 600 followers at this point, along with his two wives (Ahinoam and Abigail), come over to the Philistine side and are settled in the town of Ziklag (vs. 6).  Saul, as a consequence, gives up his search now that David has taken refuge among his enemies, the Philistines (vs. 4)

David, however, keeps some secrets from Achish.  Instead of making raids on the Israelites, as David tells Achish he is doing, he is taking out towns of Geshurites, Girzites, and Amalekites.  He leaves no survivors who could tell the Philistine king what he is really doing.  So while Achish thinks that David is securely in his pocket, having made himself odious to his former countrymen, David has really kept his options open.

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