1 Samuel chapter 29
The Philistines send David away from the battlefront.
THE PHILISTINES SEND DAVID AWAY FROM THE BATTLEFRONT
VERSE 1. Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek; and the Israelites encamped by the spring which is in Jezreel.
the Philistines gathered. War impends.
VERSE 2. The lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds and by thousands; and David and his men passed on in the rear with Achish.
VERSE 3. Then the princes of the Philistines said, “What about these Hebrews?” Achish said to the princes of the Philistines, “Isn’t this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who has been with me these days, or rather these years? I have found no fault in him since he fell away until today.”
I have found no fault in him. David was completely loyal to the Philistine army.
Or at least David convince the Philistine leader that he was loyal to them.
VERSE 4. But the princes of the Philistines were angry with him; and the princes of the Philistines said to him, “Make the man return, that he may go back to his place where you have appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us. For with what should this fellow reconcile himself to his lord? Should it not be with the heads of these men?
VERSE 5. Isn’t this David, of whom people sang to one another in dances, saying, ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?’ ”
Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. At this point in the narrative, this song is still popular. it is even popular among the Philistine army.
VERSE 6. Then Achish called David, and said to him, “As the LORD lives, you have been upright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the army is good in my sight; for I have not found evil in you since the day of your coming to me to this day. Nevertheless, the lords don’t favor you.
VERSE 7. Therefore now return, and go in peace, that you not displease the lords of the Philistines.”
return, and go in peace. Achish is sending David away from the battlefront.
VERSE 8. David said to Achish, “But what have I done? What have you found in your servant so long as I have been before you to this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?”
VERSE 9. Achish answered David, “I know that you are good in my sight, as an angel of God. Notwithstanding the princes of the Philistines have said, ‘He shall not go up with us to the battle.’
you are good in my sight, as an angel of God. David had given a favorable testimony about the LORD God to this Philistine.
VERSE 10. Therefore now rise up early in the morning with the servants of your lord who have come with you; and as soon as you are up early in the morning, and have light, depart.”
VERSE 11. So David rose up early, he and his men, to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines, and the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
1 SAMUEL
CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31
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