760 - David among the Philistines

David among the Philistines


David kept thinking to himself, “Someday, Saul is going to get me. 


The best thing I can do is escape, to the Philistines. 


Then, Saul will stop hunting for me, in Israelite territory, and I will finally be safe.” 


So, David took his 600 men, and went over …and joined Achish, son of Maoch, the king of Gath. 


David, and his men …and their families, settled there, with Achish, at Gath. 


David brought his two wives …along with him—Ahinoam, from Jezreel, and Abigail, Nabal’s widow, from Carmel. 


Word soon reached Saul, that David had fled to Gath, so he stopped hunting for him. 


One day, David said to Achish, 

“If it is all right with you, we would rather live, in one of the country towns, instead of here, in the royal city.” 


So, Achish gave him the town of Ziklag (which still belongs to the kings of Judah, to this day), and they lived there, among the Philistines, for a year and four months. 


David and his men spent their time raiding the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites—people who had lived near Shur, toward the land of Egypt, since ancient times. 


David did not leave one person alive, in the villages he attacked. 


He took the sheep, goats, cattle, donkeys, camels, and clothing before returning home, to see King Achish. 


“Where did you make your raid today?” Achish would ask. 


And David would reply, “Against the south of Judah, the Jerahmeelites, and the Kenites.” 


No one was left alive, to come to Gath, and tell where he had really been. 


This happened again and again, while he was living among the Philistines. 


Achish believed David …and thought to himself, 


“By now, the people of Israel must hate him, bitterly. 


Now he will have to stay here …and serve me forever!” 


1 Samuel 27:1–12 (NLT)


Praise be to God!


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