1 Samuel (28) 29 – Study

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: 1 Sam 28:1,2 / 29:1-11

1 In those days the Philistines gathered their forces to fight against Israel. Achish said to David, ‘You must understand that you and your men will accompany me in the army.’

2 David said, ‘Then you will see for yourself what your servant can do.’

Achish replied, ‘Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life.’

1 The Philistines gathered all their forces at Aphek, and Israel camped by the spring in Jezreel. 2 As the Philistine rulers marched with their units of hundreds and thousands, David and his men were marching at the rear with Achish. 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.’

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 favour than by taking the heads of our own men? 5 Isn’t this the David they sang about in their dances:

‘“Saul has slain his thousands,
    and David his tens of thousands”?’

6 So Achish called David and said to him, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, you have been reliable, and I would be pleased for you to 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. 7 Now turn back and go in peace; do nothing to displease the Philistine rulers.’

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?’

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.” 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.’

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.

A. Find Out:    

1. Why did David go with the Philistines? 28:1
2. What did Achish testify about David? v.3, 6
3. Of what were the Philistine commanders afraid? v.4
4. What does David ask? v.8
5. How would you summarise Achish’s reply? v.9
6. So what happened? v.11

B. Think:

1. What do you think David felt when commanded to go with Achish?
2. What does Achish’s testimony say about David?
3. Why might David have been relieved when he was sent back?

C. Comment:

     This has been a strange time in David’s life, living alongside the enemy and acting as an undercover guerrilla leader. Now suddenly he is asked by the Philistine leader to go with them to war, which probably means going against Saul. Knowing what we know about David’s feelings about Saul being the Lord’s anointed, this must have set up some conflicting feelings within David, yet he goes along with the Philistines, for he seems to have little option but to go.

     Thus we see how living in a second-best situation can lead us into even worse circumstances. We may make excuses about unacceptable alternatives, but second best is second best and until we confess it to God and seek His help in coming back into the place where we ought to be with Him, we simply make ourselves vulnerable to even more difficult circumstances like David.

     Achish’s testimony about David indicates that while David had been with him, he had given Achish no grounds for complaint. His activity in completely destroying nearby peoples had obviously been successful and Achish had no clue as to his real activities. This says a lot about David’s abilities as an undercover operator, especially when you consider the sort of people he has formed into an army (see 22:2).

D. Application:

1. Avoid getting into a second best situation with complications!
2. David, even there, used much wisdom. May we have that too.