And David said in his heart, taking counsel with himself, expressing the inmost conviction of his heart, I SHALL NOW PERISH, be cut down, snatched away, swept off, one day by the hand of Saul; THERE IS NOTHING BETTER FOR ME, literally, "There is nothing good for me," there was no advantage, no sense... [ Continue Reading ]
DAVID IN GATH AND ZIKLAG... [ Continue Reading ]
And David arose, and he passed over with the six hundred men that were with him, whose number had remained unchanged in recent years, UNTO ACHISH, THE SON OF MAOCH, KING OF GATH, evidently the same man with whom he sought refuge a number of years before, 1 Samuel 21:10, who by this time, however, mu... [ Continue Reading ]
And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, with his family, EVEN DAVID WITH HIS TWO WIVES, AHINOAM, THE JEZREELITESS, AND ABIGAIL, THE CARMELITESS, NABAL'S WIFE, 1 Samuel 25:42.... [ Continue Reading ]
And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath, where the latter had some leisure to devote to music and poetry, Psalms 8; AND HE SOUGHT NO MORE AGAIN FOR HIM, David thus gaining his object.... [ Continue Reading ]
And David said unto Achish, If I have now found grace in thine eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, one of the suburbs or country-cities, THAT I MAY DWELL THERE; FOR WHY SHOULD THY SERVANT DWELL IN THE ROYAL CITY WITH THEE? David's plea and suggestion was that his men were ove... [ Continue Reading ]
Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day, a city which had been apportioned to the tribe of Simeon, Joshua 19:5, but had evidently been taken by the Philistines only recently and was still deserted; WHEREFORE ZIKLAG PERTAINETH UNTO THE KINGS OF JUDAH UNTO THIS DAY, having been given to David as an outri... [ Continue Reading ]
And the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months. It was undoubtedly weakness of faith which caused David to leave the territory of Judah, for he had expressly been told by the Prophet Gad to remain there. It happens time and again that even staunch ser... [ Continue Reading ]
And David and his men, no longer under the direct observation of the Philistines, WENT UP AND INVADED THE GESHURITES AND THE GEZRITES, small nations living south of the Philistine territory, AND THE AMALEKITES, the nomadic tribes whom Saul had almost destroyed, 1 Samuel 15:7; FOR THOSE NATIONS WERE... [ Continue Reading ]
David's Campaign Against the Heathen... [ Continue Reading ]
And David smote the land, and left neither man nor woman alive, since they would naturally inform against him, AND TOOK AWAY THE SHEEP, AND THE OXEN, AND THE ASSES, AND THE CAMELS, AND THE APPAREL, AND RETURNED AND CAME TO ACHISH, bringing this rich booty along.... [ Continue Reading ]
And Achish said, it was his custom to ask, WHITHER HAVE YE MADE A ROAD TODAY? referring to their latest raid. AND DAVID SAID, AGAINST THE SOUTH OF JUDAH AND AGAINST THE SOUTH OF THE JERAHMEELITES AND AGAINST THE SOUTH OF THE KENITES, his geographical references being purposely vague and indefinite,... [ Continue Reading ]
And David saved neither man nor woman alive to bring tidings to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on us, David and his men, SAYING, SO DID DAVID, AND SO WILL BE HIS MANNER ALL THE WHILE HE DWELLETH IN THE COUNTRY OF THE PHILISTINES, that is, such was David's custom while nominally under the jurisd... [ Continue Reading ]
And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him, making himself a stench, a loathing, completely alienating himself from the Israelites; THEREFORE HE SHALL BE MY SERVANT FOREVER. Thus Achish was deceived, while David continued to harass and destroy the desert t... [ Continue Reading ]