1 Samuel 29:3 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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1 Samuel 29:3

Comments

Here we read of God's first intervention. ‘Then said the princes of the Philistines, What do these Hebrews here?’ The princes are wary of David and his men. They do not have the same trust in him that Achish has. Achish responds by trying to calm their concerns: ‘Is not this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel?’ He means by this, not that David is still faithful to Saul; this is an abbreviated way of referring to the quarrel between David and Saul, which argues for David’s willingness to fight with the Philistines against his own former master. He has confirmed this, says Achish, by remaining loyal to me for days, and even years, and during that time he has never given any occasion to suspect him in any way – the Philistines have evidently not learned anything about the true nature of David’s raiding parties. But the other four lords of the Philistines are not at all convinced. In fact they are very angry with Achish for being so naive about the situation and exposing their people to danger, and not seeing that David could easily take the opportunity to turn on his new ‘friends’ and so reconcile himself to his estranged master, Saul. ‘Make this fellow return, that he may go again to his place which thou hast appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he be an adversary to us: for wherewith should he reconcile himself unto his master? should it not be with the heads of these men?⁵ Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands?’ They are fierce in their response to Achish and he has to yield to his princes. They are well aware of David’s reputation in Israel as a warrior, and what could be worse than having a trecherous man in their ranks as they go to battle, ready to turn on them when they least expect it? So God has the lords of the Philistines reject David. He overrules so that they will not accept his services and his help; that’s the first part of David’s deliverance.

Application

We can get into that kind of position by trusting worldly things, getting ourselves into worldliness. This is what led to David's impossible position. But I think he must have hoped and prayed that while Achish wanted him to engage on the Philistine side against Israel, that the other lords of the Philistines, once they heard about it, wouldn't permit it, wouldn't stand for it. Fortunately for David, by the superintendency of God in these affairs, that is exactly what happened. Although David had taken up a position, nervously, at the very back of their armies, he is sent away.

Questions

Why didn't they just execute David? Why didn't they just finish him? Why merely insist or plead for his being sent back? That is a mark God's preserving hand, even in his backslidden servant David. The love of God is still upon him. The doctrine of the perseverance of the saints is going to play out in this passage.

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Introduction

1 Samuel 29:3 Commentary and Bible Study