David's Second Flight to Gath - Residence at Ziklag - Expedition of the Philistines against Israel - Saul at

Jezreel - He resorts to the Witch at Endor - Apparition and Message of Samuel - David has to leave the

Army of the Philistines - Capture of Ziklag by the Amalekites - Pursuit and Victory of David. (1 SAMUEL 27-

THE parting appeal of David sounds specially solemn when we remember that this was the last meeting of

these two. Feeling that some day he might "fall into the hand of Saul,"  225 and that henceforth there was "no

good for him,"  226 he resolved once more to seek shelter with King Achish at Gath.

His reception this time was very different from that on the former occasion. For years David had been

treated by Saul as his avowed enemy. He came now not as a solitary fugitive, but at the head of a well-

trained band of brave men, to place himself and them, as it would seem, at the disposal of Achish. He met a

most friendly welcome, and for a time was located with his men in the royal city it self. This, of course,

entailed restraints such as would have proved most irksome, if not impossible, to David. The pretext that the

presence of such a large band under their own chieftain was scarcely becoming in the capital of his new

royal master, furnished the plea for asking and obtaining another place of residence. For this purpose Ziklag

was assigned to him - a city first belonging to Judah (Joshua 15:31), and afterwards to Simeon (Joshua 19:5),

which lay close to the southern border of the land of Israel. Of course, the inference is fair that, at the time of

which we write, it had been in the possession of the Philistines, and was probably deserted by its former

inhabitants. No other place could have suited David so well. Whether we regard his raids against the

heathen tribes, which was "his manner" during the whole year and four months that he was with the

Philistines, as intended to repel their inroads into the territory of Israel, or else as incursions into heathen

lands, the situation of Ziklag wo uld afford him equal facilities. On every such occasion, as he returned laden

with spoil, he took care to report himself at Gath, partly to disarm suspicion,227 and partly, no doubt, to

secure the good will of Achish by giving him a large share of the booty. His reports may have been true to

the letter - giving it a forced meaning, - but they were certainly untrue in spirit. But David never brought

captives with him to Gath,228 who might have betrayed him, but always destroyed all who had witnessed his

If by means of these reported frequent successes in the land of Israel David secured the confidence of

Achish, as one who had irretrievably broken with his own people, and if by the rich booty which he brought

he besides obtained the favor of the Philistine, he was once more to experience that real safety was not to be

gained by untruthfulness. Again there was to be war between the Philistines and Israel, this time on a larger

scale than any since the first contest with Saul. It was but natural that Achish should have wished to swell

his contingent to the army of the united Philistine princes by so large, well-trained, and, as he believed,

trusty band as that of David. Of course, there was no alternative but to obey such a summons, although it

must be admitted that the words of David, both on this occasion (28:2), and afterwards, when dismissed the

camp of the Philistines (29:8), are capable of two interpretations. Achish, however, took them in what

seemed their obvious meaning, and promised in return ("therefore" - for that) to make David the chief of his

body-guard. It need scarcely be told, what terrible anxieties this unexpected turn of events must have

brought to David, or how earnestly he must have prayed and trusted that, at the right moment, some "way

of escape" would be made for him.

The sacred narrative now carries us successively to the camp of Israel and to that of the Philistines. The

battlefield was to be once more the Plain of Jezreel, where of old Gideon with his three hundred had defeated

the hosts of Midian (Judges 7). A spot this full of happy, glorious memories; but, ah, how sadly altered were

the circumstances! Gideon had been the God-called hero, who was to conquer in His might; Saul was the

God-forsaken king, who was hastening to judgment and ruin. And each knew and felt it - Gideon when he

was content to reduce his forces to three hundred men, and then crept down with his armor-bearer to hear

the enemy foretell his own destruction; and Saul when viewing the host of the Philistines across the plain,

"he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled" (28:5), and when all his inquiries of the Lord remained without