| << 1 Sam 27 | |
| << Psa 17 | |
| This is the New King James text of the passages. |
Is David going to fight against Israelites? (I Samuel 28:1-2)
1 Now it happened in those days that the Philistines gathered their armies together for war, to fight with Israel. And Achish said to David, “You assuredly know that you will go out with me to battle, you and your men.”
2 ¶ So David said to Achish, “Surely you know what your servant can do.” ¶ And Achish said to David, “Therefore I will make you one of my chief guardians forever.”
David is certainly in a predicament here. King Achish is under the impression that David has been attacking Hebrews in southern Judah back in I Samuel 27:1-12 (see notes), when he had actually been attacking non-Hebrew communities. For that reason, he thinks David is loyal to the Philistines. The Philistine King Achish invites David to participate in his campaign against the Jews. David answers Achish on his invitation to battle with an ambiguous answer when he says in verse 2, "Surely you know what your servant can do." What does that mean? Achish takes this reply to mean that David is saying, "I'm in!" The rest of this story unfolds in chapter 29 (see below).
There's a very humorous side to this deceit. King Achish appoints David to be his bodyguard, or as he said in verse 2, "Therefore I will make you one of my chief guardians forever." The NKJV does preserve the meaning of that sentence, but the KJV translates it literally from the Hebrew text as follows: "Therefore will I make thee keeper of mine head for ever." Ahhhh...keep this Philistine's head...David has had some experience with that. Remember...he kept Goliath's head (a Philistine) for quite some time back in I Samuel 17 (see notes)...AFTER HE HAD CUT IT OFF!
God won't talk to Saul, but a witch will (I Samuel 28:3-25)
3 ¶ Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had lamented for him and buried him in Ramah, in his own city. And Saul had put the mediums and the spiritists out of the land.
4 ¶ Then the Philistines gathered together, and came and encamped at Shunem. So Saul gathered all Israel together, and they encamped at Gilboa.
5 When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly.
6 And when Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by the prophets.
7 ¶ Then Saul said to his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” ¶ And his servants said to him, “In fact, there is a woman who is a medium at En Dor.”
8 ¶ So Saul disguised himself and put on other clothes, and he went, and two men with him; and they came to the woman by night. And he said, “Please conduct a seance for me, and bring up for me the one I shall name to you.”
9 ¶ Then the woman said to him, “Look, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and the spiritists from the land. Why then do you lay a snare for my life, to cause me to die?”
10 ¶ And Saul swore to her by the LORD, saying, “As the LORD lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.”
11 ¶ Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” ¶ And he said, “Bring up Samuel for me.”
12 ¶ When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman spoke to Saul, saying, “Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul!”
13 ¶ And the king said to her, “Do not be afraid. What did you see?” ¶ And the woman said to Saul, “I saw a spirit ascending out of the earth.”
14 ¶ So he said to her, “What is his form?” ¶ And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is covered with a mantle.” And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground and bowed down.
15 ¶ Now Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” ¶ And Saul answered, “I am deeply distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God has departed from me and does not answer me anymore, neither by prophets nor by dreams. Therefore I have called you, that you may reveal to me what I should do.”
16 ¶ Then Samuel said: “So why do you ask me, seeing the LORD has departed from you and has become your enemy?
17 And the LORD has done for Himself as He spoke by me. For the LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David.
18 Because you did not obey the voice of the LORD nor execute His fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore the LORD has done this thing to you this day.
19 Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with you into the hand of the Philistines. And tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The LORD will also deliver the army of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.”
20 ¶ Immediately Saul fell full length on the ground, and was dreadfully afraid because of the words of Samuel. And there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no food all day or all night.
21 ¶ And the woman came to Saul and saw that he was severely troubled, and said to him, “Look, your maidservant has obeyed your voice, and I have put my life in my hands and heeded the words which you spoke to me.
22 Now therefore, please, heed also the voice of your maidservant, and let me set a piece of bread before you; and eat, that you may have strength when you go on your way.”
23 ¶ But he refused and said, “I will not eat.” ¶ So his servants, together with the woman, urged him; and he heeded their voice. Then he arose from the ground and sat on the bed.
24 Now the woman had a fatted calf in the house, and she hastened to kill it. And she took flour and kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread from it.
25 So she brought it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they rose and went away that night.
Here come the Philistines! What to do? God's not on speaking terms with Saul, so Saul consults a witch. He had to travel to find one, because he had expelled them from Israel just like God had commanded in Leviticus 19:31 (see notes), Leviticus 20:6-7 (see notes) and Deuteronomy 18:10-12 (see notes). She's in Endor, about 12 miles southwest of the Sea of Galilee where, presumably, she felt was far enough away from Judea to be safe. Saul and his men are only about 3 miles or so from there in Gilboa. We see in verse 10 that she's a little bit hesitant to talk with him, but he gives her an oath that he won't harm her. I wonder if she's familiar with his track record on keeping oaths, but she assists him anyway. Although...she claims she had no idea her client was Saul until she went into her trance.
This passage is a bit of a stumper for Bible scholars. Does this witch actually bring up Samuel to speak with Saul (a witchcraft practice known as "necromancy"), or does she just appear to do so? Verse 14 indicates that Saul himself did not see Samuel, but just the witch. Secondly, is the historical information (verses 17-18) she gives Saul (supposedly coming from Samuel) common knowledge? Yes, I think so. However, she did not give him good prophetic news (verse 19). She told him he would fail against the Philistines and that he and his three boys would die in the effort. Whoa! That happened just as she said. Lucky guess? So, did she actually raise Samuel from the dead to speak through her to Saul? The author of the Book of Samuel seems to report it as such. The text never suggests that the witch did not actually communicate with Samuel. There's even a reference to the afterlife in verse 19 when Samuel is quoted as saying, "tomorrow you and your sons will be with me." Just as I said, this passage is a stumper.
Now...if you're the kind of person who really needs to get to the bottom of this witch incident, consider these questions/possibilities that have been tossed around by various Bible scholars for centuries:
Through the centuries, scholars have taken adamant positions that do a disservice to the wording of the actual text in an attempt to make this passage fit nicely into our God paradigm. Therefore, it seems best to not doubt the presentation of facts here and accept that God can manifest the dead in any way he chooses.
Incidentally, I Chronicles 10:13 (see notes) lists Saul's visit to the witch as one of the contributing factors to his death along with his disobedience to God in that sacrifice incident in I Samuel 15 (see notes). Interestingly enough, the witch even refers to Saul's disobedience regarding the King of Amalek (verse 18) going all the way back to I Samuel 15 (see notes). That's the passage where it was declared that Saul's reign would end.
There are some strong verses regarding the afterlife in verses 13-19. If the witch is to be believed here, she saw "a spirit ascending out of the earth." We know from other passages that those who died in the Old Testament were held in "hades" (see article entitled "Paradise Relocated" by clicking here). She saw Samuel ascend "out of the earth" to speak with her. And then you have the message to Saul in verse 19, "...tomorrow you and your sons will be with me..." From that we see that Saul is to dwell in the very same place with Samuel. That, of course, assumes that you accept the word of a witch per the discussion earlier.
David bluffs Achish (I Samuel 29)
1 Then the Philistines gathered together all their armies at Aphek, and the Israelites encamped by a fountain which is in Jezreel.
2 And the lords of the Philistines passed in review by hundreds and by thousands, but David and his men passed in review at the rear with Achish.
3 Then the princes of the Philistines said, “What are these Hebrews doing here?” ¶ And Achish said to the princes of the Philistines, “Is this not David, the servant of Saul king of Israel, who has been with me these days, or these years? And to this day I have found no fault in him since he defected to me.”
4 ¶ But the princes of the Philistines were angry with him; so the princes of the Philistines said to him, “Make this fellow return, that he may go back to the place which you have appointed for him, and do not let him go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become our adversary. For with what could he reconcile himself to his master, if not with the heads of these men?
5 Is this not David, of whom they sang to one another in dances, saying:
“Saul has slain his thousands,
And David his ten thousands’?”
6 ¶ Then Achish called David and said to him, “Surely, as the LORD lives, you have been upright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the army is good in my sight. For to this day I have not found evil in you since the day of your coming to me. Nevertheless the lords do not favor you.
7 Therefore return now, and go in peace, that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines.”
8 ¶ So David said to Achish, “But what have I done? And to this day what have you found in your servant as long as I have been with you, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?”
9 ¶ Then Achish answered and said to David, “I know that you are as good in my sight as an angel of God; nevertheless the princes of the Philistines have said, ‘He shall not go up with us to the battle.’
10 Now therefore, rise early in the morning with your master’s servants who have come with you. And as soon as you are up early in the morning and have light, depart.”
11 ¶ So David and his men rose early to depart in the morning, to return to the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
Now it's back to the story line that was developing in the first two verses of chapter 28 (see above). So, what would David have done if Achish had called his bluff? He had already privately, but absolutely stated that he would not slay Saul. It's a moot point; the commanders of the army of Achish were suspicious of David's reputation for slaying Philistines and would have no participation from David in a campaign against Israel; they were suspicious of David's loyalties. They recall the Philistine-slaying song (verse 5) the Jewish women sang back in I Samuel 18:7 (see notes) "Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands." David certainly talks like he's ready to rumble there in verse 8 against his own people, but Achish sends him back home - must keep his generals in the field happy. We can only conjecture that this is exactly the way David thought this ordeal would unfold.
David's wives are captured (I Samuel 30:1-15)
1 Now it happened, when David and his men came to Ziklag, on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the South and Ziklag, attacked Ziklag and burned it with fire,
2 and had taken captive the women and those who were there, from small to great; they did not kill anyone, but carried them away and went their way.
3 So David and his men came to the city, and there it was, burned with fire; and their wives, their sons, and their daughters had been taken captive.
4 Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept, until they had no more power to weep.
5 And David’s two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite, had been taken captive.
6 Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.
7 ¶ Then David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech’s son, “Please bring the ephod here to me.” And Abiathar brought the ephod to David.
8 So David inquired of the LORD, saying, “Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?” ¶ And He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.”
9 ¶ So David went, he and the six hundred men who were with him, and came to the Brook Besor, where those stayed who were left behind.
10 But David pursued, he and four hundred men; for two hundred stayed behind, who were so weary that they could not cross the Brook Besor.
11 ¶ Then they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David; and they gave him bread and he ate, and they let him drink water.
12 And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs and two clusters of raisins. So when he had eaten, his strength came back to him; for he had eaten no bread nor drunk water for three days and three nights.
13 Then David said to him, “To whom do you belong, and where are you from?” ¶ And he said, “I am a young man from Egypt, servant of an Amalekite; and my master left me behind, because three days ago I fell sick.
14 We made an invasion of the southern area of the Cherethites, in the territory which belongs to Judah, and of the southern area of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire.”
15 ¶ And David said to him, “Can you take me down to this troop?” ¶ So he said, “Swear to me by God that you will neither kill me nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will take you down to this troop.”
Battle is a tough business! While David and his army of 600 are out, the Amalekites come and capture the women and children of Ziklag, their city (the city allocated to them by King Achish). It's funny how a crowd can turn on you so quickly; the people wanted to stone David for allowing this to happen. And to make things worse, they had captured David's two wives as well. Everybody sat down and just cried. After a good cry, David asks the priest (Abiathar) to bring him the ephod, a sacred vestment originally designed for the high priest (Exodus 28:4, see notes).
After going through a little ritual utilizing the ephod to determine God's will, David is assured by God that he can overtake and defeat the Amalekites who had just raided them. Incidentally, the ephod also contained the Urim and Thummim. These are a little mysterious to us, but they were used from time to time to discern God's will. See the special note on this found in Exodus 28. On their pursuit, they find one of the Amalekites' abandoned Egyptian slaves (because of illness) and get some inside information on their enemy.
David gets his wives back...and everybody else too (I Samuel 30:16-31)
16 ¶ And when he had brought him down, there they were, spread out over all the land, eating and drinking and dancing, because of all the great spoil which they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah.
17 Then David attacked them from twilight until the evening of the next day. Not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men who rode on camels and fled.
18 So David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away, and David rescued his two wives.
19 And nothing of theirs was lacking, either small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything which they had taken from them; David recovered all.
20 Then David took all the flocks and herds they had driven before those other livestock, and said, “This is David’s spoil.”
21 ¶ Now David came to the two hundred men who had been so weary that they could not follow David, whom they also had made to stay at the Brook Besor. So they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him. And when David came near the people, he greeted them.
22 Then all the wicked and worthless men of those who went with David answered and said, “Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except for every man’s wife and children, that they may lead them away and depart.”
23 ¶ But David said, “My brethren, you shall not do so with what the LORD has given us, who has preserved us and delivered into our hand the troop that came against us.
24 For who will heed you in this matter? But as his part is who goes down to the battle, so shall his part be who stays by the supplies; they shall share alike.”
25 So it was, from that day forward; he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day.
26 ¶ Now when David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the spoil to the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, “Here is a present for you from the spoil of the enemies of the LORD”—
27 to those who were in Bethel, those who were in Ramoth of the South, those who were in Jattir,
28 those who were in Aroer, those who were in Siphmoth, those who were in Eshtemoa,
29 those who were in Rachal, those who were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, those who were in the cities of the Kenites,
30 those who were in Hormah, those who were in Chorashan, those who were in Athach,
31 those who were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men were accustomed to rove.
After locating the Amalekites who had raided his town, David and his men cut the Amalekite celebration short and thoroughly rout them - get everybody and everything back. Only 400 Amalekites escape. David has his wives back again and returns to Ziklag where David insists they share the booty with everyone, even those who did not participate in the campaign. As a matter of fact, David made a new statute that day: People who stay back with "the supplies" enjoy the distribution of booty just like those who fight the battle. They had learned the hard way that staying back with "the supplies" is an important part of not losing your "supplies" in the first place. We see here that not all of David's soldiers were noble in verse 22 when some of them are referred to as "wicked and worthless men."
In verses 26 to 31, David sends parts of the spoils taken from the Amalekites to the elders of Judah, thus expressing his gratitude for their help when he roamed through their territory. This gesture might very well serve to gain their support in the future. All places mentioned were situated in the area of Hebron and Beersheba.
Saul and his sons are killed (I Samuel 31)
1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell slain on Mount Gilboa.
2 Then the Philistines followed hard after Saul and his sons. And the Philistines killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua, Saul’s sons.
3 The battle became fierce against Saul. The archers hit him, and he was severely wounded by the archers.
4 ¶ Then Saul said to his armorbearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised men come and thrust me through and abuse me.” ¶ But his armorbearer would not, for he was greatly afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword and fell on it.
5 And when his armorbearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword, and died with him.
6 So Saul, his three sons, his armorbearer, and all his men died together that same day.
7 ¶ And when the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley, and those who were on the other side of the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.
8 So it happened the next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa.
9 And they cut off his head and stripped off his armor, and sent word throughout the land of the Philistines, to proclaim it in the temple of their idols and among the people.
10 Then they put his armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths, and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth Shan.
11 ¶ Now when the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul,
12 all the valiant men arose and traveled all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth Shan; and they came to Jabesh and burned them there.
13 Then they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days.
Meanwhile, back with the Philistines, they find Saul and his sons, overtake them and kill them, scattering the Israelites in their path. Well, technically Saul took his own life after being mortally wounded by the archers. They subsequently cut Saul's head off, take his armor back to their temple and put it on display. And to top it all off, they nail his body to the wall in Beth Shan. Remember? Beth Shan is close to the city, Jabesh, where Saul made his debut as king 40 years earlier (I Samuel 11, see notes). Well, those folks are still grateful to Saul and covertly conduct a salvage mission in Beth Shan, take Saul's body, burn it and retrieve his bones for burial back in Jabesh. Here's the picture: After 40 years of kingship, Saul is dead along with all of his possible heirs (Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua) to the throne. I wonder who will be King of Israel now? By the way, Saul never controlled the entire land possession that God gave Israel upon entering the promise land in Genesis 15:18 (see notes). He was a warrior king who led the military for his entire reign.
It is important to realize here that Saul was anointed king and accepted by the people as their means for defeating the Philistines. It was there in Jabeshgilead back in I Samuel 11 (see notes) where he began this mission 40 years earlier. Ironically, Saul's death in this chapter puts Israel back into virtually the same position from which they had sought deliverance through their appointment of King Saul. Moreover, his bones end up at the very same place where he launched his first campaign, Jabeshgilead.
Incidentally, the Amalekite who reports Saul's death to David lies about the circumstances of his death in II Samuel 1:1-16 (see notes).
A prayer of thanksgiving (Psalm 18)
TO THE CHIEF MUSICIAN. A PSALM OF DAVID THE SERVANT OF THE LORD, who spoke to the LORD the words of this song on the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. And he said:
David cites his relationship with Jehovah (1-3)
1 ¶ I will love You, O LORD, my strength.
2 The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
My God, my strength, in whom I will trust;
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised;
So shall I be saved from my enemies.
David recounts God’s deliverance (4-19)
4 The pangs of death surrounded me,
And the floods of ungodliness made me afraid.
5 The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me;
The snares of death confronted me.
6 In my distress I called upon the LORD,
And cried out to my God;
He heard my voice from His temple,
And my cry came before Him, even to His ears.
7 Then the earth shook and trembled;
The foundations of the hills also quaked and were shaken,
Because He was angry.
8 Smoke went up from His nostrils,
And devouring fire from His mouth;
Coals were kindled by it.
9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down
With darkness under His feet.
10 And He rode upon a cherub, and flew;
He flew upon the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness His secret place;
His canopy around Him was dark waters
And thick clouds of the skies.
12 From the brightness before Him,
His thick clouds passed with hailstones and coals of fire.
13 The LORD thundered from heaven,
And the Most High uttered His voice,
Hailstones and coals of fire.
14 He sent out His arrows and scattered the foe,
Lightnings in abundance, and He vanquished them.
15 Then the channels of the sea were seen,
The foundations of the world were uncovered
At Your rebuke, O LORD,
At the blast of the breath of Your nostrils.
16 He sent from above, He took me;
He drew me out of many waters.
17 He delivered me from my strong enemy,
From those who hated me,
For they were too strong for me.
18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
But the LORD was my support.
19 He also brought me out into a broad place;
He delivered me because He delighted in me.
David explains why God delivered him (20-30)
20 The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness;
According to the cleanness of my hands
He has recompensed me.
21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD,
And have not wickedly departed from my God.
22 For all His judgments were before me,
And I did not put away His statutes from me.
23 I was also blameless before Him,
And I kept myself from my iniquity.
24 Therefore the LORD has recompensed me according to my righteousness,
According to the cleanness of my hands in His sight.
25 With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful;
With a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless;
26 With the pure You will show Yourself pure;
And with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd.
27 For You will save the humble people,
But will bring down haughty looks.
28 For You will light my lamp;
The LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.
29 For by You I can run against a troop,
By my God I can leap over a wall.
30 As for God, His way is perfect;
The word of the LORD is proven;
He is a shield to all who trust in Him.
David writes more about the victory (31-48)
31 For who is God, except the LORD?
And who is a rock, except our God?
32 It is God who arms me with strength,
And makes my way perfect.
33 He makes my feet like the feet of deer,
And sets me on my high places.
34 He teaches my hands to make war,
So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You have also given me the shield of Your salvation;
Your right hand has held me up,
Your gentleness has made me great.
36 You enlarged my path under me,
So my feet did not slip.
37 I have pursued my enemies and overtaken them;
Neither did I turn back again till they were destroyed.
38 I have wounded them,
So that they could not rise;
They have fallen under my feet.
39 For You have armed me with strength for the battle;
You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.
40 You have also given me the necks of my enemies,
So that I destroyed those who hated me.
41 They cried out, but there was none to save;
Even to the LORD, but He did not answer them.
42 Then I beat them as fine as the dust before the wind;
I cast them out like dirt in the streets.
43 You have delivered me from the strivings of the people;
You have made me the head of the nations;
A people I have not known shall serve me.
44 As soon as they hear of me they obey me;
The foreigners submit to me.
45 The foreigners fade away,
And come frightened from their hideouts.
46 The LORD lives!
Blessed be my Rock!
Let the God of my salvation be exalted.
47 It is God who avenges me,
And subdues the peoples under me;
48 He delivers me from my enemies.
You also lift me up above those who rise against me;
You have delivered me from the violent man.
David's praise goes to God (49-50)
49 Therefore I will give thanks to You, O LORD, among the Gentiles,
And sing praises to Your name.
50 Great deliverance He gives to His king,
And shows mercy to His anointed,
To David and his descendants forevermore.
Although the introduction to this Psalm mentions Saul by name, we see that this is the same prayer of thanksgiving we read in II Samuel 22 (see notes). This prayer was written by David and used again by David after Absalom had died (with a little help) followed by a series of battles against the Philistines and others.
Note that David gives complete credit to Jehovah for his victories in these battles against his enemies. It would be difficult for one to take an anti-war position based upon scripture - actually...impossible - especially in the light of verse 47, "It is God who avenges me, And subdues the peoples under me."
Also notice that David is completely convinced that his faithfulness to God is the reason why he has prevailed. In verse 50 he acknowledges his anointed position as king.