Magnanimity of David
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gone to the heathen to serve their gods. By this act he gave occasion
for misconstruing his motives, and many were led to hold prejudice
against him. The very thing that Satan desired to have him do he was
led to do; for, in seeking refuge among the Philistines, David caused
great exultation to the enemies of God and His people. David did not
renounce his worship of God nor cease his devotion to His cause; but
he sacrificed his trust in Him to his personal safety, and thus tarnished
the upright and faithful character that God requires His servants to
possess.
David was cordially received by the king of the Philistines. The
warmth of this reception was partly due to the fact that the king admired
him and partly to the fact that it was flattering to his vanity to have
a Hebrew seek his protection. David felt secure from betrayal in the
dominions of Achish. He brought his family, his household, and his
possessions, as did also his men; and to all appearance he had come to
settle permanently in the land of Philistia. All this was gratifying to
Achish, who promised to protect the fugitive Israelites.
At David’s request for a residence in the country, removed from the
royal city, the king graciously granted Ziklag as a possession. David
realized that it would be dangerous for himself and his men to be under
the influence of idolaters. In a town wholly separated for their use
they might worship God with more freedom than they could if they
remained in Gath, where the heathen rites could not but prove a source
of evil and annoyance.
While dwelling in this isolated town David made war upon the
Geshurites, the Gezrites, and the Amalekites, and he left none alive to
bring tidings to Gath. When he returned from battle he gave Achish to
understand that he had been warring against those of his own nation,
the men of Judah. By this dissembling he was the means of strength-
ening the hand of the Philistines; for the king said, “He hath made his
people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant
forever.” David knew that it was the will of God that those heathen
tribes should be destroyed, and he knew that he was appointed to do
this work; but he was not walking in the counsel of God when he
practiced deception.
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“And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered
their armies together for warfare, to fight with Israel. And Achish said
unto David, Know thou assuredly, that thou shalt go out with me to