Vera. 3-12. (GATH, ZIKLAG.}-David's residence among tlie Pliilistines. David: had taken the decisive step, croRsed the border, and passed with his 600 men and their families (" a little ambulant kingdom") into the Philistine territory. His position was very different now from what it had been five or six years before, when he came to Gath as a lonely fugitive (eh. xxi. 10); and he was gladly received by Achish, who regarded him as in open revolt against Saul and Israel, and expected to 'obtain from him valuable assistance in his future conflicts with them. And here and at Ziklag he continued sixteen months (ver. 7). His condition (like that of other good men who enter into intimate association with the ungodly, voluntarily, unnecessarily, and for the sake of worldly advantage; see eh. xv. 6) was marked by- • I. TEMPORARY SECURITY (ver. 4). By placing himself under the protection of Achish, David gained his end; for Saul dared not follow him lest he should excite another Philistine war, and (phy~cally restrained, though still retaining an evil will) "aought no more again for him." His outward circumstances were completely changed. Instead of the uncertain, anxious, hazardous, and despised life which he- had led in the wilderness, he enjoyed repose, comfort, safety, and respect in a royal city. To obtain advantages such as these men often swerve from the appointed path of duty, especially in times of persecution, not considering at what a cost they are obtained, how brief is their duration, or how great the trouble by which they may be followed. II. CONSCIOUS INCONSISTENCY (vers. 5-7). In open alliance with the enemies of Israel, silently witnessing their idolatrous practices, looked upon as a traitor to his country, and ready to aid them against it, David must have felt what a contradiction there was between his apparent and real character. Yet he might not declare him- self by a single word or act, for thousands of watchful eyes were always on him. He did not feel at home, and requested (under the plea of the unsuitableness and expensiveness of his residence with his large retinue at Gath) that the king would give him "a place in some town in the country," his real motive being that he might be "out of the way of observation, so as to play the part of Saul's enemy without acting against him." At Ziklag he would be less under restraint, and his real sen- timents less likely to be discovered, though even th~re he might still be suspected. No outward advantages that good men may gain by their alliance with the ungodly can afford adequate compensation for the in~incerity, distraction, restlessness, and vexation of ~oul which it involves (2 Pet. ii. 8). III. SUCCESSFUL ENTERPRISE (vers. 8, 9). As soon as he was settled at Ziklug he made warlike expeditions against the Amalekites, Geshurites, and Gezrites, " of old the inhabitants of the land" (unlike the Philistines); and from the rich booty which he procured he supplied the wants of his men, and gave valuable presents to Achish (ver. 9). His setting forth on these expeditions, and the cruel severity with which he executed them, must be judged of in the light of "the circumstances of those times, and the constant practices of nations one to another, especially of the neigh- bouring nations towards the Hebrews" (Chandler), and of the ban under which some of them had been placed (see eh. xv. 1, 32, 33). He was doubtless animated therein by public spirit and religious zeal (eh. xxx. 26), but his moti'<'es were not altogether unmixed, and his successes brought him a doubtful honour (Yer. 12). IV. CRAFTY POLICY (vers. 10, 11). To retain the confidence of Achish, he gave him the impression that his expeditions were directed against his own countrymen and their allies, instead of against Amalek and other neighbouring tribes ; ic.nd he was thus, through distrust of God, again guil,ty of deceit (eh. xxi. 1, 10). "If u man will put himself among Philistines, he cannot promise to come forth innocent " (Hall). 11 David might perhaps seek in some way to justify himself by the thong-lit that in his ambiguou~ manner of sper.ch he made use only of an allowable stratag, m.0
and that he was a heathen to whom he veiled the truth. But he will yet be made to experience that God will weigh those who would be his in the balances of the sanc- tuary, in which, among others, that inviolable word is found as one of the weig·hts, 'Thou shalt not bear false witness'" (Krummacher). V. INCREASING POWER and importance. ,vhile at Ziklag he received larg·e rPin- forcemcnts (eh. xxii. 1, 2; 1 Chron. xii. 1-22), some of whom were "uf Sanl's 520 THE FIRST BOOK U.l<' SA:\IUEL. [en. XXVIII. 1-26.