1 Samuel 27:5-12
5 Then David said to Achish, “If now I have found favor in your sight, have them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, so that I may live there; for why should your servant live in the royal city with you?”
6 So Achish gave him Ziklag that day; therefore Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day.
7 The number of days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was a year and four months.
8 Now David and his men went up and attacked the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites; for they were the inhabitants of the land from ancient times, as you come to Shur even as far as the land of Egypt.
9 David attacked the land and did not leave a man or a woman alive, and he took the sheep, the cattle, the donkeys, the camels, and the clothing. Then he returned and came to Achish.
10 Now Achish said, “Where did you carry out an attack today?” And David said, “Against the Negev of Judah, against the Negev of the Jerahmeelites, and against the Negev of the Kenites.”
11 And David did not leave a man or a woman alive to bring to Gath, saying, “Otherwise they will tell about us, saying, ‘This is what David has done, and this has been his practice all the time that he has lived in the country of the Philistines.’ ”
12 So Achish believed David, saying, “He has undoubtedly made himself repulsive among his people Israel; therefore he will become my servant forever.”
David in Ziklag
Request to Achish
David then made a request to Achish, the king of Gath, saying, “If now I have found favor in your sight, have them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, so that I may live there; for why should your servant live in the royal city with you?” (1) David displays a humble attitude by implying that it is too presumptuous for someone like him to reside in Gath, the royal city. (2) However, David’s real intention was to live at a suitable distance from Gath, in order to escape the constant surveillance of the Philistines. (3) David also feared that his men might become assimilated with the Philistines. David held on to the Israelite identity of himself and his men. (4) Achish granted David’s request and gave him the city of Ziklag. This city was located about 19 miles south of Gath, a suitable distance away. Originally, this city was part of the territory of the tribe of Simeon (Joshua 19:5), but at that time, it was occupied by the Philistines.
Raiding the Canaan cities
Using Ziklag as his base, David and his men embarked on raiding expeditions. (1) He struck down the Geshurites, Girzites, and the Amalekites. These conquests were actually tasks that should have been completed during the times of Joshua and the Judges. Ironically, it was David, who had fallen into disbelief, who was now undertaking these actions. (2) However, to avoid raising suspicious with Achish, David hid this fact when reporting to him and made it appear as if he had been attacking the Israelites and their cities instead. (3) To ensure his lies were not discovered, he made sure to kill all the inhabitants of the raided cities. (4) Achish believed David’s reports and was under the impression that David would serve him faithfully for a long time. Ultimately, David ended up staying in the land of the Philistines for one year and four months. His life during this period was far from being blessed. He lived in the shadows both spiritually and morally. Are you straying from the Promised Land? If so, let’s return to God now.
Today's prayer
Heavenly Father, please help me continue to remain in the Promised Land. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.