Bible ~~- Older Testament ~~- 1st Samuel ~~- chapter 29 of 31 (11 verses.)

1st Samuel 29Wrench

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Philistine WarLords Boot David From The Army
1 Meanwhile, the Philistines amass all their armies at Aphek {Fortress}. The Israelites pitch [their defensive war camp] by a fountain in JezreEl {El-Plants}.
2 The Philistine [War] Lords pass on in [troops of] hundreds and thousands [of warriors]. David and his [warriors] advance in the [royal] rearguard with [king] Achish.
3 Then the [jealous] Palestinian warlords gripe, β€œWhat are these Hebrews doing here [in the most coveted position in our army]?” [King] Achish answers [his] Philistine warlords, β€œThis is David {Love}, the [ex]-servant of Israel's king Saul. David has been with me going on 2 years. I've found zero fault in him since [heaven] dropped him [on] me to this day.”
4 But the Philistine warlords [fire up in] anger against [king Achish]. They [shout] to him, β€œDrive this man [David] back to the [country-town] you awarded him. Don't let him go down with us to war. He might turn and fight us in the battle. Wouldn't the perfect gift to reconcile [David] to his master [Saul] be a gift of all of [our Philistine] heads?
5 Isn't this [the] David of whom the [Israelis] sing to each another in dances, shouting, β€˜Saul murdered his thousands, but David [massacres] tens of thousands!?’”
6 So [king] Achish calls David. [Achish] says to him, β€œSurely, as YHVH lives, you've been righteous from start to finish. I see everything you've done in my army is good. From the day you came to me to this day, I haven't discovered [a speck of] evil in you. But [my War]-Lords don't want you [in their battle].
7 β€”So now return [to Ziklag]. Go in peace. Don't anger the Philistine [War] Lords.”
8 David {Love} objects to [king] Achish, β€œBut what have I done [wrong]? What [fault] have you found in [me,] your servant? As long as I've been with you to this day, what would disqualify me from going to fight against the enemies of my lord the king?”
Various interpretations exist:
  • David loves fighting so much he doesn't care if he kills Israelis.
  • David is about to switch sides and kill the Philistines from within.
  • David is just saying what any warrior would say to avoid being seen as a sissy.
  • David is planning to do a Jericho-style praise-war in which David and his men sing, then YHVH kills the people who need to die, on both sides.
  • 9 [King] Achish answers David, β€œI know you're good. In my view, [you're] like an angel of Elohim. But the Philistine warlords have decided, β€˜[David] won't go up with us to the battle.’
    10 β€”So get up at daybreak. Take your master [Saul's] [ex]-servants who've [expatriated from Israel] with you. As soon as you wake up early in the morning, [when you] have light, [ride] back [south to your Philistine country-town].”
    11 So David and his men wake up before dawn. They leave [the invasion army camp]. They return [west] into Palestinian territory. Meanwhile, the Philistine [army marches] up [north] to JezreEl {El-Plants}.
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