David marches into battle with King Achish against the Israelites. It seems that the circumstances around him are forcing David’s hand. He can no longer pretend to slay Israelites to stay alive, he must now kill some real ones.
However, God turns the table. As we read we know that it would be awful and shameful for David to kill Israelites, but God provides a way out. God is not explicitly mentioned, but we are meant to intuitively see his hand at work preserving his anointed one and keeping him for the work that God has in mind.
1 Samuel 29
1 The Philistines gathered all their forces at Aphek, and Israel camped by the spring in Jezreel. 2 As the Philistine rulers marched with their units of hundreds and thousands, David and his men were marching at the rear with Achish. 3The commanders of the Philistines asked, “What about these Hebrews?”
Achish replied, “Is this not David, who was an officer of Saul king of Israel? He has already been with me for over a year, and from the day he left Saul until now, I have found no fault in him.”
4 But the Philistine commanders were angry with Achish and said, “Send the man back, that he may return to the place you assigned him. He must not go with us into battle, or he will turn against us during the fighting. How better could he regain his master’s favor than by taking the heads of our own men? 5Isn’t this the David they sang about in their dances:
“‘Saul has slain his thousands,
and David his tens of thousands’?”
6 So Achish called David and said to him, “As surely as the LORD lives, you have been reliable, and I would be pleased to have you serve with me in the army. From the day you came to me until today, I have found no fault in you, but the rulers don’t approve of you. 7Now turn back and go in peace; do nothing to displease the Philistine rulers.”
8“But what have I done?” asked David. “What have you found against your servant from the day I came to you until now? Why can’t I go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?”
9 Achish answered, “I know that you have been as pleasing in my eyes as an angel of God; nevertheless, the Philistine commanders have said, ‘He must not go up with us into battle.’ 10Now get up early, along with your master’s servants who have come with you, and leave in the morning as soon as it is light.”
11 So David and his men got up early in the morning to go back to the land of the Philistines, and the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
Questions
- What crisis presents itself in this passage?
- How is it resolved?
- What do you think David’s attitude was?
- When have you found yourself with no seemingly good options?
- How can God use hard places like the one David found himself in?
Plymothian 
1. They didn’t want David with them anymore, but they couldn’t find any fault with him.
2. He is to leave because the phililstine commanders made him.
3. Like he was between a rock and a hard place with no options.
4. Until very last minute, no good options for where to go to school for college.
5. It gives direction when you really only have one option and it turns you to depend on what to do.
1. The Philistines leaders did not trust David to fight with them. They were afraid that he would turn on them in the middle of the battle.
2. The king sends David back and doesn’t allow him to fight with them.
3. He had a submissive attitude despite the fact that he was in a hard spot.
4. There have been several times when this has happened to me like trying to decide what I am supposed to do.
5. He uses it to deepen our trust in Him because it is during those hard times that we learn to rely on Him even more.
1.What crisis presents itself in this passage?
– the Philistine commanders were afraid that David would turn against them during the fighting.
2.How is it resolved?
– The king ordered David not to fight and to leave the fighting field since the commanders did not like him.
3.What do you think David’s attitude was?
– I think David would trust God no matter how hard the circumstance is.
4.When have you found yourself with no seemingly good options?
– When I lack of financial support and friendship, I feel like i have no option.
5.How can God use hard places like the one David found himself in?
– God can use those hard places as a tool of making us more dependent on God himself.
1. The main crisis is that David is going into battle against the Israelites, the second crisis that arises is that the Philistine commander does not trust that David will be faithful in fighting for them, as he knows his background with Saul, and thinks he will turn against his own army, but this turns out to be a good thing.
2. The crisis is resolved by having David sent back to the land of the Philistines, prevented from fighting.
3. I think David’s attitude throughout all of this is super grateful for the fact that he doesn’t have to fight, and probably a little blown away by how the whole thing plays out to his favor, while he had to make it look like it was against his will.
4. I have found myself with no seemingly good options when I’ve been caught between loyalty towards two people, say my mom and my dad.
5. God can use hard circumstances like David’s to prove his faithfulness in showing that there is always a way with Jesus.
1. The Philistine army is going to attack the Israelites. David would have to go up against his own people.
2. The leaders tell Achish that they don’t want David with them.
3. His response is interesting; he seems to want to fight with them. I hope it was a cover up and he didn’t actually want to fight against his own people.
4. In trying to figure out future plans, there seems to be many roadblocks in the way.
5. I hope that God will use all my difficult times to teach me to trust Him and have hope in Him.
1.What crisis presents itself in this passage? David is going to fight against the Israelites and the Philistine rulers did not approve of that
2.How is it resolved? Achish sent David back to the land of the Philistines
3.What do you think David’s attitude was? his attitude seems he wanted to go fight against Israel as a royal servant of Achish (probably it was not his real mind…)
4.When have you found yourself with no seemingly good options?hm.. when i was really sick and couldn’t do anything besides resting,, there seemed to be no good options…
5.How can God use hard places like the one David found himself in? God can use those hard places to train us and make us more faithful and strong believers in Him.
1. Trustworthiness.
2. They did not want him to fight the Israelites witht them. So, they sent David back to the land of the Philistines.
3. I think he may have had a submissive attitude.
4. Yesterday about a roommate problem..
5. God can use them to help trust and rely on Him more.
1) They didn’t want David with them, simply because he was a Hebrew.
2) David and his men return to the land of the Philistines.
3) Probably one of humility and understanding.
4) When I am trying to decide about work stuff.
5) To teach us to accept his will.
1. What crisis presents itself in this passage?
The King wanted David to fight the Israelites with him in the passage.
2. How is it resolved?
The King’s generals convince the King to not fight with David because David might turn against him.
3. What do you think David’s attitude was?
I think that David was probably panicking. He probably seemed calm and loyal to the King though.
4. When have you found yourself with no seemingly good options?
When I am planning my schedule for next semester.
5. How can God use hard places like the one David found himself in?
It causes us to have complete reliance in God.
1. What crisis presents itself in this passage?
The King wanted David to fight the Israelites with him in the passage.
2. How is it resolved?
The King’s generals convince the King to not fight with David because David might turn against him.
3. What do you think David’s attitude was?
I think that David was probably panicking. He probably seemed calm and loyal to the King though.
4. When have you found yourself with no seemingly good options?
When I am planning my schedule for next semester.
5. How can God use hard places like the one David found himself in?
It causes us to have complete reliance in God.
1.What crisis presents itself in this passage? The king wants David to fight the Israelites w/ him.
2.How is it resolved? The general convinces the king not to fight with David out of fear that he might turn against him.
3.What do you think David’s attitude was?
I think he would have been submissive and respectful in the prescence of the king.
4.When have you found yourself with no seemingly good options?
n/a
5.How can God use hard places like the one David found himself in?
We become completely depedent on God, and that is when he is glorfied the most.
1. The crisis in this passage is that David is going to have to fight against his own people, Israel.
2. It is resolved by the Philistine king telling David that he can’t fight with them because the other leaders don’t think it’s a good idea.
3. David’s was probably glad that he didn’t have to fight and kill his own people.
4. I have found myself with no seemingly good options whenever I try to manipulate situations to fit what I want.
5. God can get us out of hard places, or he can use us in those bad places to bring good to it.
What crisis presents itself in this passage?
David will fight against his people ISREAL
How is it resolved?
Others don’t think it’s important
What do you think David’s attitude was?
David was Relieved
When have you found yourself with no seemingly good options?
When I try to put my will over God’s will
How can God use hard places like the one David found himself in?
We need him more,
1.What crisis presents itself in this passage?
– David had to fight against Israelites on the side of Philistine.
2.How is it resolved?
– By provoking philistine commanders so they were opposed to having David in the battle with them. so David could avoid the battle.
3.What do you think David’s attitude was?
– I think he is such an actor. He did not lose King Achish’s trust to the end by showing the king that the situation is not made regardless of his will.
4.When have you found yourself with no seemingly good options?
– When the situation was cause by my own decisions.
5.How can God use hard places like the one David found himself in?
– either making the hard places result in detestable consequences to let me know that I deserve it and God is teaching me or making the hard places be solved so that I can acknowlege God is with me.
1. The passage that presents itself is that David must fight against Israel, who are his people and will be fighting for the Philistines.
2. This is resolved by Achish who lets David go.
3. David’s attitude was glad and relieved.
4. I have found myself in no seemingly good options a few times in my life before but I do not remember them at the top of my head.
5. God can use hard places by helping us to realize that we need God.
1. David wasn’t trusted.
2. David was sent away.
3. obedient and he submitted.
5. God uses those hard places to make us trust Him because we know our well being wont come from ourselves, but from God.