Catholic Commentary on 1 Samuel 29

"As surely as the LORD lives, you have been honest 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." (1 Samuel 29:6)

David Sent Back by the Philistines

The Philistine commanders see David and his men marching with Achish and object: send the man back; he must not go into battle with us; what better way could he reconcile himself to his master than by taking the heads of our own men? Achish sends for David: As surely as the LORD lives, you have been honest 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. Turn back and go in peace. David protests: what have I done? But Achish insists. David returns to Ziklag.

The episode is a providential rescue: David was about to be compelled to fight against Israel, his own people and his destined kingdom. The Philistine commanders' objection, which seemed like rejection, was God's protection. David did not know it at the time and was genuinely frustrated. But God used Philistine suspicion to prevent the catastrophic consequence of David's own strategy. The Catechism identifies this as the pattern of divine providence working through events that appear adverse (CCC 303).

Living the Word

Brothers and sisters, the rejection that seems like a setback is sometimes the protection that prevents the catastrophe. David was frustrated to be sent back. He could not yet see that God was steering him away from fighting Israel. The door closed by the Philistine commanders was the door through which God kept the covenant purposes intact. Trust the closed door.

Prayer

Lord God, use even Philistine suspicion to protect us from the consequences of our own strategies. When doors close in our faces, give us the faith to see your hand in the closing. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

29
The Philistines Reject David
1 Now the Philistines brought all their forces together at Aphek, while Israel camped by the spring in Jezreel. 2 As the Philistine leaders marched out their units of hundreds and thousands, David and his men marched behind them with Achish.
 
3 Then the commanders of the Philistines asked, “What about these Hebrews?”
 
Achish replied, “Is this not David, the servant of King Saul of Israel? He has been with me all these days, even years, and from the day he defected until today I have found no fault in him.”
 
4 But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with Achish and told him, “Send that man back and let him return to the place you assigned him. He must not go down with us into battle only to become our adversary during the war. What better way for him to regain the favor of his master than with the heads of our men? 5 Is this not the David about whom they sing in their dances:
 
‘Saul has slain his thousands,
and David his tens of thousands’?”
 
6 So Achish summoned David and told him, “As surely as the LORD lives, you have been upright in my sight, and it seems right that you should march in and out with me in the army, because I have found no fault in you from the day you came to me until this day. But you have no favor in the sight of the leaders. 7 Therefore turn back now and go in peace, so that you will not do anything to displease the leaders of the Philistines.”
 
8 “But what have I done?” David replied. “What have you found against your servant, from the day I came to you until today, to keep me from going along to fight against the enemies of my lord the king?”
 
9 Achish replied, “I know that you are as pleasing in my sight as an angel of God. But the commanders of the Philistines have said, ‘He must not go into battle with us.’ 10 Now then, get up early in the morning, along with your master’s servants who came with you, and go as soon as it is light.”
 
11 So David and his men got up early in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.

Public Domain