1 Samuel 27 Clever and Cunning

 

Introduction

 

They say, ‘Never meet your heroes’.

The belief is that meeting admired figures often leads to disappointment. We witness their real-life flaws and the idealised image we’ve built is shattered- they are imperfect humans, not perfect role models.

And, in a sense, this is what happens in Chapter 27. For most of 1 Samuel we have seen there is much about David that is to be admired and loved. But in Chapter 27 we see real-life flaws that reveal David is an imperfect human rather than a perfect role model.

Chapter 27 describes David losing faith in God, fleeing to the Philistine city of Gath with his followers, and finding refuge under King Achish. During his stay we see David use his clever and cunning to gain favour and a secure home at Ziklag. But we also witness him engage in some questionable behaviour that has serious consequences.

In Chapter 27 we read of David’s:

Plan

Place

Practice

Problem

Ultimately, in Chapter 27 our eyes are turned away from David to the true hero- King Jesus. He is our Rock, Refuge, and Rescuer- the One in who we find grace and peace, truth and life everlasting.

Let’s see that, firstly, in… David’s Plan

One way of reading the events of Chapter 27 is to say that David suddenly, inexplicably, fails to believe the promises of God. In a time of anxiety and affliction, David decides to flee from Saul by taking refuge among Israel’s archenemies, the Philistines.

So, in verses 1 and 2, David makes his plan and then executes it. Notice, however, the way in which David makes his plan. David decided to flee Israel because, in verse 1, he had persuaded himself that: ‘One of these days I will be destroyed by the hand of Saul. The best thing I can do is to escape to the land of the Philistines…’.

We may be tempted to think: David, how can you come to such a conclusion? Look at all the evidence, see how many times God has looked after you so far. Why do you doubt that he will fail you now, or in the future? Your problem is not bigger or more powerful than your God.

How, then, does David conclude that one day Saul may destroy him?

Well, notice how verse 1 begins: ‘But David thought to himself…’. That little phrase is important.

In other words, David wasn’t just giving this idea a bit of thought and then forgetting about it. No, it was something he was pondering both day and night. He was contemplating this idea at his very core.

We could imagine in the middle of the night David is lying awake and he says to himself, ‘You know, one of these days, Saul is bound to get me.’.  And then he says, ‘And you know, I’m responsible for so many people, how will I look after them?’.

And so, as he ponders in this way, he says: ‘You know, I think the best thing I can do is simply to escape.’. And we may think to ourselves: ‘Really David? The BEST thing you can do right now is escape? Really??’.

David clearly wasn’t thinking about the words of the Psalm he wrote, the Psalm we opened with this morning, Psalm 62:

¹ Truly my soul finds rest in God;
my salvation comes from him.
² Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken

David is talking to himself, but he’s not talking sense to himself. Instead of mediating upon God’s Word- allowing the reality of God as his fortress and his security to bring rest- David is allowing his questions to overwhelm him and to overturn his conviction about God.

And, as is often the case, unbelieving thoughts led to unbelieving actions. In his unbelief David fled- and to Gath of all places. How could David think he could find safety in such an ungodly place?

Well, before we judge David too harshly, it would be wise to pause and consider the situation as David saw it. Firstly, David was right to conclude that Saul would never leave him in peace- there was no place in Israel where David could safely rest. He had faced the betrayal of the Ziphites, and harshness of Nabal, and these encounters must have weighed heavy on David’s mind.

And consider the fact that David wasn’t on the run on his own. By now he had two wives, 600 men, and their families- a total of round 2,000 souls- all under his care. He must have wondered how he could continue to put them through this ordeal.

On top of this was the stress and strain of being tracked and attacked by Saul. Thrilling escapes and acts of daring may sound like fun to some, but they take their toll on the great and the good eventually.

So, what are we to make of David’s plan?

We have reason to be critical. We have reason to be sympathetic. But, in the end, David crossed a line that should never have been crossed when he went over to the ungodly Philistines. The language of verse 2 seems to indicate that when it says that David ‘…left and went over…’.

We can understand his need to find a safe refuge for his people, and his desire for a good night’s sleep away from danger. Yet in crossing over to the Philistines David was leaving the Land of God’s Promise and breaking faith with God.

Indeed, throughout God’s Word we see how often God’s People left the Promised Land seeking what they thought was best- only to find themselves entangled in sin and outside God’s blessing. David crossed a line, and we will see that it has consequences.

So, in verses 1 to 4 we see David made a plan. And then in verses 5 to 7 we read of… David’s Place

In his anxiety, David trusted in himself, made his own plans. And for a time it worked. In verses 3 and 4 David and his men settled in Gath and succeeded in finally shaking off Saul’s pursuit- but at what cost?

Then, in verse 5, David requested that he and his followers have their own town, rather than remain in Gath. This arrangement seems to have been mutually agreeable.

Achish would not have wanted a large army in his own backyard. And he certainly wouldn’t have wanted so many mouths to feed. And in Ziklag David found a place where he would be better positioned to pursue his own agenda. In Ziklag David could operate independently of Achish and safe from Saul’s reach.

And, if we remember form Joshua, Ziklag had been a town allotted to the tribe of Judah when God’s People entered the Promised Land. However, for a variety of reasons it had never been captured. But now, through his cunning, David secured this rightful possession of Israel; and verse 6 says, ‘…it has belonged to the kings of Judah ever since…’.

David and his followers lived in Ziklag for 16 months. In these 16 months they would have enjoyed the simple pleasures of a place to sleep in safety and making a home.

However, in those 16 months we also see… David’s Practice

In verses 8 to 12 we see David’s practice- how he conducted himself during his time in Ziklag.

Firstly, we see David’s cleverness in managing a delicate situation. In crossing over to the Philistines, David risked his reputation in Israel. Indeed, in verse 12, Achish believed that David had abandoned all connection with God’s People during his stay with him.

This is exactly what David wanted Achish to think. In verse 10 we hear David report to Achish that he has been raiding Israelite territories and settlements friendly to Israel.

However, in verse 8 we are told that David was not conducting raids against Israel, as he told Achish he was doing. Instead, David was going to war with Israel’s constant enemies- the Geshurites, the Girzites and the Amalekites.

David was able to pull off this deception for so long because of what we are told in verse 9:

⁹ Whenever David attacked an area, he did not leave a man or woman alive, but took sheep and cattle, donkeys and camels, and clothes. Then he returned to Achish.

Raiding warfare was David’s expertise, and he was utterly effective in both wiping out his enemies and covering up his trail; in verse 11 we read:

¹¹ He did not leave a man or woman alive to be brought to Gath, for he thought, “They might inform on us and say, ‘This is what David did.’” And such was his practice as long as he lived in Philistine territory. 

By means of systematic genocide he cleverly succeeded in prospering his people, winning the approval of Achish, and avoiding a formal betrayal of his native country.

On the surface, David’s cunning was winning the day. But the price he was paying would not stay hidden for long. One commentator helpfully sums up what is going on in these verses:

David was brilliant and successful, but he slaughtered whole communities and lied through his teeth to Achish in the process. He had left his principles in the mountains of Judah and boxed himself into a corner where deceit and ruthlessness were the staples that kept him alive.

This is a damming verdict. But is there anything positive to say about David’s conduct in Ziklag during those 16 months?

Well, we should give David credit for devoting himself to the cause of God’s People and their calling to complete the conquest of the Promised Land. David could rightly defend his actions, pointing out that while he had been unjustly driven into exile, he still did what he could to pursue the work of God and the well-being of Israel.

David could also justify the wholesale slaughter of these peoples as the established practice in ancient warfare. And, rightly, he could assert that these were wicked nations under God’s judgement.

However, for all the truth there may be in this, David’s conduct in Ziklag was a mixture of faith and compromise. David was getting used to playing fast and loose with the truth when it was convenient. In other words, he was failing to keep God’s Law. Additionally, his killing was performed not in the service of God but to ensure that no one could expose his lies to the Philistine leaders.

It is worth noting that in this account we read nothing of prayer, worship, or God’s Word. Instead, David was relying on his cunning and cleverness, compromising principles he had previously protected, and, ultimately, creating problems for himself in the future.

And so, we come to… David’s Problem

Chapter 27 ends with Achish thoroughly taken in by David’s deception. Achish trusted David. In verse 12 we see it is not because he thought David was trustworthy, but because he thought: He has become so obnoxious to his people, the Israelites, that he will be my servant for life.

In other words, Achish thought: ‘After all he has done, it would be impossible for David to return to Israel now.’. Achish believes David has no option but to join his side because he believes David has been attacking his own people- that is what David had reported.

David now finds himself compromised by his own cunning- he’s too clever for his own good. David has done such a good job of deceiving Achish that he’s confronted with a real problem.

We must go to Chapter 28 just briefly today to understand David’s problem more fully. Chapter 28 begins, then, with an alarming result that David had never foreseen:

 In those days the Philistines gathered their forces to fight against Israel. Achish said to David, “You must understand that you and your men will accompany me in the army.”

We can imagine David scrambling for something to say. He replied with as much ambiguity as he could muster:

² David said, “Then you will see for yourself what your servant can do.”

Achish replied, “Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life.”

David was in an even more difficult position than when he was fleeing from King Saul.

David was so effective in convincing the Philistines of his loyalty that their king entrusted him with participation in the campaign against Israel- the very people David was determined never to harm. If David refuses, his allegiances will be revealed and Achish will realise that he’s been conned- and David will probably lose his head. If he joins Achish, then he will be forced to fight against his own people.

It is a cliffhanger moment. But before we have any resolution, the writer switches our attention back to Saul- more on that next time.

For now, we must ponder the lessons of this potentially problematic passage.

Firstly, we will only ever find true security and satisfaction by seeking after God- He is our Rock, Refuge, and Rescuer. And God has established means of grace to strengthen the faith of His People. When we neglect these means of grace- the Word, prayer, and gathered worship- our faith wanes and our tendency to sin and foolishness grows.

Like David in Chapter 27, we can listen to the lies of this world, the fears of our hearts, we can lean on our own understanding. Or, we can learn the Truths of God, listen to His promises, love His Way. Only then will we know the peace that comes from the Rock of Ages and the Refuge of Weary Souls.

We must devote ourselves to God’s Word and mediate upon Scripture, then we will be shaped and formed by what is true and edifying. And we must draw near to God in prayer and be especially devoted to the worship of God among His People.

Secondly, when considering David’s practice the words of Proverbs 14 verse 12 come to mind:

There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way to death.

David’s plan worked, a little too well. David found a place, a place outside of God’s promises. David’s practice was successful, but it came at a cost. And so, David would face a problem, a problem of his own making.

God, in His Word, gives us wise principles for facing life in a world broken by sin. God calls us to seek Him and His Way, to ‘lean’ on Him and use the understanding that He would grant to us in His perfect time.

The problem is that, like David, we desire instant insights and quick fixes. We are too pragmatic in our thinking and doing. So, we must learn the value and the way of wisdom- thankfully our Teacher is merciful, gracious, all-wise and amazing in His grace.

And so, finally, we learn once again of God’s grace to us in the Lord Jesus Christ. Notice, there is no mention of God in this chapter. There is no seeking of God. There is no sense in which David is relying on anything other than himself. And yet, this God-less text directs us to God’s grace.

David was brilliantly clever, but he was also calculating and ruthless. So not only are we confronted by the fact that the chapter contains no mention of God, but we’re also caused to reflect upon the fact that it resists every attempt to make David a hero of blameless virtue.

Now, that will come as a striking notion to some of us. Because the way in which we read the Bible, not least of all the Old Testament stories, is we read it in terms of the heroes: Look at Daniel, he was a great fellow. You should be like Daniel. Look at Ruth, she is a model person. You should be like Ruth.

Now, there is no question that there are lessons to be learned from these people. But none of them are ever the hero of the story.

So, we are definitely wrong if we make David the hero of the story. David, like all of us, is a sinner in need of God’s amazing grace.

Conclusion

The biblical writers are not in the business of sugar-coating even their more worthy human characters. David was a sinner, as will become much more painfully evident in 2 Samuel 11 and following. But David was also a man in honest relationship with God and capable of genuine repentance.

Only the Greater Son of David, King Jesus, was without sin. God’s desire for His People is that we lean not on our own understanding but, rather, we trust Him with all our hearts. Jesus is the only King. King Jesus is the only one that we can trust- He is our Rock, our Refuge, our Rescuer- in Him we will never be shaken.