patriarchs and prophets-第160节

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fight　for　the　Philistines。　Should　he　in　the　engagement　quit　the　post
assigned　him　and　retire　from　the　field；　he　would　not　only　brand　himself　with
cowardice；　but　with　ingratitude　and　treachery　to　Achish；　who　had　protected
him　and　confided　in　him。　Such　an　act　would　cover　his　name　with　infamy；　and
would　expose　him　to　the　wrath　of　enemies　more　to　be　feared　than　Saul。　Yet　he
could　not　for　a　moment　consent　to　fight　against　Israel。　Should　he　do　this；
he　would　become　a　traitor　to　his　countrythe　enemy　of　God　and　of　His
people。　It　would　forever　bar　his　way　to　the　throne　of　Israel；　and　should
Saul　be　slain　in　the　engagement；　his　death　would　be　charged　upon　David。

David　was　caused　to　feel　that　he　had　missed　his　path。　Far　better　would　it
have　been　for　him　to　find　refuge　in　God's　strong　fortresses　of　the　mountains
than　with　the　avowed　enemies　of　Jehovah　and　His　people。　But　the　Lord　in　His
great　mercy　did　not　punish　this　error　of　His　servant　by　leaving　him　to
himself　in　his　distress　and　perplexity；　for　though　David；　losing　his　grasp
on　divine　power；　had　faltered　and　turned　aside　from　the　path　of　strict
integrity；　it　was　still　the　purpose　of　his　heart　to　be　true　to　God。　While
Satan　and　his　host　were　busy　helping　the　adversaries　of　God　and　of　Israel　to
plan　against　a　king　who　had　forsaken　God；　and　the　angels　of　the　Lord　were
working　to　deliver　David　from　the　peril　into　which　he　had　fallen。　Heavenly
messengers　moved　upon　the　Philistine　princes　to　protest　against　the　presence
of　David　and　his　force　with　the　army　in　the　approaching　conflict。

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〃What　do　these　Hebrews　here？〃　cried　the　Philistine　lords；　pressing　about
Achish。　The　latter；　unwilling　to　part　with　so　important　an　ally；　answered；
〃Is　not　this　David；　the　servant　of　Saul　the　king　of　Israel；　which　hath　been
with　me　these　days；　or　these　years；　and　I　have　found　no　fault　in　him　since
he　fell　unto　me　unto　this　day？〃

But　the　princes　angrily　persisted　in　their　demand：　〃Make　this　fellow　return；
that　he　may　go　again　to　his　place　which　thou　hast　appointed　him；　and　let　him
not　go　down　with　us　to　battle；　lest　in　the　battle　he　be　an　adversary　to　us：
for　wherewith　should　he　reconcile　himself　unto　his　master？　should　it　not　be
with　the　heads　of　these　men？　Is　not　this　David；　of　whom　they　sang　one　to
another　in　dances；　saying；　Saul　slew　his　thousands；　and　David　his　ten
thousands？〃　The　slaughter　of　their　famed　champion　and　the　triumph　of　Israel
upon　that　occasion　were　still　fresh　in　the　memory　of　the　Philistine　lords。
They　did　not　believe　that　David　would　fight　against　his　own　people；　and
should　he；　in　the　heat　of　battle；　take　sides　with　them；　he　could　inflict
greater　harm　on　the　Philistines　than　would　the　whole　of　Saul's　army。

Thus　Achish　was　forced　to　yield；　and　calling　David；　said　unto　him；　〃Surely
as　Jehovah　liveth；　thou　hast　been　upright；　and　thy　going　out　and　thy　coming
in　with　me　in　the　host　is　good　in　my　sight：　for　I　have　not　found　evil　in
thee　since　the　day　of　thy　coming　unto　me　unto　this　day。　Nevertheless　the
lords　favor　thee　not。　Wherefore　now　return；　and　go　in　peace；　that　thou
displease　not　the　lords　of　the　Philistines。〃

David；　fearing　to　betray　his　real　feelings；　answered；　〃But　what　have　I　done？
and　what　hast　thou　found　in　thy　servant　so　long　as　I　have　been　with　thee
unto　this　day；　that　I　may　not　go　fight　against　the　enemies　of　my　lord　the
king？〃

The　reply　of　Achish　must　have　sent　a　thrill　of　shame　and　remorse　through
David's　heart；　as　he　thought　how　unworthy　of　a　servant　of　Jehovah　were　the
deceptions　to　which　he　had　stooped。　〃I　know　that　thou　art　good　in　my　sight；
as　an　angel　of　God；〃　said　the　king：　〃notwithstanding；　the　princes　of　the
Philistines　have　said；　He　shall　not　go　up　with　us　to　the　battle。　Wherefore
now　rise　up　early　in　the　morning　with　thy　master's　servants　that　are　come
with　thee：　and　as　soon　as　ye　be　up　early　in　the　morning；　and　have　light；
depart。〃　Thus　the　snare　in　which　David　had　become　entangled　was　broken；　and
he　was　set　free。

692


After　three　days'　travel　David　and　his　band　of　six　hundred　men　reached
Ziklag；　their　Philistine　home。　But　a　scene　of　desolation　met　their　view。　The
Amalekites；　taking　advantage　of　David's　absence；　with　his　force；　had　avenged
themselves　for　his　incursions　into　their　territory。　They　had　surprised　the
city　while　it　was　left　unguarded；　and　having　sacked　and　burned　it；　had
departed；　taking　all　the　women　and　children　as　captives；　with　much　spoil。

Dumb　with　horror　and　amazement；　David　and　his　men　for　a　little　time　gazed　in
silence　upon　the　blackened　and　smoldering　ruins。　Then　as　a　sense　of　their
terrible　desolation　burst　upon　them；　those　battle…scarred　warriors　〃lifted
up　their　voice　and　wept；　until　they　had　no　more　power　to　weep。〃

Here　again　David　was　chastened　for　the　lack　of　faith　that　had　led　him　to
place　himself　among　the　Philistines。　He　had　opportunity　to　see　how　much
safety　could　be　found　among　the　foes　of　God　and　His　people。　David's
followers　turned　upon　him　as　the　cause　of　their　calamities。　He　had　provoked
the　vengeance　of　the　Amalekites　by　his　attack　upon　them；　yet；　too　confident
of　security　in　the　midst　of　his　enemies；　he　had　left　the　city　unguarded。
Maddened　with　grief　and　rage；　his　soldiers　were　now　ready　for　any　desperate
measures；　and　they　threatened　even　to　stone　their　leader。

David　seemed　to　be　cut　off　from　every　human　support。　All　that　he　held　dear
on　earth　had　been　swept　from　him。　Saul　had　driven　him　from　his　country；　the
Philistines　had　driven　him　from　the　camp；　the　Amalekites　had　plundered　his
city；　his　wives　and　children　had　been　made　prisoners；　and　his　own　familiar
friends　had　banded　against　him；　and　threatened　him　even　with　death。　In　this
hour　of　utmost　extremity　David；　instead　of　permitting　his　mind　to　dwell　upon
these　painful　circumstances；　looked　earnestly　to　God　for　help。　He
〃encouraged　himself　in　the　Lord。〃　He　reviewed　his　past　eventful　life。
Wherein　had　the　Lord　ever　forsaken　him？　His　soul　was　refreshed　in　recalling
the　many　evidences　of　God's　favor。　The　followers　of　David；　by　their
discontent　and　impatience；　made　their　affliction　doubly　grievous；　but　the
man　of　God；　having　even　greater　cause　for　grief；　bore　himself　with
fortitude。　〃What　time　I　am　afraid；　I　will　trust　in　Thee〃　（Psalm　56：3）；　was
the　language　of　his　heart。　Though　he　himself

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could　not　discern　a　way　out　of　the　difficulty；　God　could　see　it；　and　would
teach　him　what　to　do。

Sending　for　Abiathar　the　priest；　the　son　of　Ahimelech；　〃David　inquired　of
the　Lord；　saying；　If　I　pursue　after　this　troop；　shall　I　overtake　them？〃　The
answer　was；　〃Pursue：　for　thou　shalt　surely　overtake　them；　and　shalt　without
fail　recover　all。〃　1　Samuel　30：8；　R。V。

At　these　words　the　tumult　of　grief　and　passion　ceased。　David　and　his
soldiers　at　once　set　out　in　pursuit　of　their　fleeing　foe。　So　rapid　was　their
march；　that　upon　reaching　the　brook　Besor；　which　empties　near　Gaza　into　the
Mediterranean　Sea；　two　hundred　of　the　band　were　compelled　by　exhaustion　to
remain　behind。　But　David　with　the　remaining　four　hundred　pressed　forward；
nothing　daunted。

Advancing；　they　came　upon　an　Egyptian　slave　apparently　about　to　perish　from
weariness　and　hunger。　Upon　receiving　food　and　drink；　however；　he　revived；
and　they　learned　that　he　had　been　left　to　die　by　his　cruel　master；　an
Amalekite　belonging　to　the　invading　force。　He　told　the　story　of　the　raid　and
pillage；　and　then；　having　exacted　a　promise　that　he　should　not　be　slain　or
delivered　to　his　master；　he　consented　to　lead　David's　company　to　the　camp　of
their　enemies。

As　they　came　in　sight　of　the　encampment　a　scene　of　revelry　met　their　gaze。
The　victorious　host　were　holding　high　festival。　〃They　were　spread　abroad
upon　all　the　earth；　eating　and　drinking；　and　dancing；　because　of　all　the
great　spoil　that　they　had　taken　out　of　the　land　of　the　Philistines；　and　out
of　the　land　of　Judah。〃　An　immediate　attack　was　ordered；　and　the　pursuers
rushed　fiercely　upon　their　prey。　The　Amalekites　were　surprised　and　thrown
into　confusion。　The　battle　was　continued　all　that　night　and　the　following
day；　until　nearly　the　entire　host　was　slain。　Only　a　band　of　four　hundred
men；　mounted　upon　camels；　succeeded　in　making　their　escape。　The　word　of　the
Lord　was　fulfilled。　〃David　recovered　all　that　the　Amalekites　had　carried
away：　and　David　rescued　his　two　wives。　And　there　was　nothing　lacking　to
them；　neither　small　nor　great；　neither　sons　nor　daughters；　neither　spoil；
nor　anything　that　they　had　taken　to　them：　David　recovered　all。〃

When　David　had　invaded　the　territory　of　the　Amalekites；　he　had　put　to　the
sword　all　the　inhabitants　that　fell　into　his　hands。

694

But　for　the　restraining　power　of　God　the　Amalekites　would　have　retaliated　by
destroying　the　people　of　Ziklag。　They　decided　to　spare　the　captives；
desiring　to　heighten　the　honor　of　the　triumph　by　leading　home　a　large　number
of　prisoners；　and　intending　afterward　to　sell　them　as　slaves。　Thus；
unwittingly；　they　fulfilled　God's　purpose；　keeping　the　prisoners　unharmed；
to　be　restored　to　their　husbands　and　fathers。

All　earthly　powers　are　unde