This chapter answers very clearly whether or not David’s going to Ziklag was backsliding or not. Matthew Henry’s concise commentary: “27:1-7 Unbelief is a sin that easily besets even good men, when without are fightings, and within are fears; and it is a hard matter to get over them. Lord, increase our faith! “ It is easy to conclude this from David going to stay in Philistine. But I think this chapter will demonstrate how this is an error.
1 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.”
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.”
This is really a tough situation for David. He has been anointed King of Israel by Samuel, he knows his destiny, he is a man of faith, so how is he going to escape this. Fighting against Israel with the King of the Philistines would be a very grievous sin that he could never return from. It is very likely that Achish has some questions about whether or not David has truly been attacking Jewish settlements.
3 Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in his own town of Ramah. Saul had expelled the mediums and spiritists from the land.
This chapter exposes his hypocrisy. So often we have seen this from politicians. They proclaim to be for “family values” only for us to then learn they are total hypocrites. Or they pretend to be Christians only to learn they are for abortion or some other heinous sin.
4 The Philistines assembled and came and set up camp at Shunem, while Saul gathered all Israel and set up camp at Gilboa. 5 When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid; terror filled his heart. 6 He inquired of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets. 7 Saul then said to his attendants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, so I may go and inquire of her.” “There is one in Endor,” they said. 8 So Saul disguised himself, putting on other clothes, and at night he and two men went to the woman. “Consult a spirit for me,” he said, “and bring up for me the one I name.” 9 But the woman said to him, “Surely you know what Saul has done. He has cut off the mediums and spiritists from the land. Why have you set a trap for my life to bring about my death?” 10 Saul swore to her by the Lord, “As surely as the Lord lives, you will not be punished for this.”
Perhaps not, but Saul will be. Leviticus 20:6 “‘I will set my face against anyone who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute themselves by following them, and I will cut them off from their people.
11 Then the woman asked, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” “Bring up Samuel,” he said. 12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out at the top of her voice and said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!” 13 The king said to her, “Don’t be afraid. What do you see?” The woman said, “I see a ghostly figure[a] coming up out of the earth.” 14 “What does he look like?” he asked. “An old man wearing a robe is coming up,” she said. Then Saul knew it was Samuel, and he bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground. 15 Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” “I am in great distress,” Saul said. “The Philistines are fighting against me, and God has departed from me. He no longer answers me, either by prophets or by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what to do.” 16 Samuel said, “Why do you consult me, now that the Lord has departed from you and become your enemy? 17 The Lord has done what he predicted through me. The Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hands and given it to one of your neighbors—to David. 18 Because you did not obey the Lord or carry out his fierce wrath against the Amalekites, the Lord has done this to you today. 19 The Lord will deliver both Israel and you into the hands of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The Lord will also give the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines.”
What was God’s command -- to carry out his fierce wrath against the Amalekites. In the last chapter we saw David carrying this out. This book began with Hannah being barren and needing a son and being bullied because God needed a son. God put her into a position where she cried out to him that if He gave her a son she would dedicate him to God. The book ends with Saul bullying David because God needed a king that would carry out his command against the Amalekites. God put David into a position where he would have no choice but to go to the Philistines. They seemingly gave him Ziklag but in reality it was God giving the kings of Judah Ziklag. David then needed to carry out raids against the Amalekites in order to stay in good graces with the Philistines as well as feed the men following him. The minute God got a king who would carry out his commands he cut off Saul, no more prophecies, no more dreams, no answering by Urim and Thummim. David was not the one with the sin of unbelief, in this chapter we see that it is Saul. This is a key point in this entire book, Jesus is Lord and He works out all things for good to those who love God and are called according to purpose.
20 Immediately Saul fell full length on the ground, filled with fear because of Samuel’s words. His strength was gone, for he had eaten nothing all that day and all that night. 21 When the woman came to Saul and saw that he was greatly shaken, she said, “Look, your servant has obeyed you. I took my life in my hands and did what you told me to do. 22 Now please listen to your servant and let me give you some food so you may eat and have the strength to go on your way.” 23 He refused and said, “I will not eat.” But his men joined the woman in urging him, and he listened to them. He got up from the ground and sat on the couch. 24 The woman had a fattened calf at the house, which she butchered at once. She took some flour, kneaded it and baked bread without yeast. 25 Then she set it before Saul and his men, and they ate. That same night they got up and left.
1 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.”
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.”
This is really a tough situation for David. He has been anointed King of Israel by Samuel, he knows his destiny, he is a man of faith, so how is he going to escape this. Fighting against Israel with the King of the Philistines would be a very grievous sin that he could never return from. It is very likely that Achish has some questions about whether or not David has truly been attacking Jewish settlements.
3 Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in his own town of Ramah. Saul had expelled the mediums and spiritists from the land.
This chapter exposes his hypocrisy. So often we have seen this from politicians. They proclaim to be for “family values” only for us to then learn they are total hypocrites. Or they pretend to be Christians only to learn they are for abortion or some other heinous sin.
4 The Philistines assembled and came and set up camp at Shunem, while Saul gathered all Israel and set up camp at Gilboa. 5 When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid; terror filled his heart. 6 He inquired of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets. 7 Saul then said to his attendants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, so I may go and inquire of her.” “There is one in Endor,” they said. 8 So Saul disguised himself, putting on other clothes, and at night he and two men went to the woman. “Consult a spirit for me,” he said, “and bring up for me the one I name.” 9 But the woman said to him, “Surely you know what Saul has done. He has cut off the mediums and spiritists from the land. Why have you set a trap for my life to bring about my death?” 10 Saul swore to her by the Lord, “As surely as the Lord lives, you will not be punished for this.”
Perhaps not, but Saul will be. Leviticus 20:6 “‘I will set my face against anyone who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute themselves by following them, and I will cut them off from their people.
11 Then the woman asked, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” “Bring up Samuel,” he said. 12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out at the top of her voice and said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!” 13 The king said to her, “Don’t be afraid. What do you see?” The woman said, “I see a ghostly figure[a] coming up out of the earth.” 14 “What does he look like?” he asked. “An old man wearing a robe is coming up,” she said. Then Saul knew it was Samuel, and he bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground. 15 Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” “I am in great distress,” Saul said. “The Philistines are fighting against me, and God has departed from me. He no longer answers me, either by prophets or by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what to do.” 16 Samuel said, “Why do you consult me, now that the Lord has departed from you and become your enemy? 17 The Lord has done what he predicted through me. The Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hands and given it to one of your neighbors—to David. 18 Because you did not obey the Lord or carry out his fierce wrath against the Amalekites, the Lord has done this to you today. 19 The Lord will deliver both Israel and you into the hands of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The Lord will also give the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines.”
What was God’s command -- to carry out his fierce wrath against the Amalekites. In the last chapter we saw David carrying this out. This book began with Hannah being barren and needing a son and being bullied because God needed a son. God put her into a position where she cried out to him that if He gave her a son she would dedicate him to God. The book ends with Saul bullying David because God needed a king that would carry out his command against the Amalekites. God put David into a position where he would have no choice but to go to the Philistines. They seemingly gave him Ziklag but in reality it was God giving the kings of Judah Ziklag. David then needed to carry out raids against the Amalekites in order to stay in good graces with the Philistines as well as feed the men following him. The minute God got a king who would carry out his commands he cut off Saul, no more prophecies, no more dreams, no answering by Urim and Thummim. David was not the one with the sin of unbelief, in this chapter we see that it is Saul. This is a key point in this entire book, Jesus is Lord and He works out all things for good to those who love God and are called according to purpose.
20 Immediately Saul fell full length on the ground, filled with fear because of Samuel’s words. His strength was gone, for he had eaten nothing all that day and all that night. 21 When the woman came to Saul and saw that he was greatly shaken, she said, “Look, your servant has obeyed you. I took my life in my hands and did what you told me to do. 22 Now please listen to your servant and let me give you some food so you may eat and have the strength to go on your way.” 23 He refused and said, “I will not eat.” But his men joined the woman in urging him, and he listened to them. He got up from the ground and sat on the couch. 24 The woman had a fattened calf at the house, which she butchered at once. She took some flour, kneaded it and baked bread without yeast. 25 Then she set it before Saul and his men, and they ate. That same night they got up and left.