Thematic Bible: Achish
Thematic Bible
Achish » David escapes to
David arose and fled that day from Saul and went to Achish king of Gath. The servants of Achish said to him, Is not this David, the king of the land? Did they not sing one to another of him in their dances: Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands? David took these words to heart and was much afraid of Achish king of Gath. read more.
And he changed his behavior before them, and pretended to be insane in their [Philistine] hands, and scribbled on the gate doors, and drooled on his beard. Then said Achish to his servants, You see the man is mad. Why then have you brought him to me? Have I need of madmen, that you bring this fellow to play the madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?
And he changed his behavior before them, and pretended to be insane in their [Philistine] hands, and scribbled on the gate doors, and drooled on his beard. Then said Achish to his servants, You see the man is mad. Why then have you brought him to me? Have I need of madmen, that you bring this fellow to play the madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?
In those days the Philistines gathered their forces for war against Israel. Achish said to David, Understand that you and your men shall go with me to battle. David said to Achish, All right, you shall know what your servant can do. Achish said to David, Therefore I will make you my bodyguard always.
But after three years, two of Shimei's servants ran away to Achish son of Maacah, king of Gath. And Shimei was told, Behold, your [runaway] servants are in Gath. So Shimei arose, saddled his donkey, and went to Gath to King Achish to seek his servants, and brought them from Gath.
Philistines » Kings of » Achish
David arose and fled that day from Saul and went to Achish king of Gath. The servants of Achish said to him, Is not this David, the king of the land? Did they not sing one to another of him in their dances: Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands? David took these words to heart and was much afraid of Achish king of Gath. read more.
And he changed his behavior before them, and pretended to be insane in their [Philistine] hands, and scribbled on the gate doors, and drooled on his beard. Then said Achish to his servants, You see the man is mad. Why then have you brought him to me? Have I need of madmen, that you bring this fellow to play the madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?
And he changed his behavior before them, and pretended to be insane in their [Philistine] hands, and scribbled on the gate doors, and drooled on his beard. Then said Achish to his servants, You see the man is mad. Why then have you brought him to me? Have I need of madmen, that you bring this fellow to play the madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?
In those days the Philistines gathered their forces for war against Israel. Achish said to David, Understand that you and your men shall go with me to battle. David said to Achish, All right, you shall know what your servant can do. Achish said to David, Therefore I will make you my bodyguard always.
So David arose and went over with the 600 men who were with him to Achish son of Maoch, king of Gath. And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, and David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's widow. When it was told Saul that David had fled to Gath, he sought for him no more. read more.
And David said to Achish, If I have now found favor in your eyes, let me be given a place to dwell in some country town; for why should your servant live in the royal city with you? Then Achish gave David the town of Ziklag that day. Therefore Ziklag belongs to the kings of Judah to this day. The time David dwelt in the Philistines' country was a year and four months. Now David and his men went up and made attacks on the Geshurites, Girzites, and Amalekites [enemies of Israel Joshua had failed to exterminate]. For from of old those nations inhabited the land, as one goes to Shur even to the land of Egypt. And David smote the land and left neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, oxen, donkeys, camels, and the apparel, and returned to Achish. Achish would ask, Against whom have you made a raid today? And David would reply, Against the South (Negeb) of Judah, or of the Jerahmeelites, or of the Kenites. And David saved neither man nor woman alive to bring tidings to Gath, thinking, Lest they should say about us, So did David, and so will he do as long as he dwells in the Philistines' country. And Achish believed David, saying, He has made his people Israel utterly abhor him; so he shall be my servant always.
And David said to Achish, If I have now found favor in your eyes, let me be given a place to dwell in some country town; for why should your servant live in the royal city with you? Then Achish gave David the town of Ziklag that day. Therefore Ziklag belongs to the kings of Judah to this day. The time David dwelt in the Philistines' country was a year and four months. Now David and his men went up and made attacks on the Geshurites, Girzites, and Amalekites [enemies of Israel Joshua had failed to exterminate]. For from of old those nations inhabited the land, as one goes to Shur even to the land of Egypt. And David smote the land and left neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, oxen, donkeys, camels, and the apparel, and returned to Achish. Achish would ask, Against whom have you made a raid today? And David would reply, Against the South (Negeb) of Judah, or of the Jerahmeelites, or of the Kenites. And David saved neither man nor woman alive to bring tidings to Gath, thinking, Lest they should say about us, So did David, and so will he do as long as he dwells in the Philistines' country. And Achish believed David, saying, He has made his people Israel utterly abhor him; so he shall be my servant always.