1 Samuel 27:8-11
Verse 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.
Now that their women and children were safe in a city of their own, David and his men were free to do some conquests to increase their wealth as well as the territory being made ready for the Israelites to take it over. There isn’t much that we know about the tribes of the Geshurites or the Girzites, in fact this is the only time that the Girzites are mentioned in Scripture.
We know that the Geshurites were around when the Israelites came into the Promised Land because we see in Deuteronomy 3:14 that a man named Jair conquered the tribes to the edge of their territory. They are also mentioned in Joshua 13:2 when the aging Joshua tells the people that there are still areas that need to be conquered. It seems that David and his men were doing the work that their ancestors had not, removing these people from the land God had promised His people.
The Amalekites were a bit more infamous. They were known to the family of Abraham when he was still Abram (Genesis 14). And other than a mention in a historical psalm (Psalm 83) they are mentioned in relation to them being removed through military force until they are all gone (1 Chronicles 4:43).
The fact is, these raids of David and his men are proving that David is king material. David is doing what should have been done in the early stages of taking over the Promised Land. There had been half-hearted attempts but no one was willing to do everything they could to rid the land of them because they had started worshiping the false gods of these tribes and may have even intermarried with them.
The Israelites had been doing all the things that they shouldn’t have been doing and David was taking it upon himself to right things in the place that God had commanded. David was even doing it God’s way by killing all the people of the city – though for the wrong reasons – so their evil practices would not be a hindrance to the people’s spiritual life. But David wasn’t doing it with Godly character as he felt the only way he would be saved was to lie to Achish about where he had been and what he had done. It wasn’t that God couldn’t take care of him, but David still had some fear.
Making It Personal
Have you ever done the right thing but did it the wrong way? What did you learn about obeying God during that time? How can you make sure you make the godly decision next time?
Making It Personal Kids
Have you ever done something good but did it in a way that made it bad? Why did you make the bad decision? How can you make sure you choose the best way next time?
Closing Prayer
Father, we know there are many times when we fail to obey You in the way we do something and we are sorry about that. Help us to know what You would have us do and give us the wisdom to do it Your way. In Jesus’ name, amen.