1 Samuel 27:5-7
Verse 6 So on that day Achish gave him Ziklag, and it has belonged to the kings of Judah ever since.
David knew he couldn’t keep his men together among the others in Gath and so he asks King Achish to give him somewhere for his family, as well as his men and their families. With at least 600 men with him this was going to need quite a bit of space, so Achish agrees to give them the city of Ziklag.
It must have felt so good after wandering around the wilderness, desert, caves and hills to have a place to settle in and make a home. We don’t know what David’s wife, Ahinoam, was used to in way of a home but Abigail had been the wife of a rich man and so she wasn’t probably used to living the life of a nomad. Abigail, and maybe the other wives, would have welcomed the opportunity to settle in and set up house. For those who hadn’t started building a family, this would have seemed like a promising time to do just that.
There was one problem that would still cause them issues in beginning a family, the excitement of being able to settle down may have clouded the dangers of living among the Philistines. This was a place that had been settled by the tribe of Judah and then lost to the Philistines before being given to David and his entourage. The fact they were near the Philistines meant they needed to be careful not to fall into their ways of worshiping.
Ziklag was about 25-30 miles south-southwest of Gath, giving some space to David and his men to settle down into a new life. David was probably thankful for this option as it put him that much further from Saul just in case he wasn’t as sincere in his promise as he had claimed to be.
While it wasn’t the place David desired to call home, this place would become home. Ziklag would be their home for a year and four months. They would settle into life as normal and build more of a community atmosphere with each other. After running for their lives, this must have been a nice relief. The men would go out and raid other cities and the wives would manage the home and children.
Making It Personal
How difficult is it to live for Christ when those around you worship another way? What does home mean to you? What is your responsibility making your home a place where Christ is worshiped?
Making It Personal Kids
Is it hard to live for Jesus when your friends aren’t? How important is having a home? What are some things that make you feel like you are home?
Closing Prayer
Father, You give us places of rest and families to enjoy in those homes. Please help us to use our homes to help each other grow closer to You and may our homes be examples of how You desire the world to live. In Jesus’ name, amen.