Achish

 

    Achish means angry in Hebrew.  It is only applied to the Philistine King in whom David took refuge with when he fled from King Saul.  King Achish reigned in Gath.  His officers did not like the fact that David was there because they already knew who he was.  They thought maybe he was a spy.  At the very least it was strange and suspicious on why he would come to Gath.  David heard the talk and was afraid of what King Achish would do, so he pretended to be insane.  King Achish heard about all and was suspicious too.

    David lived among the Philistine to find safety among his enemies.  Saul was that intimidating to David.  At this point he had 600 men following him.  He took his men and joined King Achish of Gath.  Under King Achish David and his men could settle.  David had his two wives with him.  David's plan worked.  King Saul stopped hunting him for a while.

    Achish and David had a candid relationship with cultural boundaries. Achish asked David would he not rather live with his own people.   King Achish ended up giving David the city Ziklag, so that he was not in the royal city, but the country.  That is where David lived for a year and four months.  He served as a warrior for King Achish during that time, but he never attacked his own people.  King Achish thought he had gotten a great deal and that David would never leave.

    The day came where the Philistines and Israel went to war.  David and his men were expected to join King Achish's army.  Samuel had died during this time, so Saul had not spiritual leader.  He saw Achish's army and was really afraid.  He had not comfort from God.  This drove him to do some dispirit things.  These things did not help him out with his relationship with God.

    When David and his men showed up for battle with King Achish, the other Philistine Kings were not happy.  King Achish was forced to send David and his warriors back to Ziklag.  God worked everything out nicely for David because David was faithful.  

1 Samuel 21:10-15 & 27-29