I Shmuel 29: The Philistine Carta

Chapter 29 is a very short chapter with a view of the final battle between Shaul and the Philistines from the viewpoint of the Philistines. We get a little insight into the inner working of Philistine society. David has been a guest of Achish, the king of the Philistines. Although David has been secretly attacking Israel’s enemies, Achish believes that he has been supporting the Philistines. He trusts David so much, that he strongly suggests that David join the Philistines in battle. But Achish’s generals and other Philistine lords are not convinced. “But the Philistine officers were angry with him; and the Philistine officers said to him, ‘Send the man back; let him go back to the place you assigned him. He shall not march down with us to the battle, or else he may become our adversary in battle. For with what could that fellow appease his master if not with the heads of these men?’” (וַיִּקְצְפוּ עָלָיו שָׂרֵי פְלִשְׁתִּים וַיֹּאמְרוּ לוֹ שָׂרֵי פְלִשְׁתִּים הָשֵׁב אֶת־הָאִישׁ וְיָשֹׁב אֶל־מְקוֹמוֹ אֲשֶׁר הִפְקַדְתּוֹ שָׁם וְלֹא־יֵרֵד עִמָּנוּ בַּמִּלְחָמָה וְלֹא־יִהְיֶה־לָּנוּ לְשָׂטָן בַּמִּלְחָמָה וּבַמֶּה יִתְרַצֶּה זֶה אֶל־אֲדֹנָיו הֲלוֹא בְּרָאשֵׁי הָאֲנָשִׁים הָהֵם) (verse 4). Achish has to listen to his lords and dismiss David (וַיִּקְרָא אָכִישׁ אֶל־דָּוִד וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו... וְעַתָּה שׁוּב וְלֵךְ בְּשָׁלוֹם) (verses 6–7). Achish protests but ultimately acquiesces to their demands. Why does he do that? Achish is the king, everyone should listen to whatever he says! Achish may have made the strategic decision to let David go in order to avoid discord in the rank and file of the army. A distracted army would not be unified in battle and could cause casualties or defeat. Another possibility is that Achish needed the lords’ and officers’ support. In this interpretation, Achish is more of a great lord of the people, but one whose power is not absolute. The Philistine king may have relied on the financial support of these officers in addition to their military prowess. Losing that support could have cost him more than the battle. A rebellion in the ranks of the lords and officers would mean a loss of his kingship. History provides many examples of kings whose authority depended on the support of powerful nobles. In the ancient Hittite Empire, kings often governed in consultation with leading nobles and military commanders, whose backing was essential for maintaining stability and waging war. Likewise, in 1215 King John of England was forced to accept the Magna Carta when his barons refused to continue supporting him without limits on royal power, and Achish may have similarly concluded that preserving the loyalty of the Philistine lords was more important than insisting on David's participation in the battle.