Robert Gallagher

The thesis of this paper is that God’s mission to the Philistines in the Book of Samuel occurred through international narrative, power encounter, international song and presence mission, and there are indicators that this may have resulted in certain individuals and clans changing their allegiance to the God of Israel. In attempting to support this statement, the following two questions will be examined: what was Israel’s missiological interaction with the Philistines? and; how did God use this interaction for his missiological purposes?

The beginning of the book of Samuel is during the period of the judges. The high priest Eli and his sons, Hophni and Phinehas, had desecrated the priestly office through adultery and theft. God is distant from his people because his leaders are distant from their God.

It was in this context of unfaithful leadership that the Philistines declared war on the nation of Israel. In the ensuing battle Israel was losing, so the people began to question why God was causing the defeat. Several leaders decided to bring the Ark of God’s covenant into the military equation. Surely, they believed, God would be forced to deliver them if they brought him into the battle as other nations did with their pagan gods. The Ark of the Covenant was then brought from Shiloh. There was such jubilation from the soldiers when the Ark entered the camp that the ground shook and fear came upon the Philistines.

The reaction of the Philistines to the Ark reveals evidence of the mission of God in their culture. 1 Samuel 4:7-9 records the scene:

As the Philistines realized that the powerful God of the Hebrews had entered the battle, they began to chant a funeral dirge for fear of the oncoming slaughter. This mourning was triggered within the Philistine camp because of an oral tradition deeply embedded in their culture. The development of this narrative tradition is important in understanding God’s sovereign missiological plan for the Philistines in spite of Israel’s reluctance to engage in mission.

When God had demonstrated his power through the deliverance of Israel from Egypt, news of the event had traveled to the nations of Canaan and caused great fear. The Philistines were one of those nations. Consequently, this oral history about the God of Israel and had been preserved for over 500 years. For over seven generations the enemies of Israel had recalled this exodus narrative to each subsequent generation. As is often the case with oral accounts of history, the retelling of this international story had come to this present generation slightly distorted.

Two such distortions are seen in 1 Samuel 4:7-9. The Philistines saw the nation of Israel as worshiping multiple gods and they believed the plagues were performed in the wilderness rather than in Egypt. Despite these distortions, however, the Philistines were correct in acknowledging that God was "mighty" and that he was the God "who smote the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues." Clearly, it is only in the missiological sovereignty of God that the Philistines should hold for hundreds of years such a theological narrative about Yahweh. In addition, the fact that they could so readily draw upon it at this time of distress underlines the important role the story played in the national psych. Philistine polytheistic worldview, then, allowed them to continue the battle and not surrender. Could it be possible, they wondered, that the gods of the five confederate cities of Philistia would defeat the gods of Israel? In the ancient world, a physical battle of two armies had deeper implications. This war was considered a spiritual battle between the Philistine gods and the Hebrew gods where, according to the Philistines, the more powerful pantheon would win.

It follows, then, when the Philistines defeated Israel and took the Ark, they marched towards Shiloh and destroyed the temple town. They carried away the Ark to display it as a battle trophy in the temple of Dagon. The Philistine god was obviously more powerful than the Israeli God, and the Ark was destined to serve Dagon, the half-human, half-fish god.

The Philistine’s glory did not last long, however, because God was the universal God of all the nations, including Philistia. Yahweh displayed his power in a number of encounters that left the Philistines scrambling for safety. For example, in Ashdod the god Dagon fell on his face and worshipped the Ark. He then was rendered powerless with the separation of his hands and head. Moreover, a series of national plagues followed which were recognized as the hand of the Lord. From Ashdod, the Ark was taken to Gath and then Ekron, and at each place the inhabitants recognized the spiritual power encounter that resulted from the God of Israel being in their midst. Deadly confusion reigned throughout Philistia for seven months as God manifested his presence.

Recognizing the greater power of the Lord God compared to their gods and even giving "glory to the God of Israel," did not necessarily mean the Philistine leaders would relinquish their allegiance to their lesser gods. In the eyes of the Philistine priests, the Hebrew God was one of many possible deities to worship. The power encounter with the Ark, however, would not be forgotten. It was yet another Hebrew narrative that would be added to their collection, once again showing God’s missiological plan.

In 1 Samuel 6:5-6 the pagan priests state to the kings of Philistia:

Here again in a time of national crisis, the heathen priests recalled the international narrative of the God of Israel bringing deliverance to his people. This time, no distortions are found. The Egyptian reactions are accurate. Further, the pagan priests use the exact phrase "hardened their hearts" as found in the Hebrew record of the Exodus. God’s story played a role in the decision of the kings to return the Ark to Israel.

The priests suggested a test to the Philistine kings to determine if it was by chance or God that the events had happened. Two cows that had just calved and had never pulled a cart were attached to a wagon carrying the Ark and the guilt offerings. The calves were then separated from their mothers. If these events were a power encounter of God, the priests said, then the cows would pull the cart directly to the Israeli border town of Beth-shemesh. It would have to be a supernatural occurrence since cows never voluntarily leave their young and there were many roads to choose from. If it did happen then they would know that God had intervened. There could be no other explanation. Once again God demonstrated his power to the Philistine people and their rulers.

God continued to intervene in Philistine history without Israel’s help, except as it happened accidentally. Another example is found in the young shepherd boy who defeated the mighty warrior from Gath. This time, the vehicle for the power and sovereignty of God was not the Ark of the covenant or milch cows pulling a cart, but a Bethlehemite lad and his sling shot. Again it was a physical battle that was implanted in spiritual conflict. The first recorded words of David set the tone for the power encounter.

Using covenant language David immediately established the spiritual parameters of the battle. The only living God would fight for his covenant people against those who are not of the covenant. David is not fighting alone, but has the LORD of hosts fighting for him, a promise of the covenant agreement. It is the LORD who would deliver, "that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the LORD does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the LORD’s and he will give you into our hands." Once again, God had proclaimed his missiological purposes through these events at the valley of Elah. The Philistines would never forget that there was a God in Israel as demonstrated in this Israeli victory. Consistent with history, the instrument of remembrance was again narrative, but this time in the form of a song.

As the victory procession made its way towards the national capital of Gibeah, the Israeli women came out dancing with musical instruments and singing a song that would become number one on the Israeli charts. "And the women sang as they played, and said, ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.’" The song in Saul’s mind immediately triggered a spiraling of anger, suspicion, rage, fear and dread towards David. What began as an attempted murder of David ended in severe paranoia and depression, as Saul sought the counterfeit guidance of the medium of En-dor and committed suicide on Mount Gilboa.

In desperate fear for his life David made unwise decisions that God sovereignly used for his missiological purposes. When David realized that his patron was determined to murder him, he ran for his life to seek comfort from his spiritual director Samuel. From Ramah he scrambled back to Gibeah to plot with Jonathan, and then went onto Nob to seek the protection of the priestly community. Running as a little bird seeking shelter from his attacker Saul, David failed to recognize the providential protection of God. Through his politicking and lying he nearly got Jonathan killed and was the cause of the community of priests at Nob being massacred by Doeg the Edomite.

From Nob, David, in his fugitive state, ran to hide in Gath, the very city whose champion he had killed only months before. Why is David running to the enemies of God for protection from Saul? And why Gath of all places? Why not one of the other four cities of Philistia? Why does he think that he, as a less than six-foot bearded Hebrew with ruddy complexion, could hide amongst a beardless, unusually tall Aegean people of olive complexion?

In Gath, David quickly discovered that it was difficult to hide among these Philistine Globetrotters. The servants of Achish, king of Gath, saw the Hebrew and said to the king, " Is this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing of this one as they danced, saying, ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands’?" The national song of Israel had crossed the border carrying the message of the saving power of God for his people. When they saw David they incorrectly thought he was the king of Israel, yet remembered the song with accuracy. In great fear for his life David decides to again lie his way out of this predicament; this time not through words, but by acting. Knowing that the Philistine society believed that the gods spoke through the mentally challenged, David pretends to be insane by dribbling on his beard and scratching on the doors of the gate. Reinforcing this portrayal was the belief that to a Hebrew man, the symbol of his masculine dignity and worth was his beard. No Israeli male in his right mind would spit on his beard. With sarcastic humor Achish releases David and an unusual relationship between the two begins, which God would use later in his missiological plan.

A number of years later David returned to Gath with 600 mercenaries and hired his army for Achish’s service. For almost eighteen months David pretended that he was attacking the enemies of Gath, but in reality he was helping to protect Israel. In the midst of such deception, Achish could only see David’s loyalty. He offered him the city of Ziklag and the opportunity to be his "bodyguard for life." So when the Philistines came to fight Israel, Achish took David and his men to the battle. Displaying characteristic humor, Achish emphasized the length of David’s betrayal of King Saul while simultaneously acknowledged the loyalty of his protector. The other confederate kings reacted in anger to the thought of David alongside them in battle. David’s defeat of the whole Philistine army was too fresh in their memory—a memory sustained by the international song of David that was still being sung in Israel. "Is this not David, of whom they sing in the dances, saying, ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands’?" Indelibly etched in the national mind, the song continued to carry the missiological message of God to these uncircumcised people.

Then followed a dialogue between the king of Gath and David. Achish reveals his possible trust in Yahweh and appreciation to David, and the audience is left wondering what game the Israeli was playing.

When David objected to his dismissal from the battle, Achish patiently addressed him: "I know that you are pleasing in my sight, like an angel of God; nevertheless the commanders of the Philistines have said, ‘He must not go up with us to the battle.’" Could it be that because of the international song and the unintentional presence of God’s missionary at Ziklag that the king had changed allegiance to Yahweh? The expression "as the LORD lives," is an echo of the words of David in 1 Samuel 17:26, 36 where he spoke of "the living God." Did Achish learn this expression from David? The Philistine used the more intimate Yahweh as the name of God in place of Elohim that David used. Later Achish used Elohim to describe what David meant to him as one sent as a messenger from God: "like an angel of God." Had Achish found faith in Yahweh? The record does not specifically say, but it does leave some clues that would indicate the possibility.

God had woven himself into the tapestry of the national fabric of Philistia. His attributes were described through international narrative and song. This mission motif recalled the delivering power of the God of Israel. In times of national distress, the Philistine leaders remembered the stories of the Exodus and Elah for wisdom and guidance in their decision making. In this missiological fashion, God reached out to the nation of Philistia with his grace and mercy to make them aware of his presence. Not all accepted the one living God, but there were some that did. Possibly Achish, king of Gath was one such person. Another is Obed-edom the Gittite.

The name Obed-edom indicates that this Gittite farmer was a worshipper of the gods of Edom, yet God blessed him. As the Ark of the Covenant was being carried on a cart from the field of Jaar in Kiriath-jearim, where it was found after being lost for twenty years, the wagon faltered. When the Israelite Uzzah tried to save the Ark from falling he died. His death was the result of David’s disobedience to God regarding the transport of the Ark. David was angry with God and was afraid to take the Ark any further. It was then left with Obed-edom, the Philistine, for three months and Yahweh blessed him. "And the Lord blessed the family of Obed-edom with all that he had."

Why was a worshipper of Edomite gods living in Israeli territory instead of his native city of Gath? And why did he have the privilege of housing the Ark of God? That was the dwelling place of "the LORD who is enthroned above the cherubim, where his name is called." Through David’s disobedience Yahweh blessed a Philistine with his covenant presence. The hand of God’s grace upon Obed-edom and his family did not stop when the ark was correctly carried to the city of David. This Gittite then became a gatekeeper for the ark and his family eventually consisted of 62 men who served God. "God had indeed blessed him." There is every indication that this former worshipper of Edomite idols from Gath became a committed adherent to Yahweh, the God of the nations. In God’s blessing of Obed-edom, there is every indication that God sought to reach the Philistines despite the attitude of Israel and circumstances that at first seemed contrary to the will of God.

The blessings of God on the Philistine people were not confined to the family of Obed-edom. While David operated from the city of Ziklag, he was in the same region as the Cherethites. The Cherethites were a Philistine tribe who may have originated from Crete and were renown for being warriors. Their name in the Hebrew means "executioners." In the Scriptures, the Pelethites are always associated with the Cherethites and were probably also from the southern section of Canaan. While David and his soldiers were working as mercenaries for Achish, they may have formed a relationship with these two Philistine tribes. This would help explain David’s actions towards the Cherethites and Pelethites when he became king.

When Saul the Benjamite became the first king of the united empire of Israel he made Gibeah, the capital of Benjamin, the national capital. Also, he appointed his own tribe as his bodyguards. But when David became the second king, God directed him to make Jerusalem, a heathen stronghold, the Israeli capital and he appointed the Cherethites and Pelethites as his minders. Why did David choose the pagan enemies of God to be his closest protectors and not the soldiers from his tribe? Were these two Philistine clans merely bought for a price, or did their loyalty go deeper? Tracing the record of David’s bodyguard through the Scriptures aids in answering these questions, and reveals a group of Philistine soldiers that were loyal to David and his royal lineage no matter what the crisis. Surely such dedication was motivated by more than monetary gain. This uncommon commitment of the Cherethites and Pelethites is demonstrated during a crisis event in David’s later years.

After his sinful behavior with Bathsheba Israel’s prosperity plateaued. Never again would they enjoy the "justice and righteousness" they had experienced under David’s earlier reign. Not only did Israel suffer the consequences of David’s sin, but also of his family’s sin. Just as with Eli and Samuel, David followed the pattern whereby his sons lacked pastoral administration. David took no responsibility for correcting his children and allowed them to determine their own way in life.

Evidence of David’s passive fatherly role is seen in many instances. For example, Amnon raped Tamar his half-sister and then rejected her. In reaction to this sin, David merely became angry instead of administering the death penalty. Perhaps his own escape from the punishment of the law led David to do nothing; whatever the reason, it is clear there was no rebuke or chastisement whatsoever. Furthermore, David’s son Absalom then sought vengeance in the murder of his brother, went into exile with his maternal grandfather, and eventually was fully restored to the courts of his father. After such action, Absalom plotted for four years to secure the throne of Israel. It would seem that David’s judicial neglect of his family and nation enabled Absalom to sway the hearts of the Israelites to his side.

Absalom first secured the rebellion in Hebron his father’s city. In no time, it swept across Judah and the rest of the tribes of Israel. In a span of only a few hours, David learned of the betrayal of his beloved son, city, tribe and nation. His once prosperous kingdom had collapsed. As he made his way out of Jerusalem in funeral procession, he heard of the treason of Ahithophel, his confidant, and Mephibosheth, his covenant son. It seemed that all had turned against him—his family, his friends, his clan, and his people. Yet, in the midst of such despair, David found a group loyal to him. Three Philistine clans stood by David’s side during the most difficult crisis of his career. These three clans were the Philistine bodyguard of the Cherethites and Pelethites, and the 600 soldiers from Gath under the command of Ittai. God’s mission to the Philistines involved these three tribes. They in turn would be used by the Lord to protect David’s royal lineage and hence the Messiah who would "bless all the families of the earth." This is especially evident in the actions of Ittai.

Ittai was a Gittite, a soldier from the city of Gath. Perhaps David’s presence in that city allowed the Hebrew warrior to form a relationship with this man of war. David certainly was in Gath for some time since he learned to play the gittith, a musical instrument from the region. David used this instrument in composing Psalms 8, 81 and 84. The grace of God in mission is evidenced by such worship to him as: "How lovely are thy dwelling places, O LORD of hosts! My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God," being played on this pagan instrument.

While living in the region of Gath before he was king, David must have had a special relationship between these three Philistine clans. All three tribes were putting their lives in jeopardy as Absalom and the armies of Israel were only hours away. They were greatly outnumbered and had to retreat with a foreign king who had lost his empire. Civil war meant living as a fugitive and little likelihood of remuneration. The Bible unfolds the scene as follows:

So David’s offer to release the Gittites from any obligation was a compassionate gesture. Ittai’s reply echoed the declaration of Achish to David and of Ruth to Naomi. The Philistine, blessed by David with "mercy and truth," was then promoted to one of the three highest-ranking officers in the retreating army alongside Joab and Abishai. The implications of Ittai’s promotion are important to understanding God’s missiological purposes in using the nations to protect the messianic seed that will bless all people.

Before Absalom’s insurrection, the top three positions in the army were held by Joab, the king’s nephew, as the commander of the army, Jashobeam, "the chief of the thirty," and Eleazar, who also "was one of the three mighty men." Abishai, another of David’s nephews, as one "of the three in the second rank . . . was the most honored, and became their commander, however, he did not attain to the first three."

Following the rebellion, David had to reorganize his army. In the position of his top three generals he kept Joab, promoted Abishai from second to first rank, and introduced Ittai the Gittite. It is unclear why Jashobeam and Eleazar did not continue as one of the first three, and why David believed he needed to replace them with a Philistine soldier. Perhaps they were a part of Absalom’s conspiracy. If so, then it explains why David had to change his military administration. Previously in his reign, David mainly used his family, clan, and tribal members for his administrative and military officers. Occasionally foreigners were chosen as commanders in his army. But, never had there been a promotion of a traditional enemy to a position of such authority. In a situation of national distress, David turned to the closest members of his family and the Philistine allies that he had formed during his fugitive days in Gath. God used such a relationship to uphold the royal lineage of Israel that would eventually produce the coming Messiah. Ittai and the Philistine guards protected the Davidic throne during Absalom’s rebellion. God’s missiological plan for the Philistines through David’s unwitting presence mission was being unfolded.

Following this action against the messianic seed came yet another national crisis where again God used the Cherethites and Pelethites to safeguard his sovereign plan. On returning from the battle against Absalom’s armies, David faced another revolution that could have caused "more harm than Absalom." The Benjamite Sheba rallied the tribes of Israel against David, all except Judah. David had appointed his nephew Amasa to be the commander of the army in place of Joab, but Amasa "delayed longer than the set time" to gather the forces against Sheba. The king then sent Joab and Abishai "along with the Cherethites and Pelethites and all the mighty men" to pursue Sheba before the traitor could build military strength. Before and after Sheba’s revolt, the Cherethites and Pelethites are recorded as being involved in the suppression. From the narrator’s perspective, this would indicate the importance of these soldiers to the Davidic kingdom.

Instrumental in supporting and protecting David’s reign during the rebellion of Absalom and now Sheba, the Cherethites continued to serve the royal throne of David for over 130 years. In the time of Athaliah, the daughter of Jezebel and Ahab king of Israel, they were called Carites. Athaliah became the wife of Jehoram, king of Judah, and ruled in Judah after the death of her son Ahaziah. She destroyed all the royal family of David except Joash who was secretly kept for six years "in the house of the LORD."

Then, in the seventh year of Joash’s hiding, the high priest Jehoiada sent for "the captains of hundreds of the Carites and of the guard." He made a covenant with them in the Temple to put Joash on the throne. The coup began on the Sabbath as the priest gave the Temple guards and Philistine soldiers "the spears and shields that had been King David’s, which were in the house of the LORD." This rallying point for Davidic loyalty was the impetus needed to allow seven-year-old Joash to be crowned king.

God had used the Philistine bodyguards and their loyalty to David and his God to secure the throne of the Messiah. Once again, the Lord had demonstrated his mission heart for the Philistine nation.

God’s desire to reach the Philistines in the Book of Samuel was attempted without Israel’s participation except as it happened accidentally. Yet through Philistia’s power encounters with the Ark, the milch cows and David, it would appear that God used international narrative and song to establish a faith in Yahweh among certain Philistine individuals and clans. The result of this mission may be seen in the lives of Obed-edom, the Cherethites and Pelethites and Ittai the Gittite, who were blessed by God and provided protection for the Davidic throne that would eventually produce the Messiah.