(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)
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1 Samuel 28:1–6, “And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered their armies together for warfare, to fight with Israel. And Achish said unto David, Know thou assuredly, that thou shalt go out with me to battle, thou and thy men. And David said to Achish, Surely thou shalt know what thy servant can do. And Achish said to David, Therefore will I make thee keeper of mine head for ever. Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land. And the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and pitched in Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they pitched in Gilboa. And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled. And when Saul enquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.”
The Philistines were still Israel’s major enemy at that time. Achish believed that he had completely compromised David, who was Israel’s best military leader at that time. So much so that he believed David would do anything that he was asked, even to fight against the Lord’s armies. Achish offered David the job of leading his palace guard and being primarily responsible for his safety. On the other hand, Saul was becoming increasingly desperate as the Lord had deserted Saul when Saul chose to disobey the Lord and use the Lord’s Name for purposes that the Lord didn’t support. Samuel was dead by that stage so Saul didn’t even has his own former spiritual advisor the help him in any way. When Saul was first crowned king of Israel he showed a great zeal for the Lord and had put away every other way of contacting the spiritual world, other than speaking to the Lord. He went to Gilboa to defend Israel against the Philistines. Gilboa is situated in the lower Galilee near the entrance to the Jezreel valley. Saul took advantage of meeting the Philistines on a ridge to take away the advantages their steel chariots would have if the fought on the plains. Saul was afraid of the Philistines and sought the Lord but was not able to find any answer to his fears. He even tried to use the sacred stones, Urim and Thummim, that he had successfully used before but was not able to make any contact with the Lord.
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