2 Samuel 15

2 Samuel 15

MacArthur - Because he wanted to preserve the city he had beautified, and not have a war there, and since he felt that he could find greater support in the country, David left the city with all his household and personal guards. 2 Samuel 15:18 Now all his servants passed on beside him, all the Cherethites, all the Pelethites and all the Gittites, six hundred men who had come with him from Gath, passed on before the king. BGT 2 Samuel 15:18 καὶ πάντες οἱ παῖδες αὐτοῦ ἀνὰ χεῖρα αὐτοῦ παρῆγον καὶ πᾶς ὁ Χεττι καὶ πᾶς ὁ Φελετθι καὶ ἔστησαν ἐπὶ τῆς ἐλαίας ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς παρεπορεύετο ἐχόμενος αὐτοῦ καὶ πάντες οἱ περὶ αὐτὸν καὶ πάντες οἱ ἁδροὶ καὶ πάντες οἱ μαχηταί ἑξακόσιοι ἄνδρες καὶ παρῆσαν ἐπὶ χεῖρα αὐτοῦ καὶ πᾶς ὁ Χερεθθι καὶ πᾶς ὁ Φελεθθι καὶ πάντες οἱ Γεθθαῖοι ἑξακόσιοι ἄνδρες οἱ ἐλθόντες τοῖς ποσὶν αὐτῶν ἐκ Γεθ πορευόμενοι ἐπὶ πρόσωπον τοῦ βασιλέως LXE 2 Samuel 15:18 And all his servants passed on by his side, and every Chelethite, and every Phelethite, and they stood by the olive tree in the wilderness: and all the people marched near him, and all his court, and all the men of might, and all the men of war, six hundred: and they were present at his side: and every Chelethite, and every Phelethite, and all the six hundred Gittites that came on foot out of Geth, and they went on before the king. Cherethites: 2Sa 8:18 20:7,23 1Sa 30:14 1Ki 1:38 1Ch 18:17 Gittites: 2Sa 15:19-22 6:10 18:2 1Sa 27:3 2 Samuel 15 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: 1 Samuel 27:2+ So David arose and crossed over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath. DAVID'S MERCENARY SOLDIERS WENT ALONE Now all his servants passed on beside him, all the Cherethites, all the Pelethites and all the Gittites, six hundred men who had come with him from Gath, passed on before the king - It is notable that many non-Israelites remained loyal to David. The Kerethites were the people responsible for executions in the kingdom. The Pelethites were the royal couriers who carried the mandates of the king to the distance point of the kingdom. The Gittites from the Philistine city of Gath were apparently friends David had acquired while hiding from Saul. Barton points out that "Although Israel was supposed to destroy wicked enemies, the nation was to welcome foreigners who came on friendly terms (Ex 23:9+; Dt 10:19+) and to try to show them the importance of obeying God. (Borrow Life Application Study Bible) The NLT translates Cherethites...Pelethites...Gittites as "the king's bodyguard" which is fascinating as all these men were from Philistine territory.