Now these are they that came to David to Ziklag, while he kept still close because of Saul the son of Kish; and they were among the mighty men who helped him in the conflict;
This verse opens a list of men who joined David at Ziklag, while Saul still hunted him and no crown was on his head. Why does Scripture record their names, and why does the list start with soldiers from the tribe of the king hunting him?
The date matters. These men were not the veterans of David's later victories. Their hearts moved while Saul still held the throne and David had to keep out of sight.
In 1 Chronicles 12 we have another account, and it is deeply interesting. It is not about the companions who were so remarkable for their mighty deeds. It is about those who gathered round him. First of all, "These are the men who came to David at Ziklag." That is, they came just before the end of it all, when the kingdom was about to turn. It is a very beautiful thing to see. When God is about to work something special on the earth, He knows how to give the secret of it to His people. There was a providential working on God's part, but there was a spiritual working in the hearts of His people.
Kelly separates this movement from the crowd that arrived once Saul was dead:
There was a rush to David after Saul was dead; but I do not speak of that. This is a very different and a lower thing altogether. But we should note this movement of heart, which gathered the men of Israel to David in sympathy before it could be a matter of open allegiance.
Chronicles names the place but says nothing of how David came to be there.
Chronicles does not mention the mistakes he made at this time in his life. It says nothing of the lack of faith that made him flee to Achish. It says nothing of what came upon him from this at the battle with the Philistines, or of his stay at Ziklag (see 1 Sam. 29, 30). That is the principle of this book: divine grace covers a multitude of sins. In 2 Samuel and in the Psalms, by contrast, we see David turning from his wicked path and confessing his faults.
That makes the loyalty of these men more striking, not less:
How can we fail to trace out this faith? The presence of David himself was enough for it, at the very moment when, by man's judgment, everything seemed lost forever for the Lord's anointed. Driven away by Saul, rejected by the Philistines, he had only Ziklag — and even this place fell to the power of Amalek.
Verse 2 names them as Saul's own relatives. Of every tribe in Israel, this is the surprise.
The first men named were the very last that man would have expected — the men of Benjamin… As a whole tribe they were slow. But God showed His sovereignty and His gracious purpose by calling "Saul's kinsmen" out of that very tribe. They are the very first that He names. So we must never lose heart; we must never suppose that any circumstances can hinder the way of God. God will bring out people for the name of the Lord Jesus in the very last place you expect.
Rossier adds that Benjamin made a habit of it:
In all these cases, whether at Ziklag, in the stronghold, or at Hebron, Benjamin is first (vv. 2, 16, 29) and does not miss a single opportunity to acknowledge its king.
Each phrase in the verse marks what God still looks for.
They came to David, they were mighty men, they were armed, they could use both hands in conflict. Such are the men God desires today. They are drawn to Christ in true affection. They are strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. They wear the whole armour of God, and they carry the arms of righteousness on the right hand and on the left.
Rossier applies this to Christ, our David.
Our David has not yet received a visible kingdom. But some acknowledge Him while He is still the rejected king. They have a special place in God's records, and they are "more honourable than their brothers."
The joy comes later:
When the time of conflict and stress was over, how their hearts would rejoice at the honour of sharing those days of struggle with David! One day the glory of Christ will dawn in heavenly beauty. Then great joy will fill all who have shared today in the conflicts for His name and for the good of all His own.
- Early. They came while the kingdom was still Saul's. Loyalty of heart came before public allegiance.
- Unlikely. The first names are Saul's own relatives, proof that no circumstance can block God's call.
- Covered. Chronicles names Ziklag but not David's failure there; grace covers a multitude of sins.
- Equipped. Mighty, armed, skilled with both hands — the pattern for those strong in grace, wearing the whole armour of God.
- Honoured. Those who own the King while men still refuse Him hold a special place in God's record. They will rejoice on the day His glory dawns.
armed with bows, using both the right hand and the left with stones and with arrows on the bow; [they were] of Saul's brethren of Benjamin
David was not yet on the throne, and the first men who came to join him were archers from Saul's own tribe. Why does God name them first, and what does their skill with both hands say to anyone who wants to be useful to a rejected king?
Benjamin was Saul's tribe, and the tribe slowest to accept David later on. That makes the opening of the list striking.
The first men named here were the very last anyone would have expected — the men of Benjamin. It is not that there were so many. They were slow afterward. Even when David came to the throne, the men of Benjamin still hung on to the house of Saul. As a tribe they were slow. Yet God showed His sovereignty and His gracious purpose by calling men "of Saul's brothers" out of that very tribe... We must never be disheartened; we must never suppose that any circumstances can hinder the way of God. God will bring out to the name of the Lord Jesus in the very last spot that you expect.
To leave Saul was to leave their own relatives. The verse names both things: their family, and the weapons in their hands.
The first men pointed out as having come to him were from among the brothers of Saul — that is, from the tribe of Benjamin. This proves that God and the knowledge of His will had more value in their eyes than family ties and the advantages that flow from them. They were men of the greatest skill with the bow and the sling, the very weapons that killed Saul in the battle where he was overthrown.
Saul fell in a battle against archers he could not match. These men were the help he no longer had. David refused to use them against him.
What a help these men would have been to the Philistines, enemies of God's people! But, on the other hand, what a help they would have been to Saul, these men, who "were bowmen and could shoot arrows and sling stones with either the right or the left hand"! Saul had no archers to set against the Philistines, and that was the immediate cause of his ruin. Scripture tells us he was terrified when he saw that he could not match the Philistine archers. Yet David did not use this unexpected help against Saul. He let God Himself direct the circumstances and pronounce judgment in his favour. He would in no way fight against God's people. Christians often meet the same kind of test, and Satan succeeds in drawing them into conflict with one another. If they do not learn then that "in quietness and in trust shall be your strength," they will certainly come into new difficulties.
The timing of their arrival is the whole point. They committed themselves when there was nothing visible to gain.
What we find in this chapter is the faith of many, precious fruit of grace. This faith submits to the Lord's anointed, the king according to God's counsels. It owns him at a time when the natural eye could not recognise him in his lowly condition. It is the same today for believers. Our David has not yet received a visible kingdom. But those who acknowledge Him while He is still the rejected king have a special place in God's own record.
The detail about right and left hand is not decoration. It marks men ready whichever way the fight turned. One writer takes it straight into the believer's own equipment.
They came to David, they were mighty men, they were armed, they could use both hands in conflict. These are the men God wants today. They are drawn to Christ in true affection. They are strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. They wear the whole armour of God, and they carry the arms of righteousness on the right hand and on the left.
These men were not born stronger than everyone else. Their courage grew as they attached themselves to the right person.
Faith and a clear display of God's power stir up the energy and strength of those who join themselves to it. He with whom God is attracts those with whom God is working... Many of these had been with Saul, but when with him they were not mighty men. When God acts in power, He gives strength to the weak. By the energy of faith and of His Spirit He produces an army of heroes.
- Called — God named Benjamin first, the tribe least likely to come. No circumstance is too hard for His call.
- Cost — they valued God's will above family ties. They left Saul's household to stand with the rejected king.
- Equipped — bow, sling, right hand and left. The believer's version is the whole armour of God and righteousness on both sides.
- Strengthened — with Saul they were not mighty men. Joined to David they grew strong, for God gives strength to the weak.
- Honoured — our David is still uncrowned. Those who own Him now hold a special place in God's record.
the chief Ahiezer, and Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; and Jeziel, and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth; and Berachah, and Jehu the Anathothite,
A short list of names opens the record of the men who joined David while Saul was still king, and every one of them came from Saul's own tribe. Why does God put these men at the head of the list, and what does their move to David show?
The men listed here are from the tribe that had most reason to stay loyal to the old king. One commentator points out how unlikely that makes them.
The first men on the list were the very last that anyone would have expected — the men of Benjamin. They were slow afterward. Even when David came to the throne, the men of Benjamin still hung on to the house of Saul. They were slow as a whole tribe. But God showed His sovereignty and His gracious purpose. He called Saul's own kinsmen out of that very tribe, and they are the very first men He names from Benjamin. So we must never lose heart. We must never suppose that any circumstances can hinder the way of God. God will bring out to the name of the Lord Jesus in the very last spot that you expect.
David had nothing to offer these men when they came. Benjamin still led the way, and that makes their move an act of faith.
Whether at Ziklag, in the stronghold, or at Hebron, Benjamin is first and never misses a chance to acknowledge its king. This little tribe, once nearly wiped out after their sin (Judges 20 — Judges 21), now holds a distinguished place in the testimony. God notes with approval (vv. 1-7) that they were Saul's own kinsmen. Theirs was the fervent faith of that first hour before the dawn of the kingdom. How can we fail to see this faith? The presence of David alone was enough for it. And this was the very moment when, by man's judgment, all seemed lost forever for the Lord's anointed. Saul had driven him out. The Philistines had rejected him. He had only Ziklag, and even that place fell to Amalek (1 Samuel 30)!
The same writer reads the pattern forward to believers who own a King the world still refuses.
This faith submits to the Lord's anointed, the king of God's own choosing. It acknowledges him at a time when human eyes could not recognise him in his lowly state. It is the same today for believers. Our David has not yet received a visible kingdom. But those who acknowledge Him while He is still the rejected king have a special place in God's record. They are "more honourable than their brothers."
Ahiezer and his men were archers, and that was the skill Saul's army lacked. David never turned them on Saul.
Saul's lack of archers to set against the Philistines was the immediate cause of his ruin. The record tells us he was terrified when he saw that he could not match the Philistine archers. Yet David did not use this unexpected help against Saul. He let God Himself direct the circumstances and judge in his favour, and he would in no way fight against His people. How often Christians face the same kind of moment, with Satan getting them to fight one another. If they do not learn then that "in quietness and in trust shall be your strength," they are sure to run into new difficulties.
Some of these men had served under Saul without distinction. Their courage grew where God's power was at work.
The man with whom God is draws those in whom God is working. Their energy grows as He shows more of His presence and favour. Many of these had been with Saul, but when with him they were not mighty men; many also had never been with him. ... When God acts in power, He gives strength to the weak, and produces, by the energy of faith and of His Spirit, an army of heroes.
One writer ties this list of names to the coming kingdom and its rewards.
Does it not tell us that the kingdom will be the stage where God shows His recognition of those who know the Beloved whom earth rejected? They seek to walk in heavenly association with Him now, while wicked men hold power. Does it not point us to the time when "the Lord, the righteous judge," will award the crowns of "life" (Revelation 2:10; James 1:12), "glory" (1 Peter 5:4), and "righteousness" (2 Timothy 4:8)? Then He will say "Well done!" and each one "will receive his commendation from God." Those who suffer now will reign later.
- Called first. God heads the list with men from Saul's own tribe. No circumstance can block His call, and no place is too unlikely for grace.
- Convinced early. They came when David held only Ziklag, and even that had fallen to Amalek. His person alone was enough for their faith.
- Clear cost. Their skill was just what Saul's army needed. David still refused to use them against Saul, and waited for God to judge.
- Made strong. Some had been with Saul and were nobodies; near the anointed man, weak men became an army of heroes.
- Kept on record. Names given in the day of rejection are the names honoured in the kingdom. Those who own the rejected King now have a special place in God's record.
and Jishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty, and over the thirty; and Jeremiah, and Jahaziel, and Johanan, and Jozabad the Gederathite.
A plain list of names hides a remarkable story. These men joined a king the nation had not yet crowned, and God kept their names — including Ishmaiah, a Gibeonite who led the thirty.
Ziklag was David's low point. He was not yet king, and the nation had not accepted him.
Here is a list of the warriors who came to David at Ziklag. Saul was still alive, and so David was still rejected by the nation... They seem to be a picture of those who follow the Lord Jesus now, while the world in general still rejects Him.
Nothing in David's circumstances promised that he would ever rule. What these men had was faith.
What we find in this chapter (vv. 1-22) is the faith of many, precious fruit of grace. This faith submits to the Lord's anointed, the king according to God's purposes. It acknowledges him at a time when human eyes could not see who he was in his lowly condition. It is the same today for believers. Our David has not yet received a visible kingdom. But those who acknowledge Him while He is still the rejected king have a special place in God's record. They are "more honorable than their brothers."
Verse 4 sits inside the Benjamin group that opens the chapter — and Benjamin was Saul's own tribe. Family ties gave them every excuse to wait and see.
In all these cases — at Ziklag, in the stronghold, or at Hebron — Benjamin is first (vv. 2, 16, 29). It never misses a single chance to acknowledge its king. This act of faith was all the more remarkable. Benjamin, and especially "the brothers of Saul," had every natural reason to hesitate and to hold back a decision until after all the others. But their faith could overcome obstacles, because faith goes together with "virtue" (2 Peter 1:5) and cannot be separated from it once it is called into action.
The same writer points out what David refused to do with this new help.
Saul's lack of archers to set against the Philistines was the immediate cause of his ruin... Still, David did not use this unexpected help against Saul. He let God Himself direct the circumstances and give judgment in his favour. He would in no way fight against His people.
Ishmaiah leads the thirty. His hometown has a history.
The people of Gibeon... were Hivites, and 'mighty' men. They had deceived Joshua into making a treaty with them, so they were made woodcutters and water carriers for the house of God. Saul, on an occasion that is not recorded, had killed some of the Gibeonites, and it seems to have been passed over and forgotten. But God could not allow the oath of His people to be broken, so He brought a famine on the land... Ishmaiah, one of David's thirty mighty men, was a Gibeonite.
Saul had killed some of these people. David put one of them over his thirty. Another writer explains what their low place showed.
It is true that God permitted them to bear a certain stamp of degradation as a result... the Gibeonites were reduced to the most menial services for the sanctuary of Jehovah. So it was clear that nothing preserved them but His name.
So the head of David's thirty came from a people with nothing to bring. That is the kind of man David gathered.
David is able to create, to form, the most wretched beings in his own image. The reflection of his moral beauty falls on those who have nothing to bring him but their misery... All these outlaws will surround the king's throne and will be called "David's mighty men."
The men in this list were not adventurers looking for advantage. Their aim was single.
While some nations fought from the urge to kill and plunder, David's army had a cause and it was both good and uncomplicated. The cause was to make David the undisputed king over Israel.
And the naming itself is the point. Loyalty given in the years of rejection is not forgotten.
After David's last words, God shows us that He keeps the memory of his mighty men. They were companions of His anointed until his reign was finally set up... The men named here were with him from the very beginning. So too the twelve disciples were distinguished because they had been with the Lord... In the same way, those who have followed Him while the world rejected and disowned Him will be singled out for honour.
- Rejected king. At Ziklag the nation had not accepted David. The men listed there picture those who follow the Lord Jesus while the world still rejects Him.
- Faith first. They accepted the king when nothing visible backed his claim. That faith wins a special place in God's record.
- Cost counted. Benjamin, Saul's own tribe, moved first at every stage — faith that overcame the pull of natural ties.
- Grace reaches low. Ishmaiah the Gibeonite came from a people bound to menial service, yet he leads the thirty. David shapes the lowest into his own likeness.
- Names kept. God preserves the name of everyone who stood with His anointed in the day of His rejection.
Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite;
Verse 5 is one line in a register: five more names among the men of Benjamin who came to David at Ziklag. Why does God write down names no one remembers? And why these men, from that tribe?
The setting explains the names. David was not yet king. Saul was hunting him.
Here is a list of the warriors who came to David at Ziklag while Saul was still alive, and so while the nation still rejected David. 1 Chr. 12:1-22. Amasai, chief of the captains, said, "We are yours, O David, and with you, O son of Jesse! Peace, peace to you, and peace to your helpers! For your God helps you." What cheering words for a man in his position! They seem to picture those who follow the Lord Jesus now, while the world at large still rejects Him.
Another writer names the tribe these men came from and the hour at which they came.
This little tribe of Benjamin, once almost wiped out after their sin (Judges 20 — Judges 21), now holds an honoured place in the testimony. Theirs was the burning faith of that first hour, before the kingdom dawned. How can we miss this faith? The presence of David himself was enough for them. And this was the very moment when, to human eyes, everything seemed lost forever for the Lord's anointed. Saul had driven him out. The Philistines had turned him away. He had only Ziklag — and even that place fell to Amalek (1 Sam. 30)!
These names belong to Benjamin — Saul's own tribe. Scripture names them first, and that order is no accident.
The first men named were the very last that anyone would have expected — the men of Benjamin. There were not many of them. They were slow later on. Even when David came to the throne, the men of Benjamin still clung to the house of Saul. As a tribe they were slow. Yet God showed His sovereignty and His gracious purpose by calling "Saul's kinsmen" out of that very tribe. They are the very first He names as "Benjaminites." So we must never lose heart. We must never think that any circumstances can block the way of God. God will bring people out to the name of the Lord Jesus in the very last place you expect.
Joining David meant leaving the side where family and advantage lay.
The first men marked out as having come to him were Saul's own relatives — that is, men of the tribe of Benjamin. This proves that God, and the knowledge of His will, counted for more in their eyes than family ties and the advantages that come with them. They were also men of the greatest skill with the bow and the sling. Those were the very weapons that killed Saul in the battle where he fell.
Their skill with stone and arrow was just what Saul lacked. David had the means to strike, and did not.
What a help these men would have been to the Philistines, the enemies of God's people! And what a help they would have been to Saul — men who "were bowmen and could shoot arrows and sling stones with either the right or the left hand" (v.2). Saul had no archers to set against the Philistines, and that was the immediate cause of his ruin… Still, David did not use this unexpected help against Saul. He left God Himself to direct events and to judge in his favour. He would not fight against God's people in any way. Christians often face the same kind of moment, and Satan succeeds in drawing them into conflict with one another.
These names appear once and never again. Yet God had them written down.
Because David's men stood with him, they had to endure much toil and weariness. But love made it all light and easy to them. Their names and their deeds were written down and remembered when David was at rest in his kingdom. No one was forgotten… Who would ever have known what David's mighty men did, if the Holy Spirit had not recorded it?
Joining David's side meant breaking with Saul's. It was a decision with a price.
To be separated to David meant being for him and his interests, and away from Saul and his interests. That was a very serious and deliberate decision to make. To be committed to David meant accepting his complete control over them.
- Early. They came when David had lost even Ziklag. That was faith in the hour before the kingdom dawned.
- Unlikely. They came from Benjamin, Saul's own tribe. God names them first. No circumstance can block His call.
- Costly. They valued God's will above family ties, and brought the very skill Saul's army lacked.
- Restrained. David never turned that skill against Saul, waiting for God to judge in his favour.
- Remembered. Their names are still here. When the kingdom came, no one who stood with the rejected king was forgotten.
Elkanah, and Jishijah, and Azareel, and Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korahites;
These five men came to David at Ziklag while Saul was still hunting him. Scripture labels them "the Korahites" — the family of the man who led the great rebellion in the wilderness — so a bare list of names becomes a record of mercy.
These names belong to the earliest stage of David's rise, when nothing outward marked him as king. One writer notes that God stirred hearts before circumstances changed:
In 1 Chronicles 12 we have another account, and it is deeply interesting. It is not about the companions who stood out for their mighty deeds. It is about those who gathered round him. First of all, "These are the men who came to David at Ziklag," that is, just before the close of all, when the kingdom was about to turn. And it is a very beautiful thing to see. When God is about to do anything special on the earth, He knows how to give the secret of it to His people. There was a providential working on God's part, but there was a spiritual working in the hearts of His people.
One writer sees in these early comers a pattern for today:
Scripture lists the warriors who came to David at Ziklag while Saul was still alive, and therefore while the nation still rejected David. 1 Chr. 12:1-22… They were apparently a picture of those who follow the Lord Jesus now, while the world at large still rejects Him.
Korah challenged the authority God had given Moses and Aaron, and the ground opened under him. But his line did not end there:
Note that the sons of Korah did not perish… chapter 26:11 settles it beyond a doubt: "But the sons of Korah did not die." Sovereign grace saved the sons of Korah from the awful fate of the father. They were saved from the pit. In wrath God remembered mercy. Other passages in Chronicles show what grace gave them. They had the cities of refuge. They kept the gates of the tabernacle. They were over the rooms and treasuries of the house of the Lord. The vessels of the sanctuary, the wine and the oil were in their charge. They were brave men, strong men, the royal guards. And more than that, the Holy Spirit inspired them to write some of the beautiful Psalms. They were faithful and devoted in their service, because they knew they had been saved from the pit. We have the same deliverance and the same knowledge of it. Should we be less faithful and devoted?
after_note: DELETE
Grace, not merit, put this family among Israel's singers:
It is enough here to recall the awful crisis in Israel's history when Korah's sons were saved as though by fire. Compare Num. 16 with Num. 26:11. That day mercy triumphed over judgment… and who is more suited to sing than the rescued sons of the rebellious Levite?
Their two settled duties in Israel sat close together — praise, and guarding the way in:
Descendants of Korah, the grandson of Kohath. The two principal offices assigned to them were the service of song, and keeping the doors of the sanctuary. Ex. 6:24; Num. 26:58; 1 Chr. 9:19, 31; 1 Chr. 12:6; 1 Chr. 26:1; 2 Chr. 20:19.
Verse 6 belongs to the group listed in verses 1–7. One writer names what their faith rested on:
These men had the fervent faith of that first hour, before the kingdom dawned. How can we miss it? The presence of David alone was enough for their faith, at the very moment when, by human judgment, everything seemed lost forever for the Lord's anointed. Saul had driven him out and the Philistines had rejected him. He had only Ziklag — and even that place fell to the power of Amalek (1 Sam. 30)!
One writer draws a line from these men to believers today:
Then we read of others who shared David's rejection, "while he could not move about freely because of Saul the son of Kish." They came to David at Ziklag, and "they were among the mighty men who helped him in war" (1 Chr. 12:1). When the time of conflict and stress was over, how their hearts would rejoice at the honour of sharing those days of struggle with David! And the day of Christ's glory will dawn in heavenly beauty. Then great will be the joy of those who have shared today in the conflicts for His Name's sake and for the good of all His own.
- Spared. The Korahites descended from the wilderness rebel. Grace alone kept them from his fate: "But the sons of Korah did not die."
- Drawn. Spared men came to a hunted king at Ziklag. His presence alone was reason enough for them.
- Named. God writes down who moved toward His king early. The stirring inside them came before the kingdom turned.
- Serving. Grace gave the family saved from the pit the tabernacle gates to guard and Psalms to sing — mercy set to music.
- Rewarded. Those who share a rejected king's struggle share His joy when His glory appears.
and Joelah, and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.
Verse 7 ends a short list of men from Benjamin who slipped away to join David at Ziklag, while he was hiding there from Saul. A list like this raises two questions. Why does Scripture keep the names of unknown men? And why does it start with soldiers from the one tribe that had most to lose by coming?
Outside this list, nothing more is known of the pair. A reference work sums up all that Scripture records of the first of them:
Son of Jeroham of Gedor: he came over to David at Ziklag. 1 Chr. 12:7.
What gives the names weight is the moment. Ziklag was a border town handed to David by a Philistine ruler while his own nation had no place for him, and the men who arrived there arrived before anything had turned in his favour.
Achish, one of the Philistine kings, gave this city in the south of Judah to David... Scripture gives a list of the warriors who came over to David at Ziklag while Saul was still alive, and therefore while the nation rejected David... They were apparently a picture of those who follow the Lord Jesus now while He is still rejected by the world at large.
Joelah and Zebadiah belong to Saul's own tribe. That is the surprise of the list, and one writer treats the order of names as deliberate.
The first men named were the very last that anyone would have expected — the men of Benjamin. It is not that there were so many. They were slow afterward. Even when David came to the throne, the men of Benjamin still clung to the house of Saul. As a tribe they were slow. Yet God showed His sovereignty and His gracious purpose by calling "Saul's brothers" out of that very tribe. They are the very first He names as "of Benjamin." So we must never lose heart. We must never suppose that any circumstances can block the way of God.
For these men, coming to David cost more than it cost others. Everything in their background pulled the other way.
Every natural interest and instinct of the flesh would tempt the Benjamites to stay with the house of Saul. So would their tribal pride and loyalty. If they left Saul and followed David's leadership, their own relatives would turn on them in anger, and the king in power would treat them as enemies. Only faith could break every tie that bound them to the house of Benjamin — faith that saw David as God saw him, and Saul too. These Benjamites did love David more than father or mother, son or daughter, and the power of his attraction enabled them to take up their cross and follow him.
These men came in the first group of all, when David had nothing left to give and little to show.
Theirs was the eager faith of that first hour before the kingdom dawned. We cannot fail to see this faith, which needed nothing more than David's own presence. And it came at the very moment when, in man's judgment, everything seemed lost forever for the Lord's anointed. Driven off by Saul, rejected by the Philistines, he had only Ziklag — and even that place fell to the power of Amalek.
These men joined a fight that was not yet won. One writer takes the older wording "helpers of the war" and looks past the struggle to what came after it.
They came to David at Ziklag, and "they were among the mighty men, helpers of the war." When the time of conflict and stress was over, how their hearts would rejoice! What an honour it had been to share those days of struggle with David! And the day of Christ's glory will dawn in heavenly beauty. Then great indeed will be the joy of those who have shared today in the conflicts for His Name's sake and for the good of all His own.
A list of names is itself the point. One writer reads it as a promise about hard service that nobody notices.
Being with David called these men to endure much toil and weariness, but love made it all light and easy to them. Their names and deeds stood on record, faithfully remembered, when David was at rest in his kingdom. None were forgotten... Men may never see these acts, know them, or think of them; but Jesus knows them, and will declare them publicly from the throne of His glory.
- Timing. These men came at Ziklag, before Saul fell. David's cause looked finished, and faith had nothing to go on but David himself.
- Cost. They came from Saul's own tribe. Family, pride and self-interest all pulled the other way, and only faith could cut those ties.
- Grace. God called His first volunteers out of the least likely tribe. No circumstances can block His way.
- Share. They helped David in the war before he won the throne. That is the pattern for sharing Christ's conflicts now.
- Record. God let no name drop. What men never noticed, He wrote down, and Christ will announce it publicly from His throne.