June 29, 2025 • 20 mins
# 181 - David's Treachery - In this episode of The Chosen People with Yael Eckstein, David faces the crushing consequences of compromise as his deceptions catch up with him, forcing him to march alongside Philistines toward battle against his own people. When Ziklag burns and everything he built collapses, David is left broken—but in the ashes, the first sparks of redemption begin to flicker.
Episode 181 of The Chosen People with Yael Eckstein is inspired by the Book of Joshua.
Sign up for The Chosen People devotionals at https://www.thechosenpeople.com/sign-up
For more information about Yael Eckstein and IFCJ visit https://www.ifcj.org/
Today's opening prayer is inspired by Proverbs 11:3, “The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.”
Listen to some of the greatest Bible stories ever told and make prayer a priority in your life by downloading the Pray.com app.
Show Notes:
(01:49) Intro with Yael Eckstein
(02:38) David's Treachery
(18:58) Reflection with Yael Eckstein
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Previously on the chosen people.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
You were a raving lunatic when I last saw you,
giant slayer, and now you returned to me mind intact,
with an army at my doorstep. Tell me which David
stands before me now, the commander or the Madman.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
I've slain giants for Israel. In return, they made.
Speaker 4 (00:27):
Me an exile. I'm hunted like a dog by souls. Men,
we are warriors without a country. We are swords with
no flesh to cut into. Allow us to settle here,
and our swords are yours.
Speaker 5 (00:44):
Would you fight your own people under my command?
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (00:50):
The word left David's lips without hesitation, smooth as a
dagger slipping between ribs. It was a lie, but it
was all a part of a larger gain. David had
a plan.
Speaker 5 (01:04):
There's no way I am serving that uncircumcised monster of
a king.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
We will have it all. I have a plan.
Speaker 4 (01:13):
As long as we bring akish spoils, he will see
us as allies.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
But listen closely. We will not reaseuse study.
Speaker 6 (01:25):
The Gesha, writes the Guizites, the Amalekites, we will raid
their cities, take their flocks, kill their warriors and we'll
tell Akish that we've raided the lands of Israel. He
will grow rich, he will trust us, and all the
while Israel will be.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Safer for it.
Speaker 7 (01:51):
Sallo, my friends, from here in the Holy Land of Israel.
I'm y l Extein with the International Fellowship of Christians
and Jews, and welcome to the people. Each day we'll
hear a dramatic story inspired by the Bible, stories filled
with timeless lessons of faith, love, and the meaning of life.
Through Israel story, we will find this truth that we
(02:13):
are all chosen for something great. So take a moment
today to follow the podcast. If you're feeling extra grateful
for these stories, we would love it if you left
us a review. I read every single one of them,
and if you're interested in hearing more about the prophetic,
life saving work of the Fellowship, you can visit IFCJ
(02:36):
dot Org.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Let's begin.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
David walked among the village of Ziklag in the cool
of the morning, a satisfied grin on his face. Fences
wrapped around fields, hearth fires crackled in homes, and children
laughed between gardens and goats. He had carved a little
kingdom of exiles and cast offs in the shadow of
(03:04):
his enemies, and for a time Ziklag was a refuge
of peace. They raided for King Akish and the Philistines,
claiming that the raids were against Israel, but David and
his men were actually raiding against the enemies of Israel.
Two birds with one sword. David stepped through the door
(03:26):
of his house to the warm scent of stew and bread.
Abigail had left a bowl for him.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
Where were you so early this morning?
Speaker 1 (03:35):
Ah?
Speaker 3 (03:36):
Checking on the flocks.
Speaker 4 (03:38):
I know the young men can handle them on their own,
but that can't help myself.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
Old habits die hard.
Speaker 5 (03:45):
I suppose some habits are worth keeping.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
David smiled at his bride, took two bites of his breakfast,
then turned when he heard an urgent knock. Habishi stood
in the doorway. Pale and breathless. Habishi didn't wait to sit.
His brow was curled into an irritated frown. David could
sense a tinge of self righteousness in his voice.
Speaker 5 (04:12):
There's trouble, David, trouble that could have been avoided.
Speaker 3 (04:16):
You sound like your brother Joe. Ab say it, plain ling, Abishi.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
Ah.
Speaker 5 (04:21):
The Philistine kings have gathered at Aphek they march against
Saul and Jonathan.
Speaker 4 (04:28):
This isn't news. The Philistines and the Israelites are enemies.
We've done all we can do from a distance, but
we're not welcomed in Israel. They have to fight their
own battles.
Speaker 5 (04:39):
True, Israel has to fight her own battles, But what
about the Philistines who will fight their battles.
Speaker 4 (04:48):
Our agreement with Akish is that we raid for him.
We don't march in the Philistine army. There's a difference.
Speaker 5 (04:56):
Not anymore does Akish de man more from us? You
guessed it. King Ashish has summoned David. He plans to
recruit his most loyal servant into his ranks. He wants
us to march against the children of Israel. Ooh, and
if David refuses, Akish will know that he isn't loyal
(05:18):
and will either be killed or driven out of Ziklag.
We'd be lucky if we made it out of Ziglag.
So David has a choice to make. Does he shed
Jonathan and Saul's blood on the battlefield or doom us
and our families to burn in our own fields.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
David was silent, eyes wide with the shock of it.
All his lies caught up to him. He had learned
nothing from the lies he told in Knob. Truth is
the only foundation solid enough to stand on. David, having
built an entire village on false pretense and lies, was
(05:56):
in free fall.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
We can't, we can't march against Israel, Jonathan, joeb Arkin.
Speaker 5 (06:07):
See where your lies have led us.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
I'm going to march against my own brothers.
Speaker 5 (06:13):
You're going to march against Jonathan.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
Abishai turned and slammed the door behind him, leaving David
to soak in regret beside his wife.
Speaker 5 (06:26):
What have I done?
Speaker 1 (06:28):
The rooms spun around him. He'd walked a tightrope for
over a year, fighting Israel's enemies while pretending they were
Israel's allies, feasting with a Philistine king, while praying for
Israel's protection. But the game had come to an end.
So David made the only decision a man could make.
(06:49):
When surrounded by wolves, he stood, called for Abishi and Beniah,
and when they stood before him in grim silence, he said,
we march. They said nothing, only nodded. They knew there
was no choice. If they refused King Akish he would
slaughter them all. David gathered his men, all six hundred
(07:13):
of them and led them from Ziglag. They passed the
fields where their children played, the vineyards they had planted,
the welds they had dug, and they marched into the
Valley of Dread. Behind them, the sun did long ahead.
The banners of Felicitia flapped in the wind like the
(07:35):
wings of vultures. David world of the front, His back
turned to the looks of disdain from his men. David,
the giant slayer, anointed by God and chosen to leave Israel,
now marched to war against them. He said nothing, but
the silence screamed the plains of aphek rolled like an
(08:03):
endless sea of steel and fire. Beneath black banners and
flapping war pennants. The armies of the Philistine kings gathered
in their thousands. Bronze glinted in the morning sun. Chariots
rumbled like distant thunder from horizon to horizon. The earth
(08:23):
was cloaked in armor and the breath of war. David
and his men were camped separately on the outskirts. Akish
had summoned him, but the other Philistine kings were suspicious.
A rider came, summoning David to the council tent. He
rode alone with Akish, who smiled at his side. Even
(08:45):
with the false pretense and lies, David had grown fonder
of Akish. They had become something akin to brothers. The
tent of Kings was crimson, staked high in the middle
of the war. Camp Fires burned in each corn, casting
shadows against the hide walls. Brass idols of Dagon leered
(09:06):
from niches in the stone. David felt as though he
were walking into a tomb. The kings were already gathered
warriors in their own right, hard men with darker eyes,
lords of Akron, Gaza, Ashdod, and Ashkalon. They sat like wolves, bristling.
As David entered, what.
Speaker 8 (09:28):
Is he doing here? Is that not the goora there?
Speaker 1 (09:35):
Aikish waved the comment off with a heart He slapped
to David's back.
Speaker 8 (09:40):
Gorotha has proven himself a year in my service, leading
Judah in Benjamin. He's bled for me, He's thirsty for
more Israelite blood.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
David stood stiffly. He said nothing, and his silence only
deepened their mistry. Asked, the king of Ashdod, drove his
dagger into the table.
Speaker 4 (10:04):
You're an idiot, Akish, you had marched to war with
a rabid dog at your side and expected not to fight.
He may be your lapdog now, but when the blood
runs and the battle rages, he'll remember who he is.
Speaker 3 (10:20):
What songs do they sing of him?
Speaker 4 (10:22):
Saul has slain his thousands, David his ten thousands?
Speaker 3 (10:27):
And who Akish?
Speaker 4 (10:29):
Who were those ten thousands?
Speaker 8 (10:31):
Us Gorretha's blood curses with hatred.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
For the Israelites?
Speaker 3 (10:37):
Why else would he be here?
Speaker 4 (10:39):
The suck off your teeth's Akish, the mongrels using you.
When he's nice and full, he'll slitch your throat.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
King Akish drew his axe and slammed it on the table.
The other kings barked as Akish and the King of
Ashdod circled each other like wolves. David was bearing witness
as to how the Philistines handled politics. It was a
game of dominance assertiveness. It would seem that Akish was
(11:09):
the alpha among them.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
But for how long godtaks.
Speaker 8 (11:12):
Made me a rich man with his blade, richer than
your level be?
Speaker 5 (11:18):
Why would I march without him at my side?
Speaker 4 (11:21):
Are you prepared to die for this dog? Akish?
Speaker 1 (11:25):
Akish surveyed the rest of the tent. The other kings
were gripping their weapons. This was a battle he couldn't win.
David was too universally hated to be trusted.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
I say he goes back, Send him back to whatever
dirt hole.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
You gave him.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
Let him God your sheep.
Speaker 8 (11:47):
You must.
Speaker 5 (11:49):
I refuse to.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
Die with a dagger in my back because you've grown
fond of your pet Israelite. Akish growled, but relented at last.
Speaker 5 (12:00):
Your all cowards. Only weak men can't lead strong men.
I'll dismiss Gorthac, but only because none of you had
the balls to march with a lion.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
Aikish left the tent with David, kicking the dirt on
his way. David still had to play the part of
Akish's ally.
Speaker 5 (12:23):
You have served me well, Gorthac. You are more loyal
than many I've known. I would fight beside you, I
and die beside you if.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
It came to it.
Speaker 8 (12:37):
But I must listen to my fellow kings, even if
they are sniveling birds, too weak in the lakes to
march with you.
Speaker 1 (12:47):
David, still playing the part of Akish's ally, sighed.
Speaker 4 (12:53):
It's why your throne will last like iron, while theirs
will rot. Like damp wood.
Speaker 5 (13:03):
There are those poetic pleasantries again. Go back to Si Clerk.
When we've defeated these Israelite dogs, some will likely run
to our borders. I'll have you snatched them up.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
The two embraced. It was warm, too warm. David returned it,
but his heart ached with shame. He had lied for
over a year to akish, to his men and to himself.
He turned from the king and walked alone. He didn't
stop until he reached a patch of baron earth outside
(13:42):
the camp. There he fell to his knees and wept.
The cries that escaped him were not the cries of
a warrior, but of a broken man. His body shook
as sobs wrapped through him. Bitter and unrelenting, he had
come so close, so close to becoming the very thing
(14:03):
he had sworn never to be. Face down in the dirt,
David whispered to the silent heavens.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
Forgive me, Oh Lord, I was almost passed.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
No voice answered, No light split the sky, but David
felt the weight lift, not completely, but enough. Grace had
spared him, and grace would guide him home. He would
need it for what awaited David in Zicklag would be
his greatest test yet. The ground squelched as David and
(14:48):
his men marched back to Zicklag. No one had dared
speak to David since the retreat from Aphek, and no
one needed to. Their silence spoke volumes about what they
thought about their leader. Three days of bitter travel, three
nights of cold winds and colder stairs. Not long ago,
(15:11):
David had commanded the hearts of these men, outcasts and orphans,
murderers and misfits. They had become brothers under his banner.
Now their faith in him leaped like pass from a wound.
They had nearly spilled Israelite blood at his word, nearly
damned themselves for his lies. David had damned himself most
(15:35):
of all. On the third day, the marshes gave way
to the familiar hills of Ziklag. The green pastors that
framed their refuge rolled gently beneath the morning sun. But
the tranquility was a cruel mask. Black smoke rose in
thick columns ahead, curling into the sky like fingers of judgment.
(15:58):
Benaiah stood beside, eyed David Sward, already half drawn.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
That smoke, it's coming from our village.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
Our homes, Benaiah broke into a run, as did the
other fathers and husbands, who feared the worst. The others
followed urgency, quickening their pace, until six hundred men pounded
across the hills in a storm of armor and dread.
And then they saw it. Ziglag was burned to a crisp,
(16:30):
charred timber lay scattered like bones. The well was poisoned
with ash. The gardens were trampled, the livestock gone, the houses,
their homes were blackened shells.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
Who did this?
Speaker 1 (16:46):
David stood amidst the ruins of his home, ash clinging
to his face, his heart flayed open. The house he
had shared with Abigail was a heap of cinders. David
noticed something faintly glinting in the soot, a sword hilt
scorched and half buried. David drew it out and wiped
(17:08):
away the ash. The seal was unmistakable, an Amalekite mark.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
The Amalekites.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
Benaiah turned violently toward David, taking four long strides and
striking him hard in the mouth. David fell into the ash.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
You made us march away from our families.
Speaker 5 (17:29):
The Amalekites never would have attacked if we had been here.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
David's breath caught in his throat. His hands trembled around him.
The others wept. Hard men, some with a hundred kills
to their names, fell to the earth and sobbed like children.
Fathers called out for children who would not answer. Husbands
clawed through the ruins, praying to find a sign, a
(17:56):
shred of cloth, anything, But there were no bodies. The
Amalekites had taken all of them.
Speaker 4 (18:03):
This is your fond David. You should be stound for this.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
My daughter is gone.
Speaker 4 (18:11):
The blood is on your hands.
Speaker 1 (18:14):
David didn't look up, he didn't protest. How could he.
Every word was true. He had led them to this.
The cries became a chorus and outpouring of rage and grief.
Men who would once die for him now spoke of
killing him. And David, the anointed One, the giant Slayer,
(18:38):
lay crumpled in the dust with nothing but his shame
and scorched blade in his hand. He had no psalm
to sing, no wisdom to give, only silence. He was
broken and utterly alone.
Speaker 7 (19:01):
If your faith has been kindled by this podcast and
it has affected your life, we'd love it if you
left her review we read them, and me personally, I
cherish them as you venture forth boldly and faithfully. I
leave you with the biblical blessing from numbers six Iva
hashem vischmurechra Yeah Heir hashempanave e le y sa hashempanavelera shaloon.
(19:31):
May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the
Lord make his face shine upon you. May he be
gracious to you. Made the Lord turn his face towards
you and give you peace.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
Amen. You can listen to the Chosen People with You
Isle Exstein add free by downloading and subscribing to the
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is only made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents.
Steve Kati, Max Bard, Zach Shellabarger and Ben Gammon are
(20:03):
the executive producers of the Chosen People with Yile Eckstein,
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voiced by Jonathan Cotten, Aaron Salvado, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan,
Stephen Ringwold, Sylvia Zaradoc, Thomas Copeland, Junior, Rosanna Pilcher, and
(20:23):
the opening prayer is voiced by John Moore, music by
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(20:43):
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Previously on the chosen people.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
You were a raving lunatic when I last saw you,
giant slayer, and now you returned to me mind intact,
with an army at my doorstep. Tell me which David
stands before me now, the commander or the Madman.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
I've slain giants for Israel. In return, they made.
Speaker 4 (00:27):
Me an exile. I'm hunted like a dog by souls. Men,
we are warriors without a country. We are swords with
no flesh to cut into. Allow us to settle here,
and our swords are yours.
Speaker 5 (00:44):
Would you fight your own people under my command?
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (00:50):
The word left David's lips without hesitation, smooth as a
dagger slipping between ribs. It was a lie, but it
was all a part of a larger gain. David had
a plan.
Speaker 5 (01:04):
There's no way I am serving that uncircumcised monster of
a king.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
We will have it all. I have a plan.
Speaker 4 (01:13):
As long as we bring akish spoils, he will see
us as allies.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
But listen closely. We will not reaseuse study.
Speaker 6 (01:25):
The Gesha, writes the Guizites, the Amalekites, we will raid
their cities, take their flocks, kill their warriors and we'll
tell Akish that we've raided the lands of Israel. He
will grow rich, he will trust us, and all the
while Israel will be.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Safer for it.
Speaker 7 (01:51):
Sallo, my friends, from here in the Holy Land of Israel.
I'm y l Extein with the International Fellowship of Christians
and Jews, and welcome to the people. Each day we'll
hear a dramatic story inspired by the Bible, stories filled
with timeless lessons of faith, love, and the meaning of life.
Through Israel story, we will find this truth that we
(02:13):
are all chosen for something great. So take a moment
today to follow the podcast. If you're feeling extra grateful
for these stories, we would love it if you left
us a review. I read every single one of them,
and if you're interested in hearing more about the prophetic,
life saving work of the Fellowship, you can visit IFCJ
(02:36):
dot Org.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Let's begin.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
David walked among the village of Ziklag in the cool
of the morning, a satisfied grin on his face. Fences
wrapped around fields, hearth fires crackled in homes, and children
laughed between gardens and goats. He had carved a little
kingdom of exiles and cast offs in the shadow of
(03:04):
his enemies, and for a time Ziklag was a refuge
of peace. They raided for King Akish and the Philistines,
claiming that the raids were against Israel, but David and
his men were actually raiding against the enemies of Israel.
Two birds with one sword. David stepped through the door
(03:26):
of his house to the warm scent of stew and bread.
Abigail had left a bowl for him.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
Where were you so early this morning?
Speaker 1 (03:35):
Ah?
Speaker 3 (03:36):
Checking on the flocks.
Speaker 4 (03:38):
I know the young men can handle them on their own,
but that can't help myself.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
Old habits die hard.
Speaker 5 (03:45):
I suppose some habits are worth keeping.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
David smiled at his bride, took two bites of his breakfast,
then turned when he heard an urgent knock. Habishi stood
in the doorway. Pale and breathless. Habishi didn't wait to sit.
His brow was curled into an irritated frown. David could
sense a tinge of self righteousness in his voice.
Speaker 5 (04:12):
There's trouble, David, trouble that could have been avoided.
Speaker 3 (04:16):
You sound like your brother Joe. Ab say it, plain ling, Abishi.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
Ah.
Speaker 5 (04:21):
The Philistine kings have gathered at Aphek they march against
Saul and Jonathan.
Speaker 4 (04:28):
This isn't news. The Philistines and the Israelites are enemies.
We've done all we can do from a distance, but
we're not welcomed in Israel. They have to fight their
own battles.
Speaker 5 (04:39):
True, Israel has to fight her own battles, But what
about the Philistines who will fight their battles.
Speaker 4 (04:48):
Our agreement with Akish is that we raid for him.
We don't march in the Philistine army. There's a difference.
Speaker 5 (04:56):
Not anymore does Akish de man more from us? You
guessed it. King Ashish has summoned David. He plans to
recruit his most loyal servant into his ranks. He wants
us to march against the children of Israel. Ooh, and
if David refuses, Akish will know that he isn't loyal
(05:18):
and will either be killed or driven out of Ziklag.
We'd be lucky if we made it out of Ziglag.
So David has a choice to make. Does he shed
Jonathan and Saul's blood on the battlefield or doom us
and our families to burn in our own fields.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
David was silent, eyes wide with the shock of it.
All his lies caught up to him. He had learned
nothing from the lies he told in Knob. Truth is
the only foundation solid enough to stand on. David, having
built an entire village on false pretense and lies, was
(05:56):
in free fall.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
We can't, we can't march against Israel, Jonathan, joeb Arkin.
Speaker 5 (06:07):
See where your lies have led us.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
I'm going to march against my own brothers.
Speaker 5 (06:13):
You're going to march against Jonathan.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
Abishai turned and slammed the door behind him, leaving David
to soak in regret beside his wife.
Speaker 5 (06:26):
What have I done?
Speaker 1 (06:28):
The rooms spun around him. He'd walked a tightrope for
over a year, fighting Israel's enemies while pretending they were
Israel's allies, feasting with a Philistine king, while praying for
Israel's protection. But the game had come to an end.
So David made the only decision a man could make.
(06:49):
When surrounded by wolves, he stood, called for Abishi and Beniah,
and when they stood before him in grim silence, he said,
we march. They said nothing, only nodded. They knew there
was no choice. If they refused King Akish he would
slaughter them all. David gathered his men, all six hundred
(07:13):
of them and led them from Ziglag. They passed the
fields where their children played, the vineyards they had planted,
the welds they had dug, and they marched into the
Valley of Dread. Behind them, the sun did long ahead.
The banners of Felicitia flapped in the wind like the
(07:35):
wings of vultures. David world of the front, His back
turned to the looks of disdain from his men. David,
the giant slayer, anointed by God and chosen to leave Israel,
now marched to war against them. He said nothing, but
the silence screamed the plains of aphek rolled like an
(08:03):
endless sea of steel and fire. Beneath black banners and
flapping war pennants. The armies of the Philistine kings gathered
in their thousands. Bronze glinted in the morning sun. Chariots
rumbled like distant thunder from horizon to horizon. The earth
(08:23):
was cloaked in armor and the breath of war. David
and his men were camped separately on the outskirts. Akish
had summoned him, but the other Philistine kings were suspicious.
A rider came, summoning David to the council tent. He
rode alone with Akish, who smiled at his side. Even
(08:45):
with the false pretense and lies, David had grown fonder
of Akish. They had become something akin to brothers. The
tent of Kings was crimson, staked high in the middle
of the war. Camp Fires burned in each corn, casting
shadows against the hide walls. Brass idols of Dagon leered
(09:06):
from niches in the stone. David felt as though he
were walking into a tomb. The kings were already gathered
warriors in their own right, hard men with darker eyes,
lords of Akron, Gaza, Ashdod, and Ashkalon. They sat like wolves, bristling.
As David entered, what.
Speaker 8 (09:28):
Is he doing here? Is that not the goora there?
Speaker 1 (09:35):
Aikish waved the comment off with a heart He slapped
to David's back.
Speaker 8 (09:40):
Gorotha has proven himself a year in my service, leading
Judah in Benjamin. He's bled for me, He's thirsty for
more Israelite blood.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
David stood stiffly. He said nothing, and his silence only
deepened their mistry. Asked, the king of Ashdod, drove his
dagger into the table.
Speaker 4 (10:04):
You're an idiot, Akish, you had marched to war with
a rabid dog at your side and expected not to fight.
He may be your lapdog now, but when the blood
runs and the battle rages, he'll remember who he is.
Speaker 3 (10:20):
What songs do they sing of him?
Speaker 4 (10:22):
Saul has slain his thousands, David his ten thousands?
Speaker 3 (10:27):
And who Akish?
Speaker 4 (10:29):
Who were those ten thousands?
Speaker 8 (10:31):
Us Gorretha's blood curses with hatred.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
For the Israelites?
Speaker 3 (10:37):
Why else would he be here?
Speaker 4 (10:39):
The suck off your teeth's Akish, the mongrels using you.
When he's nice and full, he'll slitch your throat.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
King Akish drew his axe and slammed it on the table.
The other kings barked as Akish and the King of
Ashdod circled each other like wolves. David was bearing witness
as to how the Philistines handled politics. It was a
game of dominance assertiveness. It would seem that Akish was
(11:09):
the alpha among them.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
But for how long godtaks.
Speaker 8 (11:12):
Made me a rich man with his blade, richer than
your level be?
Speaker 5 (11:18):
Why would I march without him at my side?
Speaker 4 (11:21):
Are you prepared to die for this dog? Akish?
Speaker 1 (11:25):
Akish surveyed the rest of the tent. The other kings
were gripping their weapons. This was a battle he couldn't win.
David was too universally hated to be trusted.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
I say he goes back, Send him back to whatever
dirt hole.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
You gave him.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
Let him God your sheep.
Speaker 8 (11:47):
You must.
Speaker 5 (11:49):
I refuse to.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
Die with a dagger in my back because you've grown
fond of your pet Israelite. Akish growled, but relented at last.
Speaker 5 (12:00):
Your all cowards. Only weak men can't lead strong men.
I'll dismiss Gorthac, but only because none of you had
the balls to march with a lion.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
Aikish left the tent with David, kicking the dirt on
his way. David still had to play the part of
Akish's ally.
Speaker 5 (12:23):
You have served me well, Gorthac. You are more loyal
than many I've known. I would fight beside you, I
and die beside you if.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
It came to it.
Speaker 8 (12:37):
But I must listen to my fellow kings, even if
they are sniveling birds, too weak in the lakes to
march with you.
Speaker 1 (12:47):
David, still playing the part of Akish's ally, sighed.
Speaker 4 (12:53):
It's why your throne will last like iron, while theirs
will rot. Like damp wood.
Speaker 5 (13:03):
There are those poetic pleasantries again. Go back to Si Clerk.
When we've defeated these Israelite dogs, some will likely run
to our borders. I'll have you snatched them up.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
The two embraced. It was warm, too warm. David returned it,
but his heart ached with shame. He had lied for
over a year to akish, to his men and to himself.
He turned from the king and walked alone. He didn't
stop until he reached a patch of baron earth outside
(13:42):
the camp. There he fell to his knees and wept.
The cries that escaped him were not the cries of
a warrior, but of a broken man. His body shook
as sobs wrapped through him. Bitter and unrelenting, he had
come so close, so close to becoming the very thing
(14:03):
he had sworn never to be. Face down in the dirt,
David whispered to the silent heavens.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
Forgive me, Oh Lord, I was almost passed.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
No voice answered, No light split the sky, but David
felt the weight lift, not completely, but enough. Grace had
spared him, and grace would guide him home. He would
need it for what awaited David in Zicklag would be
his greatest test yet. The ground squelched as David and
(14:48):
his men marched back to Zicklag. No one had dared
speak to David since the retreat from Aphek, and no
one needed to. Their silence spoke volumes about what they
thought about their leader. Three days of bitter travel, three
nights of cold winds and colder stairs. Not long ago,
(15:11):
David had commanded the hearts of these men, outcasts and orphans,
murderers and misfits. They had become brothers under his banner.
Now their faith in him leaped like pass from a wound.
They had nearly spilled Israelite blood at his word, nearly
damned themselves for his lies. David had damned himself most
(15:35):
of all. On the third day, the marshes gave way
to the familiar hills of Ziklag. The green pastors that
framed their refuge rolled gently beneath the morning sun. But
the tranquility was a cruel mask. Black smoke rose in
thick columns ahead, curling into the sky like fingers of judgment.
(15:58):
Benaiah stood beside, eyed David Sward, already half drawn.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
That smoke, it's coming from our village.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
Our homes, Benaiah broke into a run, as did the
other fathers and husbands, who feared the worst. The others
followed urgency, quickening their pace, until six hundred men pounded
across the hills in a storm of armor and dread.
And then they saw it. Ziglag was burned to a crisp,
(16:30):
charred timber lay scattered like bones. The well was poisoned
with ash. The gardens were trampled, the livestock gone, the houses,
their homes were blackened shells.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
Who did this?
Speaker 1 (16:46):
David stood amidst the ruins of his home, ash clinging
to his face, his heart flayed open. The house he
had shared with Abigail was a heap of cinders. David
noticed something faintly glinting in the soot, a sword hilt
scorched and half buried. David drew it out and wiped
(17:08):
away the ash. The seal was unmistakable, an Amalekite mark.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
The Amalekites.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
Benaiah turned violently toward David, taking four long strides and
striking him hard in the mouth. David fell into the ash.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
You made us march away from our families.
Speaker 5 (17:29):
The Amalekites never would have attacked if we had been here.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
David's breath caught in his throat. His hands trembled around him.
The others wept. Hard men, some with a hundred kills
to their names, fell to the earth and sobbed like children.
Fathers called out for children who would not answer. Husbands
clawed through the ruins, praying to find a sign, a
(17:56):
shred of cloth, anything, But there were no bodies. The
Amalekites had taken all of them.
Speaker 4 (18:03):
This is your fond David. You should be stound for this.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
My daughter is gone.
Speaker 4 (18:11):
The blood is on your hands.
Speaker 1 (18:14):
David didn't look up, he didn't protest. How could he.
Every word was true. He had led them to this.
The cries became a chorus and outpouring of rage and grief.
Men who would once die for him now spoke of
killing him. And David, the anointed One, the giant Slayer,
(18:38):
lay crumpled in the dust with nothing but his shame
and scorched blade in his hand. He had no psalm
to sing, no wisdom to give, only silence. He was
broken and utterly alone.
Speaker 7 (19:01):
If your faith has been kindled by this podcast and
it has affected your life, we'd love it if you
left her review we read them, and me personally, I
cherish them as you venture forth boldly and faithfully. I
leave you with the biblical blessing from numbers six Iva
hashem vischmurechra Yeah Heir hashempanave e le y sa hashempanavelera shaloon.
(19:31):
May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the
Lord make his face shine upon you. May he be
gracious to you. Made the Lord turn his face towards
you and give you peace.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
Amen. You can listen to the Chosen People with You
Isle Exstein add free by downloading and subscribing to the
pray dot Com app today. This prey dot Com production
is only made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents.
Steve Kati, Max Bard, Zach Shellabarger and Ben Gammon are
(20:03):
the executive producers of the Chosen People with Yile Eckstein,
edited by Alberto Avilla, narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are
voiced by Jonathan Cotten, Aaron Salvado, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan,
Stephen Ringwold, Sylvia Zaradoc, Thomas Copeland, Junior, Rosanna Pilcher, and
(20:23):
the opening prayer is voiced by John Moore, music by
Andrew Morgan Smith, written by Aaron Salvado, bre Rosalie and
Chris Baig. Special thanks to Bishop Paul Lanier, Robin van Ettin,
Kayleb Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller, and the team at International Fellowship
of Christians and Jews. You can hear more Prey dot
(20:43):
com productions on the Prey dot com app, available on
the Apple App Store and Google play Store. If you
enjoyed The Chosen People with Yile Eckstein, please rate and
leave a review.
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