And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.
There is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines. This resolution of David's was in every respect wrong-1. Because it was removing from the place where the divine oracle intimated to him to remain (1 Samuel 22:5); 2. It was rushing into the idolatrous land, for driving him into which he had denounced an imprecation on his enemies (1 Samuel 26:19); and it was a withdrawal of his counsel and aid from God's people. It was a movement, however, overruled by Providence to detach him from his country, and to let the disasters impending over Saul and his followers be brought on by the Philistines.