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1 Samuel 29

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The Philistines Gather for War 1–2

1
Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek: and the Israelites pitched by a fountain which is in Jezreel. ​
2
And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands: but David and his men passed on in the rereward with Achish. ​

David's Presence Questioned 3–5

3
Then said the princes of the Philistines, What do these Hebrews here? And Achish said unto the princes of the Philistines, Is not this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, which hath been with me these days, or these years, and I have found no fault in him since he fell unto me unto this day? ​
4
And the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him; and the princes of the Philistines said unto him, Make this fellow return, that he may go again to his place which thou hast appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he be an adversary to us: for wherewith should he reconcile himself unto his master? should it not be with the heads of these men? ​
5
Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands? ​

Achish Dismisses David 6–11

6
Then Achish called David, and said unto him, Surely, as the LORD liveth, thou hast been upright, and thy going out and thy coming in with me in the host is good in my sight: for I have not found evil in thee since the day of thy coming unto me unto this day: nevertheless the lords favour thee not. ​
7
Wherefore now return, and go in peace, that thou displease not the lords of the Philistines.
8
And David said unto Achish, But what have I done? and what hast thou found in thy servant so long as I have been with thee unto this day, that I may not go fight against the enemies of my lord the king? ​
9
And Achish answered and said to David, I know that thou art good in my sight, as an angel of God: notwithstanding the princes of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle. ​
10
Wherefore now rise up early in the morning with thy master's servants that are come with thee: and as soon as ye be up early in the morning, and have light, depart.
11
So David and his men rose up early to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel. ​

Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain

Study Notes for 1 Samuel 29

Verse 1

a fountain which is in Jezreel — Israel camps at the spring ('ayin) of Jezreel, a town on Issachar's border (Josh 19:18), after Saul had gathered the people 'in Gilboa' (1 Sam 28:4). The Philistines muster at an Aphek, a name that stands at the start of an earlier battle against Israel (1 Sam 4:1). The armies are those David was told in 28:1 to march with.

Verse 2

the lords of the Philistines — Seren is the title of the rulers of the Philistine cities, 'five lords' in all (Josh 13:3), who review their forces 'by hundreds, and by thousands'. David and his men come last, 'in the rereward' ('acharon, hindmost), with Achish. At the rear he is in view of the lords, who speak in v.3.

Verse 3

What do these Hebrews here? — 'Hebrews' ('Ibri) is the name the Philistines use for Israel (1 Sam 4:6; 13:19). Achish's 'these days, or these years' covers the 'full year and four months' of 1 Sam 27:7. 'Fell unto me' is naphal, the verb used of fugitives who 'fell away to the king of Babylon' (2 Kgs 25:11), a man who went over to the other side.

Verse 4

lest in the battle he be an adversary — 'Adversary' is satan, an opponent, the word that is also the name in Job 1:6. The lords reason that David would win back 'his master' with 'the heads of these men'. 1 Chr 12:19 records the same decision: 'He will fall to his master Saul to the jeopardy of our heads.' The 'place' is Ziklag (1 Sam 27:6).

Verse 5

Saul slew his thousands — The women's song of 1 Sam 18:7, sung when David returned 'from the slaughter of the Philistine' (1 Sam 18:6), and quoted by Achish's servants when David first came to Gath (1 Sam 21:11). 'Ten thousands' is rebabah, a myriad. The Philistine lords repeat it as the reason they cannot trust him.

Verse 6

Surely, as the LORD liveth — Achish swears by the formula Israel used (1 Sam 14:39), and the KJV's LORD stands for the divine name. 'Upright' is yashar, straight, and 'going out and… coming in' describes a man's whole conduct (cf. Ps 121:8). 'The lords favour thee not' is literally that David is not 'good' (tov) in their eyes, the reverse of 'good in my sight'.

Verse 8

the enemies of my lord the king — The words fit two kings. Achish hears himself, but David had spoken almost the same words to Saul, 'let my lord the king hear the words of his servant' (1 Sam 26:19), and asked him 'for what have I done?' (1 Sam 26:18). Here he again asks 'what have I done?' and does not say which king's enemies he means.

Verse 9

as an angel of God — Mal'ak is a messenger. The same comparison is made of David by the woman of Tekoah, 'as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad' (2 Sam 14:17; cf. v.20), and by Mephibosheth (2 Sam 19:27). 'Good in my sight' echoes v.6; Achish's 'I know' is then followed by the lords' decision, 'He shall not go up with us to the battle.'

Verse 11

the Philistines went up to Jezreel — David's men turn back to Ziklag, reached 'on the third day' (1 Sam 30:1), while the host goes up to Jezreel, where Israel is camped (v.1). The battle is on 'mount Gilboa' (1 Sam 31:1), and word of it came to Saul's house 'out of Jezreel' (2 Sam 4:4).