1 Samuel 29:4

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?

And the princes {H8269} of the Philistines {H6430} were wroth {H7107} with him; and the princes {H8269} of the Philistines {H6430} said {H559} unto him, Make {H7725} this fellow {H376} return {H7725}, that he may go again {H7725} to his place {H4725} which thou hast appointed {H6485} him, and let him not go down {H3381} with us to battle {H4421}, lest in the battle {H4421} he be an adversary {H7854} to us: for wherewith should he reconcile {H7521} himself unto his master {H113}? should it not be with the heads {H7218} of these men {H582}?

But the chiefs of the P'lishtim became angry and said to him, "Have the man return and go back to the place you set aside for him. Don't let him go into battle with us, because on the battlefield he might become our enemy. What better way could there be for him to get reconciled with his lord than by [cutting off] the heads of our men?

But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with Achish and told him, “Send that man back and let him return to the place you assigned him. He must not go down with us into battle only to become our adversary during the war. What better way for him to regain the favor of his master than with the heads of our men?

But the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him; and the princes of the Philistines said unto him, Make the man return, that he may go back to his place where thou hast appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us: for wherewith should this fellow reconcile himself unto his lord? should it not be with the heads of these men?

Commentary

1 Samuel 29:4 captures a pivotal moment in David's life, illustrating the complexities of his exile among the Philistines and the divine hand guiding his path.

Context

At this point in David's story, he has been a fugitive from King Saul for years, constantly fleeing for his life. Seeking refuge, David had sought asylum with Achish, the Philistine king of Gath, who had granted him the town of Ziklag. David had cleverly deceived Achish into believing he was raiding Israelite and allied villages, when in fact he was attacking enemies of Israel. Now, the Philistines are gathering their forces for a major battle against Israel, and Achish, trusting David (as seen in 1 Samuel 28:2), expects him to join the Philistine ranks. However, the other Philistine princes, or lords, are deeply suspicious of David's allegiance, leading to this confrontation.

Key Themes

  • Divine Providence: This verse powerfully highlights God's unseen hand at work. The Philistine princes' suspicion, though rooted in worldly wisdom, serves as a divinely orchestrated intervention to prevent David, God's anointed future king of Israel, from fighting against his own people. This situation spares David from a profound moral and spiritual dilemma.
  • Suspicion and Distrust: The Philistine princes' immediate and strong reaction ("wroth with him") reveals their deep-seated distrust of David. They correctly perceive the inherent conflict of interest for David, despite Achish's personal confidence. Their fear is that David would betray them to reconcile with his former master, King Saul.
  • Loyalty and Allegiance: The core question posed by the Philistine princes is David's true loyalty. They cynically suggest that the only way for David to "reconcile himself unto his master" (Saul) would be through a treacherous act against the Philistines, specifically "with the heads of these men." This speaks to the high stakes of allegiance in ancient warfare.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word translated "wroth" is charah (חָרָה), meaning "to burn," often used to describe intense anger or displeasure. The phrase "reconcile himself" comes from the Hebrew ratsah (רָצָה), which means "to be pleased with," "to accept," or "to make amends." Here, it carries the strong implication of David needing to gain favor or make peace with Saul by demonstrating extreme disloyalty to the Philistines, likely through a violent act of betrayal.

Practical Application

1 Samuel 29:4 offers several timeless lessons:

  • God's Unseen Hand: Even in situations where we feel trapped or compromised, God can use the actions and suspicions of others, or even our adversaries, to guide us away from paths that would be detrimental to His purposes for us. David was spared a terrible choice by the Philistines' distrust.
  • Integrity Under Pressure: While David had been living a life of deception with Achish, this moment underscores the difficulty of maintaining integrity when one's circumstances are morally ambiguous. Ultimately, God intervened to protect David's role as the future king of Israel (1 Samuel 16:13).
  • Trust in Divine Timing: This verse is a powerful reminder that God's plan unfolds perfectly, sometimes through unexpected means. David was prevented from participating in the battle where Saul would eventually fall (1 Samuel 31:1), allowing him to return to Ziklag and deal with a personal crisis (1 Samuel 30:1) before assuming his destined role.
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Cross-References

  • 1 Samuel 14:21 (5 votes)

    Moreover the Hebrews [that] were with the Philistines before that time, which went up with them into the camp [from the country] round about, even they also [turned] to be with the Israelites that [were] with Saul and Jonathan.

  • 1 Chronicles 12:19 (3 votes)

    And there fell [some] of Manasseh to David, when he came with the Philistines against Saul to battle: but they helped them not: for the lords of the Philistines upon advisement sent him away, saying, He will fall to his master Saul to [the jeopardy of] our heads.

  • 1 Samuel 27:6 (2 votes)

    Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day.

  • Luke 16:8 (2 votes)

    And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.