1 Samuel 29:9

9 Akhish answered David, I know that you are good in my sight, as an angel of God: notwithstanding the princes of the Pelishtim have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle.

1 Samuel 29:9 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 29:9

And Achish answered and said unto David
In reply to the questions:

I know that thou [art] good in my sight as an angel of God:
for his great wisdom, and graceful behaviour, and inoffensive carriage:

notwithstanding the princes of the Philistines have said, he shall not
go up with us to the battle;
though Achish had so good an opinion of him, and had declared it in council, yet an order had passed there that he should not go to battle with them; there were but five of them, and Achish was one of the five, so that there were four to one for the dismissing him; and Achish, though a king, was obliged to submit.

1 Samuel 29:9 In-Context

7 Therefore now return, and go in shalom, that you not displease the lords of the Pelishtim.

8 David said to Akhish, But what have I done? and what have you found in your servant so long as I have been before you to this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?

9 Akhish answered David, I know that you are good in my sight, as an angel of God: notwithstanding the princes of the Pelishtim have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle.

10 Therefore now rise up early in the morning with the servants of your lord who have come with you; and as soon as you are up early in the morning, and have light, depart.

11 So David rose up early, he and his men, to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the Pelishtim. The Pelishtim went up to Yizre`el.