1 Samuel 29:4-11

4 But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with him, and the commanders of the Philistines said to him, "Make the man go back, that he may return 1to his place where * you have assigned him, and do not let him go down to battle with us, 2or in the battle he may become an adversary to us. For with what could this man make himself acceptable to his lord? Would it not be with the heads of these men?
5 "Is this not David, 3of whom they sing in the dances, saying, 'Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands '?"
6 Then Achish called David and said to him, "As the LORD lives, you have been upright, and 4your going out and your coming in with me in the army are pleasing in my sight; 5for I have not found evil in you from the day of your coming to me to this day. Nevertheless, you are not pleasing in the sight of the lords.
7 "Now therefore return and go in peace, that you may not displease * the lords of the Philistines."
8 David said to Achish, "6But what have I done? And what have you found in your servant from the day when I came before you to this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?"
9 But Achish replied to David, "I know that you are pleasing in my sight, 7like an angel of God; nevertheless 8the commanders of the Philistines have said, 'He must not go up with us to the battle.'
10 "Now then arise early in the morning 9with the servants of your lord who have come with you, and as soon as you have arisen early in the morning and have light, depart."
11 So David arose early, he and his men, to depart in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.

1 Samuel 29:4-11 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 29

This chapter gives an account of David's going forth with the armies of the Philistines, 1Sa 29:1,2; of his being objected to by the princes of the Philistines, who insisted upon his being sent back, 1Sa 29:3-5; of the report Achish made of it to David, and the discourse that passed between them upon it, 1Sa 29:6-10; whereby David had a way unexpectedly opened for him to be freed from this service, which he gladly embraced, 1Sa 29:11.

Cross References 9

  • 1. 1 Samuel 27:6
  • 2. 1 Samuel 14:21
  • 3. 1 Samuel 18:7; 1 Samuel 21:11
  • 4. 2 Samuel 3:25; 2 Kings 19:27; Isaiah 37:28
  • 5. 1 Samuel 27:8-12; 1 Samuel 29:3
  • 6. 1 Samuel 27:10-12
  • 7. 2 Samuel 14:17, 20; 2 Samuel 19:27
  • 8. 1 Samuel 29:4
  • 9. 1 Chronicles 12:19, 22

Footnotes 1

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