1 Samuel 29:11

11 Therefore David rose up by night, he and his men, that they should go forth early, and turn again to the land of Philistines; but the Philistines went up into Jezreel. (And so David and his men rose up in the night, so that they could go forth early, and return to the land of the Philistines; and the Philistines went on to Jezreel.)

1 Samuel 29:11 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 29:11

So David and his men rose up early to depart in the morning,
&c.] Being as willing and ready to go as the Philistines were desirous they should:

to return into the land of the Philistines;
for now they were in the land of Israel, at Aphek, near Jezreel, from whence they went back to Ziklag, which was within the principality of Gath; and, according to Bunting ^F15, was eighty eight miles from the place where the army of the Philistines was; but it seems not very likely that it should be so far off:

and the Philistines went up to Jezreel;
where the army of the Israelites lay encamped, in order to fight them. By the dismission of David from the army of the Philistines, he was not only delivered from a sad plight he was in, either of acting an ungrateful part to Achish, or an unnatural one to Israel; but also, by the pressing charge of Achish to get away as early as possible in the morning, he came time enough to rescue the prey the Amalekites had taken at Ziklag his city, as in the following chapter; and the providence of God in this affair is further observable, as by some represented, since if David had stayed in the camp of the Philistines, it would not have been so easy for him, on the death of Saul, to have got from them, and succeed in the kingdom, as he could and did from Ziklag.

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FOOTNOTES:

F15 Travels p. 137.

1 Samuel 29:11 In-Context

9 And Achish answered, and spake to David, (and said,) I know that thou art good, and (be) as the angel of God in my eyes; but the princes of Philistines said, He shall not go up with us into battle.

10 Therefore rise thou up early, thou, and thy servants that came with thee; and when ye have risen by night, and it beginneth to be clear day, go ye forth. (And so rise thou up early, thou, and thy servants who came with thee; and when ye have risen in the night, and it beginneth to be clear daylight, then go ye forth.)

11 Therefore David rose up by night, he and his men, that they should go forth early, and turn again to the land of Philistines; but the Philistines went up into Jezreel. (And so David and his men rose up in the night, so that they could go forth early, and return to the land of the Philistines; and the Philistines went on to Jezreel.)