1 Samuel 29:1

1 And the Philistines gather all their camps to Aphek, and the Israelites are encamping at a fountain which [is] in Jezreel,

1 Samuel 29:1 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 29:1

Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to
Aphek
Not the city in the tribe of Judah of that name, ( Joshua 15:53 ) ; where the Philistines had a camp in the time of Samuel, ( 1 Samuel 4:1 ) ; but rather that in the tribe of Asher, ( Joshua 19:30 ) ; unless there was one of this name in the tribe of Issachar, not mentioned, since it seems to have been near Jezreel and Shunem, which were both in that tribe, ( Joshua 19:18 ) ;

and the Israelites pitched by a fountain which is in Jezreel;
in the valley of Jezreel; of which (See Gill on Joshua 19:18) and (See Gill on Hosea 1:5).

1 Samuel 29:1 In-Context

1 And the Philistines gather all their camps to Aphek, and the Israelites are encamping at a fountain which [is] in Jezreel,

2 and the princes of the Philistines are passing on by hundreds, and by thousands, and David and his men are passing on in the rear with Achish.

3 And the heads of the Philistines say, `What [are] these Hebrews?' and Achish saith unto the heads of the Philistines, `Is not this David servant of Saul king of Israel, who hath been with me these days or these years, and I have not found in him anything [wrong] from the day of his falling away till this day.'

4 And the heads of the Philistines are wroth against him, and the heads of the Philistines say to him, `Send back the man, and he doth turn back unto his place whither thou hast appointed him, and doth not go down with us into battle, and is not to us for an adversary in battle; and wherewith doth this one reconcile himself unto his lord -- is it not with the heads of those men?'

5 Is not this David, of whom they answer in choruses, saying, Saul hath smitten among his thousands, and David among his myriads?'