1 Samuel 29:8

8 And David saith unto Achish, `But what have I done? and what hast thou found in thy servant from the day that I have been before thee till this day -- that I go not in and have fought against the enemies of my lord the king?'

1 Samuel 29:8 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 29:8

And David said unto Achish, what have I done?
&c.] This question is anticipated by the speech of Achish, who had declared he had found no evil in him; but David must say something to put on an appearance of concern for being dismissed, when he was heartily glad of it:

and what hast thou found in thy servant, so long as I have been with
thee unto this day, that I may not go fight against the enemies of my
lord the king?
which cannot be excused of great dissimulation, since nothing was more foreign from his heart, and against his will, than fighting against the Israelites, and which he determined to avoid if possible; and glad at heart he was to be thus excused, and freed from the straits and difficulties he was involved in; but that the Philistines might have no cause of suspicion of him, and that he was warmly attached to their interest among whom he was still to continue, he put on these airs. Abarbinel is of opinion that the lords of the Philistines were only afraid of David, but not of his men, and therefore were not solicitous about their going, but his, which gave David a concern; and since he was particularly singled out, he desired to know what special evil had been found in him; but when he understood, by the following answer of Achish, that his servants were to go with him, he was content, and said no more; but the princes asked, "what do these Hebrews here?" ( 1 Samuel 29:3 ) .

1 Samuel 29:8 In-Context

6 And Achish calleth unto David, and saith unto him, `Jehovah liveth, surely thou [art] upright, and good in mine eyes is thy going out, and thy coming in, with me in the camp, for I have not found in thee evil from the day of thy coming in unto me till this day; and in the eyes of the princes thou art not good;

7 and now, turn back, and go in peace, and thou dost do no evil in the eyes of the princes of the Philistines.'

8 And David saith unto Achish, `But what have I done? and what hast thou found in thy servant from the day that I have been before thee till this day -- that I go not in and have fought against the enemies of my lord the king?'

9 And Achish answereth and saith unto David, `I have known that thou [art] good in mine eyes as a messenger of God; only, the princes of the Philistines have said, He doth not go up with us into battle;

10 and now, rise thou early in the morning, and the servants of thy lord who have come with thee, when ye have risen early in the morning, and have light, then go ye.'