1 Samuel 29:9

9 Akhish answered David, "I know that you are as good, from my point of view, as an angel of God. Nevertheless, the chiefs of the P'lishtim have said, 'He is not to go up with us to the battlefield.'

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, go on back; and go in peace, so as not to do what appears bad to the chiefs of the P'lishtim.

8 David said to Akhish, "But what have I done? What have you found in your servant during the time I've been with you that disqualifies me from going and fighting against the enemies of my lord the king?"

9 Akhish answered David, "I know that you are as good, from my point of view, as an angel of God. Nevertheless, the chiefs of the P'lishtim have said, 'He is not to go up with us to the battlefield.'

10 So get up early in the morning with the servants of your lord who came with you; and as soon as you are up and it gets light, leave."

11 David got up early in the morning, he and his men, to leave and go back into the land of the P'lishtim; while the P'lishtim continued up to Yizre'el.