1 Samuel 29

David Leaves the Service of Achish

1 Now [the] Philistines assembled all their forces at Aphek, and Israel [was] encamped at the spring that [is] in Jezreel.

2 The rulers of [the] Philistines [were] passing on according to hundreds and thousands, David and his men passing on at the rear with Achish.

3 Then the commanders of [the] Philistines said, "What [are] these Hebrews [doing here]?" And Achish said to the commanders of [the] Philistines, "Is this not David, the servant of Saul, the king of Israel, who has been with me {for days and years}? I have not found anything [threatening] in him from the day of his desertion until this day!"

4 But the commanders of [the] Philistines were angry with him and they said to him, "Send the man back so that he might return to his place where you have assigned him! But he will not go down with us into the battle, so that he does not become an adversary to us in the battle. By what could this fellow make himself favorable to his lord? Is it not with the heads of these men?

5 [Is] this not David about whom they sing in the dances, saying, 'Saul has killed his thousands, but David his ten thousands'?"

6 So Achish called David and said to him, "{As Yahweh lives}, certainly you were honest, and {I am pleased to have you marching with me} in the campaign. For I have not found any wrong in you from the day you came to me until this day, but in the eyes of the rulers, you [are] not good.

7 So then, return and go in peace, so that you do not do {something that displeases} the rulers of [the] Philistines."

8 Then David said to Achish, "But what have I done? And what have you found in your servant from the day that I {entered your service} until this day, that I should not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?"

9 And Achish answered and said to David, "I know that you [are] good in my eyes, like an angel of God! However, the commanders of [the] Philistines have said, 'He must not go up with us into the battle.'

10 So then, rise early in the morning, [you] and the servants of your lord who came with you. When you rise early in the morning and it is light [enough] for you, leave.

11 So David set out early, he and his men, to leave in the morning to return to the land of [the] Philistines, but [the] Philistines went up [to] Jezreel.

1 Samuel 29 Commentary

Chapter 29

David objected to by the Philistines. (1-5) He is dismissed by Achish. (6-11)

Verses 1-5 David waited with a secret hope that the Lord would help him out of his difficulty. But he seems to have been influenced too much by the fear of man, in consenting to attend Achish. It is hard to come near to the brink of sin, and not to fall in. God inclined the princes of the Philistines to oppose David's being employed in the battle. Thus their dislike befriended him, when no friend could do him such a kindness.

Verses 6-11 David scarcely ever had a greater deliverance than when dismissed from such insnaring service. God's people should always behave themselves so, as, if possible, to get the good word of all they have dealings with: and it is due to those who have acted well, to speak well of them.

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "these days or these years"
• [b]. Literally "The life of Yahweh"
• [c]. Literally "good in my eyes your going out and your coming in with me"
• [d]. Or "army"
• [e]. Literally "bad/evil in the eyes of"
• [f]. Literally "that I was to your face" = "was before you"

Chapter Summary

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.