1 Samuel 29

The Philistines Mistrust David

1 Now ¹the Philistines gathered together all their armies to ²Aphek, while the Israelites were camping by the spring which is in ³Jezreel.

2 And the lords of the Philistines were proceeding on by hundreds and by thousands, and ⁴David and his men were proceeding on in 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, ⁵who has been with me these days, or rather these years, and ⁶I have found no fault in him from the day he deserted to me to this day?"

4 But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with him, and the commanders of the Philistines said to him, "Make the man go back, that he may return ⁷to his place where * you have assigned him, and do not let him go down to battle with us, ⁸or in the battle he may become an adversary to us. For with what could this man make himself acceptable to his lord? Would it not be with the heads of these men?

5 "Is this not David, ⁹of whom they sing in the dances, saying, 'Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands '?"

6 Then Achish called David and said to him, "As the LORD lives, you have been upright, and ¹⁰your going out and your coming in with me in the army are pleasing in my sight; ¹¹for I have not found evil in you from the day of your coming to me to this day. Nevertheless, you are not pleasing in the sight of the lords.

7 "Now therefore return and go in peace, that you may not displease * the lords of the Philistines."

8 David said to Achish, "¹²But what have I done? And what have you found in your servant from the day when I came before you to this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?"

9 But Achish replied to David, "I know that you are pleasing in my sight, ¹³like an angel of God; nevertheless ¹⁴the commanders of the Philistines have said, 'He must not go up with us to the battle.'

10 "Now then arise early in the morning ¹⁵with the servants of your lord who have come with you, and as soon as you have arisen early in the morning and have light, depart."

11 So David arose early, he and his men, to depart in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines. And 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.

Cross References

• 1. 1 Samuel 28:1
• 2. Joshua 12:18; Joshua 19:30; 1 Samuel 4:1; 1 Kings 20:30
• 3. 1 Kings 21:1; 2 Kings 9:30
• 4. 1 Samuel 28:1, 2
• 5. 1 Samuel 27:7
• 6. 1 Samuel 27:1-6; 1 Chronicles 12:19, 20; Daniel 6:5
• 7. 1 Samuel 27:6
• 8. 1 Samuel 14:21
• 9. 1 Samuel 18:7; 1 Samuel 21:11
• 10. 2 Samuel 3:25; 2 Kings 19:27; Isaiah 37:28
• 11. 1 Samuel 27:8-12; 1 Samuel 29:3
• 12. 1 Samuel 27:10-12
• 13. 2 Samuel 14:17, 20; 2 Samuel 19:27
• 14. 1 Samuel 29:4
• 15. 1 Chronicles 12:19, 22

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "fell"
• [b]. Lit "those"

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.