Shmuel Alef 29:2

2 And the rulers of the Pelishtim (Philistines) were passing by with me’ot, and with alafim; but Dovid and his anashim were passing at the rearguard with Achish.

Shmuel Alef 29:2 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 29:2

And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by
thousands
Not that there were so many lords, for there were but five of them; but these marched, some at the head of hundreds with them, and others at the head of thousands:

but David and his men passed on in the rereward with Achish;
who being the generalissimo brought up the rear, and David, whom he had appointed captain of his bodyguards, attended him with his men, which in point of gratitude he could not refuse; and yet was in the greatest strait and difficulty how to act, it being both against his conscience and his interest to fight against Israel, and was waiting and hoping for some appearance of Providence to deliver him out of this dilemma, and which was quickly seen; but Abarbinel thinks David had no other notion in going to the battle, but of being the bodyguard of Achish, and accompanying him, and that he should not fight against Israel, nor for the Philistines: neither harm the one, nor help the other.

Shmuel Alef 29:2 In-Context

1 9 Now the Pelishtim gathered together all their machanot to Aphek; and Yisroel encamped by an ayin (spring) which is in Yizre’el.

2 And the rulers of the Pelishtim (Philistines) were passing by with me’ot, and with alafim; but Dovid and his anashim were passing at the rearguard with Achish.

3 Then said the sarim of the Pelishtim, What are these Ivrim doing here? And Achish said unto the sarim of the Pelishtim, Is not this Dovid, the eved of Sha’ul Melech Yisroel, which hath been with me these yamim, or these shanim, and unto this day I have found no fault in him since he defected?

4 And the sarim of the Pelishtim were angry with him; and the sarim of the Pelishtim said unto him, Send the ish back, that he may turn again to his makom (place, home) which thou hast assigned him, and let him not go down with us to milchamah, lest in the milchamah he be as satan (adversary, antagonist) to us; for wherewith should he make himself acceptable unto his adon? Is it not with the heads of these anashim?

5 Is not this Dovid, of whom they sang one to another in mecholot (dances), saying, Sha’ul slaughtered his alafim, and Dovid his revavot (myriads)?