1 Samuel 29:2

2 As the Philistine rulers marched with their units of hundreds and thousands, David and his men were marching at the rear with Achish.

1 Samuel 29:2 in Other Translations

2 And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands: but David and his men passed on in the rereward with Achish.

2 As the lords of the Philistines were passing on by hundreds and by thousands, and David and his men were passing on in the rear with Achish,

2 As the Philistine rulers were leading out their troops in groups of hundreds and thousands, David and his men marched at the rear with King Achish.

2 As the Philistine warlords marched forward by regiments and divisions, David and his men were bringing up the rear with Achish.

2 As the Philistine leaders were passing [in review with their units of] hundreds and thousands, David and his men were passing [in review] behind them with Achish.

1 Samuel 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.

1 Samuel 29:2 In-Context

1 The Philistines gathered all their forces at Aphek, and Israel camped by the spring in Jezreel.

2 As the Philistine rulers marched with their units of hundreds and thousands, David and his men were marching at the rear with Achish.

3 The commanders of the Philistines asked, “What about these Hebrews?” Achish replied, “Is this not David, who was an officer of Saul king of Israel? He has already been with me for over a year, and from the day he left Saul until now, I have found no fault in him.”

4 But the Philistine commanders were angry with Achish and said, “Send the man back, that he may return to the place you assigned him. He must not go with us into battle, or he will turn against us during the fighting. How better could he regain his master’s favor than by taking the heads of our own men?

5 Isn’t this the David they sang about in their dances: “ ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands’?”

Cross References

• 1. 1 Samuel 28:2