6 Then Achish H397 called H7121 David, H1732 and said H559 unto him, Surely, as the LORD H3068 liveth, H2416 thou hast been upright, H3477 and thy going out H3318 and thy coming in H935 with me in the host H4264 is good H2896 in my sight: H5869 for I have not found H4672 evil H7451 in thee since the day H3117 of thy coming H935 unto me unto this day: H3117 nevertheless the lords H5633 favour H2896 thee not. H5869
And David H1732 and his men H582 went up, H5927 and invaded H6584 the Geshurites, H1651 and the Gezrites, H1511 and the Amalekites: H6003 for those H2007 nations were of old H5769 the inhabitants H3427 of the land, H776 as thou goest H935 to Shur, H7793 even unto the land H776 of Egypt. H4714 And David H1732 smote H5221 the land, H776 and left neither man H376 nor woman H802 alive, H2421 and took away H3947 the sheep, H6629 and the oxen, H1241 and the asses, H2543 and the camels, H1581 and the apparel, H899 and returned, H7725 and came H935 to Achish. H397 And Achish H397 said, H559 Whither H408 have ye made a road H6584 to day? H3117 And David H1732 said, H559 Against the south H5045 of Judah, H3063 and against the south H5045 of the Jerahmeelites, H3397 and against the south H5045 of the Kenites. H7017 And David H1732 saved H2421 neither man H376 nor woman H802 alive, H2421 to bring H935 tidings to Gath, H1661 saying, H559 Lest they should tell H5046 on us, saying, H559 So did H6213 David, H1732 and so will be his manner H4941 all the while H3117 he dwelleth H3427 in the country H7704 of the Philistines. H6430 And Achish H397 believed H539 David, H1732 saying, H559 He hath made his people H5971 Israel H3478 utterly H887 to abhor H887 him; therefore he shall be my servant H5650 for ever. H5769
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 1 Samuel 29
Commentary on 1 Samuel 29 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 29
1Sa 29:1-5. David Marching with the Philistines to Fight with Israel.
1. Aphek—(Jos 12:8), in the tribe of Issachar, and in the plain of Esdraelon. A person who compares the Bible account of Saul's last battle with the Philistines, with the region around Gilboa, has the same sort of evidence that the account relates what is true, that a person would have that such a battle as Waterloo really took place. Gilboa, Jezreel, Shunem, En-dor, are all found, still bearing the same names. They lie within sight of each other. Aphek is the only one of the cluster not yet identified. Jezreel on the northern slope of Gilboa, and at the distance of twenty minutes to the east, is a large fountain, and a smaller one still nearer; just the position which a chieftain would select, both on account of its elevation and the supply of water needed for his troops [Hackett, Scripture Illustrated].
2. David and his men passed on in the rereward with Achish—as the commander of the lifeguards of Achish, who was general of this invading army of the Philistines.
3. these days, or these years—He had now been with the Philistines a full year and four months (1Sa 27:7), and also some years before. It has been thought that David kept up a private correspondence with this Philistine prince, either on account of his native generosity, or in the anticipation that an asylum in his territories would sooner or later be needed.
4. the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him—It must be considered a happy circumstance in the overruling providence of God to rescue David out of the dangerous dilemma in which he was now placed. But David is not free from censure in his professions to Achish (1Sa 29:8), to do what he probably had not the smallest purpose of doing—of fighting with Achish against his enemies. It is just an instance of the unhappy consequences into which a false step—a departure from the straight course of duty—will betray everyone who commits it.
9. notwithstanding the princes of the Philistines have said—The Philistine government had constitutional checks—or at least the king was not an absolute sovereign; but his authority was limited—his proceedings liable to be controlled by "the powerful barons of that rude and early period—much as the kings of Europe in the Middle Ages were by the proud and lawless aristocracy which surrounded them" [Chalmers].