1 Samuel 29: The Philistine commanders send David back from the battle
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What happens?
The Philistines gather all their armies at Aphek, and Israel camps by the spring in Jezreel. David and his men march at the rear with Achish, but the Philistine commanders ask, "What about these Hebrews?" They fear that David will turn against them in the battle to win back his master's favor. Achish tells David that he has found nothing wrong in him, but the lords do not approve of him, so he must go back. Early the next morning David and his men return to the land of the Philistines, and the Philistines go up to Jezreel.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. No verse is in gold: God speaks no words in this chapter. The commanders of the Philistines speak in verses 3 to 5, and inside their words, in verse 5, they repeat the song sung about Saul and David. Achish speaks in verses 3, 6, 7, 9 and 10, and in verse 9 he repeats the commanders' words. David answers in verse 8. Achish's oath "As Yahweh lives" in verse 6 is his own words. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek; and the Israelites encamped by the spring which is in Jezreel.
In plain English: The Philistines gathered all their armies (literally: camps) at Aphek, and Israel was camped by the spring in Jezreel.
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2The lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds and by thousands; and David and his men passed on in the rear with Achish.
In plain English: The lords of the Philistines were marching past by hundreds and by thousands, and David and his men were marching at the rear with Achish.
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3Then the princes of the Philistines said, “What about these Hebrews?” Achish said to the princes of the Philistines, “Isn’t this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who has been with me these days, or rather these years? I have found no fault in him since he fell away until today.”
In plain English: Then the commanders (this Bible: princes) of the Philistines said, "What about these Hebrews?" Achish said to the commanders of the Philistines, "Is this not David, the servant of Saul king of Israel, who has been with me these days, or rather these years? I have found nothing wrong in him from the day he came over to me (this Bible: fell away) until today."
Good to know: In 1 Samuel the Philistines often call the Israelites "Hebrews", as in ("the camp of the Hebrews") and . The word is in 8 verses of the book, and this Bible says "Hebrews" in all 8.
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4But the princes of the Philistines were angry with him; and the princes of the Philistines said to him, “Make the man return, that he may go back to his place where you have appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us. For with what should this fellow reconcile himself to his lord? Should it not be with the heads of these men?
In plain English: But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with him, and they said to him, "Send the man back, so that he goes back to the place you gave him. Do not let him go down with us into battle, or in the battle he may become an adversary to us. How could this man win back his master's favor? Would it not be with the heads of these men?
The Hebrew word: "Adversary" is satan, which the dictionary gives as "an opponent; especially ... Satan, the arch-enemy of good". In this Bible it is given as "adversary" in 8 of the 23 verses that use it, and as the name "Satan" in 14. In it is used of Yahweh's angel, who stood in Balaam's way "as an adversary against him". Here the commanders use it of David: he might turn against them in the battle.
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5Isn’t this David, of whom people sang to one another in dances, saying, ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands’?”
In plain English: Is this not David, of whom they sang to one another in their dances, 'Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands'?"
Good to know: The women sang these words when David came back from killing the Philistine (), and the servants of Achish repeated them the first time David came to Gath ().
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6Then Achish called David and said to him, “As Yahweh lives, you have been upright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the army is good in my sight; for I have not found evil in you since the day of your coming to me to this day. Nevertheless, the lords don’t favor you.
In plain English: Then Achish called David and said to him, "As Yahweh lives, you have been upright, and I am pleased (literally: it is good in my eyes) with your going out and your coming in with me in the army. I have found nothing wrong in you from the day you came to me until today. But the lords do not approve of you (literally: in the eyes of the lords you are not good).
Good to know: Achish, a Philistine king, swears by Yahweh, the God of Israel, in speaking to David. The text does not explain why.
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7Therefore now return, and go in peace, that you not displease the lords of the Philistines.”
In plain English: So now go back, and go in peace, so that you do not displease (literally: do nothing evil in the eyes of) the lords of the Philistines."
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8David said to Achish, “But what have I done? What have you found in your servant so long as I have been before you to this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?”
In plain English: David said to Achish, "But what have I done? What have you found in your servant from the day I came into your service (this Bible: have been before you) until today, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?"
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9Achish answered David, “I know that you are good in my sight, as an angel of God. Notwithstanding, the princes of the Philistines have said, ‘He shall not go up with us to the battle.’
In plain English: Achish answered David, "I know that you are good in my eyes, like an angel (or: a messenger) of God. But the commanders of the Philistines have said, 'He must not go up with us into battle.'
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10Therefore now rise up early in the morning with the servants of your lord who have come with you; and as soon as you are up early in the morning and have light, depart.”
In plain English: So now get up early in the morning, with your master's servants who came with you. As soon as you are up early in the morning and it is light, go."
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11So David rose up early, he and his men, to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines; and the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
In plain English: So David got up early, he and his men, to leave in the morning and go back to the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
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