United Commentaries

1Sam.29.1-11

David was spared by divine providence from actually fighting against his own people.

1Sam.29.1

Aphek was the site of an earlier confrontation between Israel and the Philistines (4:1).

Jezreel was about forty miles northeast of Aphek.

1Sam.29.3

servant of King Saul: To Achish, David was a valued defector. The other Philistine rulers suspected that David was a plant, planning to mount an attack from within the Philistine defenses.

never found a single fault: This was the first of three times that Achish defended David (see also 29:6, 9). Yet David had been deceiving Achish the whole time (see 27:1-12).

1Sam.29.4

handing our heads over: The commanders’ fears were justified (cp. 17:51; 18:27).

1Sam.29.5

This jingle referred to slain Philistines (18:7). It is remarkable that David could find refuge in their midst.

1Sam.29.6

by the Lord: Achish used the unique name of Israel’s God to prove his own sincerity.

a trustworthy ally: This assertion was not completely true, though Achish did not realize it (27:8-12).