1 Now the Philistines H6430 gathered together H6908 all their armies H4264 to Aphek: H663 and the Israelites H3478 pitched H2583 by a fountain H5869 which is in Jezreel. H3157
And it came to pass in those days, H3117 that the Philistines H6430 gathered H6908 their armies H4264 together H6908 for warfare, H6635 to fight H3898 with Israel. H3478 And Achish H397 said H559 unto David, H1732 Know H3045 thou assuredly, H3045 that thou shalt go out H3318 with me to battle, H4264 thou and thy men. H582 And David H1732 said H559 to Achish, H397 Surely H3651 thou shalt know H3045 what thy servant H5650 can do. H6213 And Achish H397 said H559 to David, H1732 Therefore will I make H7760 thee keeper H8104 of mine head H7218 for ever. H3117
And it came to pass in the mean while, H3541 that the heaven H8064 was black H6937 with clouds H5645 and wind, H7307 and there was a great H1419 rain. H1653 And Ahab H256 rode, H7392 and went H3212 to Jezreel. H3157 And the hand H3027 of the LORD H3068 was on Elijah; H452 and he girded up H8151 his loins, H4975 and ran H7323 before H6440 Ahab H256 to the entrance H935 of Jezreel. H3157
And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto him, Call H7121 his name H8034 Jezreel; H3157 for yet a little H4592 while, and I will avenge H6485 the blood H1818 of Jezreel H3157 upon the house H1004 of Jehu, H3058 and will cause to cease H7673 the kingdom H4468 of the house H1004 of Israel. H3478 And it shall come to pass at that day, H3117 that I will break H7665 the bow H7198 of Israel H3478 in the valley H6010 of Jezreel. H3157 And she conceived again, H2029 and bare H3205 a daughter. H1323 And God said H559 unto him, Call H7121 her name H8034 Loruhamah: H3819 for I will no more H3254 have mercy H7355 upon the house H1004 of Israel; H3478 but I will utterly H5375 take them away. H5375 But I will have mercy H7355 upon the house H1004 of Judah, H3063 and will save H3467 them by the LORD H3068 their God, H430 and will not save H3467 them by bow, H7198 nor by sword, H2719 nor by battle, H4421 by horses, H5483 nor by horsemen. H6571 Now when she had weaned H1580 Loruhamah, H3819 she conceived, H2029 and bare H3205 a son. H1121 Then said H559 God, Call H7121 his name H8034 Loammi: H3818 for ye are not my people, H5971 and I will not be your God. Yet the number H4557 of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 shall be as the sand H2344 of the sea, H3220 which cannot be measured H4058 nor numbered; H5608 and it shall come to pass, that in the place H4725 where it was said H559 unto them, Ye are not my people, H5971 there it shall be said H559 unto them, Ye are the sons H1121 of the living H2416 God. H410 Then shall the children H1121 of Judah H3063 and the children H1121 of Israel H3478 be gathered H6908 together, H3162 and appoint H7760 themselves one H259 head, H7218 and they shall come up H5927 out of the land: H776 for great H1419 shall be the day H3117 of Jezreel. H3157
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].