1 Samuel 29:4

Contextual Overview

¹The Philistines brought all their military units together at Aphek while Israel was camped by the spring in Jezreel. ¹ Now the Pelishtim gathered together all their hosts to Afek: and the Yisra'elites encamped by the spring which is in Yizre`el. ¹ Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek: and the Israelites pitched by a fountain which is in Jezreel. ¹ Now the Philistines assembled all their forces at Aphek, and Israel was encamped at the spring that is in Jezreel. ¹ Now the Philistines had gathered all their forces at Aphek. And the Israelites were encamped by the spring that is in Jezreel. ¹ The Philistines gathered all their soldiers at Aphek. Israel camped by the spring at Jezreel. ¹ The Philistines assembled all their troops at Aphek, while Israel camped at the spring that is in Jezreel. ¹Now the Philistines gathered all their forces at Aphek, while Israel camped by the spring in Jezreel. ¹ Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek, while the Israelites were camping by the spring which is in Jezreel. ¹ So the Philistims were gathered together with all their armies in Aphek: and the Israelites pitched by the fountaine, which is in Izreel.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Make this fellow: The princes reasoned wisely, according to the common practice of mankind; and it was well for David that they were such good politicians: it was ordered by a gracious Providence that they refused to let David go with them to this battle, in which he must have been either an enemy to his country, or false to his friends and to his trust. Had he fought for the Philistines, he would have fought against God and his country; and had he in the battle gone over to the Israelites, he would have deceived and become a traitor to the hospitable Achish. God therefore delivered him from such disgrace; and by the same kind Providence he was sent back to rescue his wives, and the wives and children of his people, from captivity. 1 Samuel 14:21, 1 Chronicles 12:19, Luke 16:8

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 29:9 - the princes 2 Samuel 3:25 - and to know 1 Chronicles 19:3 - but the princes Psalms 56:1 - when

Cross-References

Genesis 11:31
Terach took Avram his son, Lot the son of Haran, his son's son, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Avram's wife. They went forth from Ur of the Kasdim, to go into the land of Kana`an. They came to Haran, and lived there.

Genesis 11:31
And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son's son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram's wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there.

Genesis 11:31
And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot, the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, the wife of Abram his son, and went out with them from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan. And they went to Haran, and they settled there.

Genesis 11:31
Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot (Haran's son), and his daughter-in-law Sarai (Abram's wife) and moved out of Ur of Babylonia. They had planned to go to the land of Canaan, but when they reached the city of Haran, they settled there.

Genesis 11:31
Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot (the son of Haran), and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram's wife, and with them he set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. When they came to Haran, they settled there.

Genesis 11:31
Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram's wife; and they went out together to go from Ur of the Chaldeans into the land of Canaan; but when they came to Haran [about five hundred and fifty miles northwest of Ur], they settled there.

Genesis 11:31
Now Terah took his son Abram, and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram's wife, and they departed together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan; and they went as far as Haran and settled there.

Genesis 11:31
Then Terah tooke Abram his sonne, and Lot the sonne of Haran, his sonnes sonne, and Sarai his daughter in lawe, his sonne Abrams wife: and they departed together from Vr of the Caldees, to goe into the land of Canaan, and they came to Haran, and dwelt there.

Genesis 11:31
And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram's wife; and they went out together from Ur of the Chaldeans in order to go to the land of Canaan; and they came as far as Haran and settled there.

Genesis 11:31
Terah decided to move from Ur to the land of Canaan. He took along Abram and Sarai and his grandson Lot, the son of Haran. But when they came to the city of Haran, they decided to settle there instead.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him,.... With Achish, for giving such a character of David, and taking his part, in order to detain him, if possible:

and the princes of the Philistines said unto him, make this fellow return; they speak of him with contempt, and insist on it that Achish order him to turn back, and go no further with them:

that he may go again to his place which thou hast appointed him; to Ziklag, the place that Achish had given him for his residence, 1 Samuel 27:6; they did not desire to have him sent to his own country, and to Saul, since should a reconciliation be made between them, he would be of great service to Saul against them:

and let him not go down with us to battle; into the valley of Jezreel, where the Israelites had pitched:

lest in the battle he be an adversary to us: and fall upon them behind, being in the rear, while they were engaging in the front with Israel:

for wherewith should he reconcile himself unto his master? to Saul he had offended, and fled from:

[should it] not [be] with the heads of these men? the Philistines; or unless by the heads of these men m; he had no other way of making his peace with his master but by cutting off the heads of the Philistines; and therefore he was a dangerous man to take with them into the battle.

m הלא בראשי "nisi per capita", Noldius, p. 257. No. 1147.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Samuel 29:4. The princes of the Philistines were wroth — It is strange that they had not yet heard of David's destruction of a village of the Geshurites, Gezrites, and Amalekites, 1 Samuel 27:8-9. Had they heard of this, they would have seen much more cause for suspicion.