Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 1 · 1 Samuel · Chapter 29
CHAP. XXIX.
NOW the Philistims gathered all their Armies together to Aphek, and the Israelites pitched by a fountaine in Jezreel. Before in ch. 28. 5. it is said, that V. 1.the Philistims, pitched in Shunem and Israel in mount Gilboa. Now Shunem was in the borders of Issachar, Josh. 19. 18. and Aphek of Asher, Josh. 19. 30. But these two Tribes lay the one next unto the other, and so these places were Junius.neare together, and neare to Shunem was Jezreel, being therefore named together Iosh. 19. 18. and neare to the valley of Jezreel, where this fountaine was, were the mountaines of Gelboah, Junius. Although then new places be named, yet there was no remove of the Armies, but because these places were contiguous, the Armies of the Philistims overspreading Shunem, and Aphek, and the Israelites Gelboah to the valley of Jezreel, sometime one is named and sometime another.
David comming with his men with Achish in the rereward, the Lords of V. 2, 3.the Philistims were offended, and would not suffer the Hebrewes to goe with them to battle, although Achish pleaded for David and justified him against V. 4, 5.their jealousies, saying, that he had beene with him many dayes, &c. whereupon they that hold David to have beene onelyonly foure months in the Philistims Lyra.country, say that Achish spake of a longer time, then he had beene there, to pacifie the other Princes the more. It was not without a singular providence, that the Princes had David and his men in such suspition, for by this meanes, he was kept both from fighting against his country, and returned opportunely to rescue Ziklag in his absence invaded by the Amalekites, and got much prey, wherewith he made him many friends for the better obtaining of the kingdome of Israel after Sauls death. And thus also he destroyed the rest of the Amalekites, who had before escaped Sauls hands.
Achish being overcome by the importunity of the other Princes, saith unto V. 6.David, as the Lord liveth thou hast beene upright, &c. He being sorry, that they had David in suspition, which he thought would be grievous to him to heare of, lenifyed the matter as well as he could, by professing that he thought exceedingly well of him, but the Princes favoured him not, and therefore he willed him to returne to his place. Thus saith Martyr, even Kings are forced P. Martyr.oft times to doe otherwise then they would by their Subjects, as David afterwards to tolerate Joab, Darius to deliver Daniel to be cast into the Lions den, Zedechiah touching Ieremiah said to his Princes, that he could deny nothing unto them; and Sylla, Caesar, and Marius, yeilded to many things against their wills at the importunity of their Souldiers: whereby he seemeth to have taken Achish to be King over all the other Princes, but they were indeed all reguli, or petty Kings, being sometime therefore called Lords, 1 Sam. 6. 4. 17. and Gath, of which Achish is said here to be King, is not named first, as the principall, but in the fourth place. But whereas Achish saith, as the Lord liveth, it may be demanded, how he being an Idolater, knew the Lord to sweare by Qu. him, and specially to speake of him by the name Jehovah? Answ. This was no singular thing in him, for ch. 6. 2. the Philistims doe generally thus speak of God, and Peter Martyr thinketh, that they had the knowledge of this name ever since the time of Abraham, Isaack, and Jacob, who lived in that country, P. Martyr.of whom they could not but heare him often spoken of. But although they had not the knowledge of this name so long agoe, they might learne it of the Israelites, and take up this phrase, when they would speake seriously of God after their manner, seeing they lived so neare unto them. Whereas Achish is said here to have remitted David to Ziklag, Josephus saith, that he sent him to defend his borders from the incursions of enemies in the time of his absence. Iosephus.But herein he was mistaken, for he went but to his place, v. 4. that is, Ziklag, the place by King Achish assigned unto him.
David hearing this seemed to take it heavily that hee might not be trusted to V. 8.goe with the King to fight against his enemies, wherein some justifie him, as if he spake as he thought, having it still in his minde, that he would doe, when Borrhaeus.hee came to the battaile, as God should direct him, either by not fighting or fighting: some, that he spake thus out of flattery to hold Achish his favour still, Osiander.but justifying him, because he was now in such a case, that he was necessarily enforced to dissemble: Lastly some hold, that he sinned in thus dissembling P. Martyr.for a worldly advantage. For my part, I dare not hold with them, that tax David as sinning in this, but rather with those that justifie him, for he submitted himselfe wholly to Gods guidance and direction, as before when they first set out, ch. 28. It was not necessary for him to discover the inward thoughts of his heart to Achish, that he had some hope all this while, that if it were displeasing to God, that he should goe to fight against his brethren, he would provide by some meanes to hinder his progresse, this he might without sinning keepe to himselfe, and now that he was hindered, how glad he was of this accident, and yet expostulate with Achish for not suffering him to goe forward, as if he suspected his fidelity, for if he had gone on, he meant not to be unfaithfull to him. Therefore when he saith, that I may not goe to fight against the enemies of the Lord my King, it was, as if he had further added, which I would have beene ready to doe, if it had beene Gods will that I should, which now I finde it is not, by reason of this obstacle, which could not have happened but by his speciall providence.
Achish replyed, that David was in his fight as an angell of God, &c. so that V. 9, 10.we see, the heathen were not without all knowledge of God and of his messengers the holy Angels, whom they held to be excellent creatures, as we may gather from this that he likened David to an Angell, when he would most highly commend him, which sheweth them to be the more unexcusable in their Idolatry, as Saint Paul reasoneth Rom. 1. 19. He spake thus to comfort David, whatsoever the other Princes thought of him, and had him in suspition, yet he did highly esteeme of him, as a man sent unto him by God, lest being discouraged he should thinke of leaving his country againe and going to some other place. But because the Princes favoured him not he bade him to depart with his Masters servants earely in the morning, lest happily Peter Martyr.they seeing him not gone should in wrath oppresse him with their forces, or lay any ambush for him in the way, so Peter Martyr. And he calleth them his Masters men because they were Sauls his Masters subjects.
Then David with his men departed into the Philistims country, and the V. 11.Philistims went up to Jezreel, that is, to the place where the Campe of the Israelites lay, to fight with them, and by this meanes David was not amongst them when Saul was slaine, but retired to a more fit place for the Israelites to repaire unto him to make him King, as is shewed 1 Chron: 12. 19, 20, 21.