291 And the Philistines gather all their camps to Aphek, and the Israelites are encamping at a fountain which 'is' in Jezreel, 2 and the princes of the Philistines are passing on by hundreds, and by thousands, and David and his men are passing on in the rear with Achish. 3 And the heads of the Philistines say, 'What 'are' these Hebrews?' and Achish saith unto the heads of the Philistines, 'Is not this David servant of Saul king of Israel, who hath been with me these days or these years, and I have not found in him anything 'wrong' from the day of his falling away till this day.' 4 And the heads of the Philistines are wroth against him, and the heads of the Philistines say to him, 'Send back the man, and he doth turn back unto his place whither thou hast appointed him, and doth not go down with us into battle, and is not to us for an adversary in battle; and wherewith doth this one reconcile himself unto his lord—is it not with the heads of those men?' 5 Is not this David, of whom they answer in choruses, saying, Saul hath smitten among his thousands, and David among his myriads?'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Samuel 29:1-5
Commentary on 1 Samuel 29:1-5
(Read 1 Samuel 29:1-5)
David waited with a secret hope that the Lord would help him out of his difficulty. But he seems to have been influenced too much by the fear of man, in consenting to attend Achish. It is hard to come near to the brink of sin, and not to fall in. God inclined the princes of the Philistines to oppose David's being employed in the battle. Thus their dislike befriended him, when no friend could do him such a kindness.