1 Samuel 29:4

And the princes of the Philistines were angry with him; and the princes of the Philistines said unto him, Cause this man to go back, that he may return to his place whither thou hast assigned him; but he shall not go down with us to the battle, that he may not become an adversary to us in the battle; for wherewith could this person reconcile himself unto his master? is it not by means of the heads of these men?

Leeser Tanakh

In The King James Version

And the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him; and the princes of the Philistines said unto him, Make this fellow return, that he may go again to his place which thou hast appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he be an adversary to us: for wherewith should he reconcile himself unto his master? should it not be with the heads of these men?

In Context

3Then said the princes of the Philistines, What are these Hebrews to do? And Achish said unto the princes of the Philistines, Behold, this is David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who hath been with me already a year, or even years, and I have not found the least in him [to blame] from the day of his joining [me] until this day?

5Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in the dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?

Read all of 1 Samuel 29

Cross References

1 Samuel 14:21And the Hebrews that were with the Philistines as before that time, those namely who had gone up with them, were in the camp round about; but these also resolved to be with the Israelites that were with Saul and Jonathan.

1 Chronicles 12:19And some of Menasseh went over to David, when he came with the Philistines against Saul to battle; but he helped them not; for upon consultation did the lords of the Philistines send him away, saying, With our heads will he go over to his master Saul.

Matthew Henry on 1 Samuel 29:2-6

David with the Philistines. ( b. c. 1055.) 1 Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek: and the Israelites pitched by a fountain which is in Jezreel. 2 And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands: but David and his men passed on in the rereward with Achish. 3 Then said the princes of the Philistines, What do these Hebrews here? And Achish said unto the princes of the Philistines, Is not this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, which hath been with me… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study 1 Samuel 29:4