1 Samuel 29:7

29:6-11 David scarcely ever had a greater deliverance than when dismissed from such insnaring service. God's people should always behave themselves so, as, if possible, to get the good word of all they have dealings with: and it is due to those who have acted well, to speak well of them.

Wherefore now return,.... To Ziklag: and go in peace; not only in a peaceable manner, easy and satisfied, as David was at his very heart to hear this, but all prosperity and happiness attend thee; the Jews (n) distinguish between wishing persons to go in peace, and to go to peace; the former they observe has not issued happily, when the other has, and they instance in the wish of Jethro to Moses, and of David to Absalom: that thou displease not the lords of the Philistines: and what would be the consequence of that he could not say, but suggests it would be most for his peace and safety to depart. (n) T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 64. 1. Sepher Alphes, par. 1. fol. 421. 2.

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.

After this declaration on the part of the princes, Achish was obliged to send David back. 1 Samuel 29:6-7 With a solemn assertion, - swearing by Jehovah to convince David all the more thoroughly of the sincerity of his declaration, - Achish said to him, "Thou art honourable, and good in my eyes (i.e., quite right in my estimation) are thy going out and coming in (i.e., all thy conduct) with me in the camp, for I have not found anything bad in thee; but in the eyes of the princes thou art not good (i.e., the princes do not think thee honourable, do not trust thee). Turn now, and go in peace, that thou mayest do nothing displeasing to the princes of the Philistines."

Nathan the prophet - Here first mentioned, but playing an important part afterward (e. g. 2 Samuel 12:1 ; 1 Kings 1:10 ; 1 Chronicles 29:29 ; 2 Chronicles 9:29 ). From the two last passages it appears that he wrote the history of David's reign, and a part at least of Solomon's. His distinctive title is the prophet, that of Gad the seer (compare 1 Samuel 9:9 ). He was probably nuch younger than David. In 2 Samuel 7:3 , he spoke his own private opinion; in 2 Samuel 7:4 , this was corrected by the word of the Lord.

Nathan the prophet - Here first mentioned, but playing an important part afterward (e. g. 2 Samuel 12:1 ; 1 Kings 1:10 ; 1 Chronicles 29:29 ; 2 Chronicles 9:29 ). From the two last passages it appears that he wrote the history of David's reign, and a part at least of Solomon's. His distinctive title is the prophet, that of Gad the seer (compare 1 Samuel 9:9 ). He was probably nuch younger than David. In 2 Samuel 7:3 , he spoke his own private opinion; in 2 Samuel 7:4 , this was corrected by the word of the Lord.