1 Samuel 29:9

1 Samuel 29:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Achish answered and said to David, I know that thou art good in my sight, as an angel of God: notwithstanding the princes of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle.
• New International Version (NIV)Achish answered, “I know that you have been as pleasing in my eyes as an angel of God; nevertheless, the Philistine commanders have said, ‘He must not go up with us into battle.’
• English Standard Version (ESV)And Achish answered David and said, "I know that you are as blameless in my sight as an angel of God. Nevertheless, the commanders of the Philistines have said, 'He shall not go up with us to the battle.'
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then Achish answered and said to David, “I know that you are as good in my sight as an angel of God; nevertheless the princes of the Philistines have said, ‘He shall not go up with us to the battle.’

Context of 1 Samuel 29:9

7Now then, return and go in peace, so that you will not do anything wrong in the sight of the governors of the Philistines.” 8However, David said to Achish, “But what have I done? And what have you found in your servant since the day that I came before you, to this day, that I cannot go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?” But Achish replied to David, “I know that you are pleasing in my sight, like an angel of God; nevertheless the commanders of the Philistines have said, ‘He must not go up with us into the battle.’ 10Now then, rise early in the morning with the servants of your lord who have come with you, and as soon as you have risen early in the morning and have light, leave.” 11So David got up early, he and his men, to leave in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.

1 Samuel 29:9 word by word

וַיַּ֣עַן אָכִישׁ֮ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֶל־דָּוִד֒ יָדַ֕עְתִּי כִּ֣י ט֥וֹב אַתָּ֛ה בְּעֵינַ֖י כְּמַלְאַ֣ךְ אֱלֹהִ֑ים אַ֣ךְ שָׂרֵ֤י פְלִשְׁתִּים֙ אָֽמְר֔וּ לֹֽא־יַעֲלֶ֥ה עִמָּ֖נוּ בַּמִּלְחָמָֽה׃Read the interlinear

• But Achishאָכִישׁ'âkîysh · AchishH397
• repliedעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030
• to Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• I knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• that you are pleasingטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
• in my sightעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: seeingH5869
• like an angelמַלְאָךְmal'âk · messenger: angelH4397
• of Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• neverthelessאַךְ'ak · surelyH389
• the commandersשַׂרώar · rulerH8269
• of the Philistinesפְּלִשְׁתִּיpelishtîy · PhilistineH6430
• have saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• He must not goעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
• upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
• with us into the battleמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 29:9

• 2 Samuel 14:17Then your servant said, ‘Please let the word of my lord the king be comforting, for as the angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and evil. And may the Lord your God be with you.’”
• 2 Samuel 19:27Furthermore, he has slandered your servant to my lord the king; but my lord the king is like the angel of God, therefore do what is good in your sight.
• Galatians 4:14and you did not despise that which was a trial to you in my bodily condition, nor express contempt, but you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself.
• 1 Samuel 29:4But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with him, and the commanders of the Philistines said to him, “Make the man go back, so that he will return to his place where you have assigned him, and do not let him go down to battle with us, or in the battle he may become an adversary to us. For how could this man find favor with his lord? Would it not be with the heads of these men?

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 29:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9As an angel of God - There is some reason to think that Achish had actually embraced or was favourably disposed towards the Jewish religion. He speaks here of the angels of God, as a Jew might be expected to speak; and in 1 Samuel 29:6; he appeals to, and swears by Jehovah; which, perhaps, no Philistine ever did. It is possible that he might have learned many important truths from David, during the time he sojourned with him.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-11Verses 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.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-11God's help saved David from having to fight his own people.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. notwithstanding the princes of the Philistines have said--The Philistine government had constitutional checks--or at least the king was not an absolute sovereign; but his authority was limited--his proceedings liable to be controlled by "the powerful barons of that rude and early period--much as the kings of Europe in the Middle Ages were by the proud and lawless aristocracy which surrounded them" [Chalmers].Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 29:9

• Angel (Holy Trinity)
• Integrity

In the dictionaries

• David
• God
• Philistines
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Angel of God
• Achish
• Lords of the Philistines
• Samuel, Books of

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 29

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings