Tree of Life Version
1 Samuel 29:3
3Then the Philistine commanders said, “What are these Hebrews doing here?” Achish said to the Philistine commanders, “No! That’s David, servant of Israel’s King Saul—he’s been with me today for over a year, and I’ve not found any fault in him since the day he defected to me until now.”
1 Samuel 29:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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 these days, or these years, and I have found no fault in him since he fell unto me unto this day?
- New International Version (NIV)The commanders of the Philistines asked, “What about these Hebrews?” Achish replied, “Is this not David, who was an officer of Saul king of Israel? He has already been with me for over a year, and from the day he left Saul until now, I have found no fault in him.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)the commanders of the Philistines said, "What are these Hebrews doing here?" And Achish said to the commanders of the Philistines, "Is this not David, the servant of Saul, king of Israel, who has been with me now for days and years, and since he deserted to me I have found no fault in him to this day."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then the princes of the Philistines said, “What are these Hebrews doing here?” And Achish said to the princes of the Philistines, “Is this not David, the servant of Saul king of Israel, who has been with me these days, or these years? And to this day I have found no fault in him since he defected to me.”
Context of 1 Samuel 29:3
1Now the Philistines mustered all their armies at Aphek, while the Israelites were camping by the spring in Jezreel. 2As the Philistine lords were proceeding ahead of their hundreds and thousands, David and his men were bringing up the rear with Achish. Then the Philistine commanders said, “What are these Hebrews doing here?” Achish said to the Philistine commanders, “No! That’s David, servant of Israel’s King Saul—he’s been with me today for over a year, and I’ve not found any fault in him since the day he defected to me until now.” 4But the Philistine commanders got angry with him, and the Philistine commanders said to him, “Make this man go back—back to his place you assigned him. He must not go down with us to the battle, or in the battle he might become our adversary. For how would this fellow appease his lord? Wouldn’t it be with the heads of our men? 5Isn’t this one David, about whom they were singing in dances saying: ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?’”
Read all of 1 Samuel 291 Samuel 29:3 word by word
וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ שָׂרֵ֣י פְלִשְׁתִּ֔ים מָ֖ה הָעִבְרִ֣ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אָכִ֜ישׁ אֶל־שָׂרֵ֣י פְלִשְׁתִּ֗ים הֲלֽוֹא־זֶ֨ה דָוִ֜ד עֶ֣בֶד׀ שָׁא֣וּל מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר הָיָ֤ה אִתִּי֙ זֶ֤ה יָמִים֙ אוֹ־זֶ֣ה שָׁנִ֔ים וְלֹֽא־מָצָ֤אתִי בוֹ֙ מְא֔וּמָה מִיּ֥וֹם נָפְל֖וֹ עַד־הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Then saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- the princesשַׂרώar · rulerH8269
- of the Philistinesפְּלִשְׁתִּיpelishtîy · PhilistineH6430
- these Hebrewsעִבְרִי‛ibrîy · HebrewH5680
- And Achishאָכִישׁ'âkîysh · AchishH397
- not this Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
- the servantעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
- of Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
- the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- which hath been with me these daysיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- or these yearsשָׁנָהshâneh shânâh · yearH8141
- and I have foundמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
- no faultמְא֫וּמָהme'ûmâh · anythingH3972
- in him sinceיוֹםyôm · day: todayH3117
- he fellנָפַלnâphal · to fall: desertingH5307
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 29:3
- 1 Samuel 27:7The number of days that David stayed in the country of the Philistines was a year and four months.
- 1 Samuel 25:28Please, forgive the trespass of your maidservant. For Adonai will certainly make an enduring house for my lord, because my lord is fighting the battles of Adonai. So let no wrongdoing be found in you all your days.
- Daniel 6:5At this time the supervisors and satraps tried to find ground for a charge against Daniel regarding the kingdom. But they were unable to find fault or corruption, because he was trustworthy and no negligence or dishonesty could be found in him.
- John 19:6When the ruling kohanim and officers saw Him, they yelled out, “Execute Him! Execute Him!” Pilate said to them, “Take Him yourselves and execute Him! For I don’t find a case against Him.”
- Romans 12:17Repay no one evil for evil; give thought to what is good in the eyes of all people.
- 1 Peter 3:16yet with humility and reverence—keeping a clear conscience so that, whatever you are accused of, those who abuse you for your good conduct in Messiah may be put to shame.
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 29:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3These days, or these years - I suppose these words to mark no definite time, and may be understood thus: "Is not this David, who has been with me for a considerable time?"Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3He fell unto me - The regular word for deserting and going over to the other side. See Jeremiah 37:13; Jeremiah 38:19.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3the servant of King Saul of Israel: To Achish, David appeared to be a valuable defector (someone who had left his former king). The other Philistine rulers were suspicious. They feared that David was a spy who planned to attack them from inside their defenses. found no fault in him: This was the first of three times Achish defended David (see also 1 Samuel 29:6, 9). However, David had been deceiving Achish the entire time (see 1 Samuel 27:1–12).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. these days, or these years--He had now been with the Philistines a full year and four months (1Sa 27:7), and also some years before. It has been thought that David kept up a private correspondence with this Philistine prince, either on account of his native generosity, or in the anticipation that an asylum in his territories would sooner or later be needed.Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 29:3
In the dictionaries
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
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