1 Samuel 29:3

1 Now the Philistines brought all their forces together at Aphek, while Israel camped by the spring in Jezreel.

2 As the Philistine leaders marched out their units of hundreds and thousands, David and his men marched behind them with Achish.

Then the commanders of the Philistines asked, “What about these Hebrews?” Achish replied, “Is this not David, the servant of King Saul of Israel? He has been with me all these days, even years, and from the day he defected until today I have found no fault in him.”

4 But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with Achish and told him, “Send that man back and let him return to the place you assigned him. He must not go down with us into battle only to become our adversary during the war. What better way for him to regain the favor of his master than with the heads of our men?

5 Is this not the David about whom they sing in their dances: ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands’?”

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
Then the commanders of the Philistines asked, “What about these Hebrews?” Achish replied, “Is this not David, the servant of King Saul of Israel? He has been with me all these days, even years, and from the day he defected until today I have found no fault in him.”
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?
WEB
Then the princes of the Philistines said, “What about these Hebrews?” Achish said to the princes of the Philistines, “Isn’t this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who has been with me these days, or rather these years? I have found no fault in him since he fell away until today.”
ASV
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, who hath been with me these days, or [rather] these years, and I have found no fault in him since he fell away [unto me] unto this day?
DARBY
And the princes of the Philistines said, What are these Hebrews? And Achish said to the princes of the Philistines, Is not this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who has been with me these days, or these years, and I have found nothing in him since the day of his falling away [to me] to this day?
BLB
And the princes of the Philistines said, “What [are] these Hebrews?” 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, even these years? And I have not found in him anything from the day of his falling up to this day.”
ÅB
Da sa filistrenes høvdinger: Hva skal disse hebreere her? Akis svarte: Det er jo David, en av Sauls, Israels konges, tjenere, som nå har vært hos meg et år eller mere, og jeg har ikke funnet noe ondt hos ham fra den dag han gikk over til meg, og til denne dag.
OTB
Da sa filisternes høvdinger, «Hva gjør disse hebreerne her?» Og Akisj sa til filisternes høvdinger, «Er ikke dette David, tjeneren til Saul, Israels konge, som har vært hos meg nå i dager og år, og jeg har ikke funnet noe feil hos ham fra den dagen han gikk over til meg til denne dag?»
B1930
Da sa filistrenes høvdinger: Hvad skal disse hebreere her? Akis svarte: Det er jo David, en av Sauls, Israels konges, tjenere, som nu har vært hos mig et år eller mere, og jeg har ikke funnet noget ondt hos ham fra den dag han gikk over til mig, og til denne dag.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • 1 Samuel 27:7

    And the time that David lived in Philistine territory amounted to a year and four months.

    Read in context
  • Daniel 6:5

    Finally these men said, “We will never find any charge against this Daniel, unless we find something against him concerning the law of his God.”

    Read in context
  • 1 Samuel 25:28

    Please forgive your servant’s offense, for the LORD will surely make a lasting dynasty for my lord, because he fights the LORD’s battles. May no evil be found in you as long as you live.

    Read in context
  • John 19:6

    As soon as the chief priests and officers saw Him, they shouted, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” “You take Him and crucify Him,” Pilate replied, “for I find no basis for a charge against Him.”

    Read in context
  • 1 Peter 3:16

    keeping a clear conscience, so that those who slander you may be put to shame by your good behavior in Christ.

    Read in context
  • Romans 12:17

    Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Carefully consider what is right in the eyes of everybody.

    Read in context