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.”
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 3. Know David. It seems they were not unacquainted with him, since they knew that Achis had given him a place, (verse 4,) or city. Bible.—But they prudently judged that it would be very hazardous to employ him on this occasion. Providence thus brought him honourably out of the scrape, as he could not have remained even inactive, among the troops of the Philistines, without rendering himself suspected both to them and to his own people. Calmet.—Years. Abulensis thinks that Achis told an untruth, to persuade the lords that he had been long witness of David’s fidelity. He might also allude to the first time, when he came to his court, or the four months specified Calmet. 27:9, might fall into different years. Septuagint “he has been with us days, this is the second year.” Menochius.—Syr. “two years (Arab. “one year,”) and some months.” Calmet.—The true term was only four months. Worthington.