1 Samuel 29 6

1 Samuel 29:6 kjv

Then Achish called David, and said unto him, Surely, as the LORD liveth, thou hast been upright, and thy going out and thy coming in with me in the host is good in my sight: for I have not found evil in thee since the day of thy coming unto me unto this day: nevertheless the lords favor thee not.

1 Samuel 29:6 nkjv

Then Achish called David and said to him, "Surely, as the LORD lives, you have been upright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the army is good in my sight. For to this day I have not found evil in you since the day of your coming to me. Nevertheless the lords do not favor you.

1 Samuel 29:6 niv

So Achish called David and said to him, "As surely as the LORD lives, you have been reliable, and I would be pleased to have you serve with me in the army. From the day you came to me until today, I have found no fault in you, but the rulers don't approve of you.

1 Samuel 29:6 esv

Then Achish called David and said to him, "As the LORD lives, you have been honest, and to me it seems right that you should march out and in with me in the campaign. For I have found nothing wrong in you from the day of your coming to me to this day. Nevertheless, the lords do not approve of you.

1 Samuel 29:6 nlt

So Achish finally summoned David and said to him, "I swear by the LORD that you have been a trustworthy ally. I think you should go with me into battle, for I've never found a single flaw in you from the day you arrived until today. But the other Philistine rulers won't hear of it.

1 Samuel 29 verses

1 Samuel 29 6 Meaning

King Achish of Gath affirms David’s consistent and faultless conduct, particularly within the military, from the day David sought refuge with him until the present moment. He expresses his unwavering trust and approval of David’s integrity, swearing by the living God that no wrong has been found in him. This statement serves as Achish’s rationale for wanting David to remain but ultimately confirms David's unexpected and forced departure from the Philistine army due to the distrust of the other Philistine lords.

1 Samuel 29 6 Context

This verse is situated during a critical juncture in David's life, following his escape from King Saul and his subsequent refuge with the Philistine king Achish in Gath (1 Sam 27). For a year and four months, David and his men had served Achish as vassals, feigning loyalty while secretly raiding non-Israelite towns (Amalekites, Geshurites, Girzites) and presenting the spoils to Achish as if they were raids against Judahite territory (1 Sam 27:8-12). This deception had earned David Achish's complete trust and high regard.

Chapter 29 finds the Philistine lords gathering their armies to wage war against Israel. Achish intends for David and his men to join his contingent in the battle. However, the other Philistine lords strongly object, fearing David will betray them mid-battle to reconcile with Saul and the Israelites (1 Sam 29:3-5). They demand that Achish send David away. Achish, despite his personal faith in David’s loyalty and competence, reluctantly accedes to their demand. Verse 6 is Achish's direct address to David, explaining his decision while reiterating his profound confidence and trust in David's integrity throughout their association.

The broader historical context reveals the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Philistines. David, caught in this conflict, is navigating a precarious position, serving a foreign king while remaining God's anointed leader for Israel. The tension between his actual allegiance and his feigned loyalty creates a complex moral landscape, one which God sovereignly manipulates to preserve David's purity concerning the upcoming battle against his own people.

1 Samuel 29 6 Word analysis

• Then Achish called David: Achish, exercising his royal authority, summons David to a direct conversation, indicating the importance and sensitive nature of the topic to be discussed.
• and said unto him: Denotes a personal and significant declaration from the king to his subordinate.
• Surely as the LORD liveth (אך חי־יהוה - 'akh ḥai-YHWH):
  • Surely (אך - 'akh): An emphasizing particle that adds weight, certainty, and solemnity to the oath being sworn. It signifies that Achish truly believes and is strongly affirming what he is about to say.
  • as the LORD liveth (חי־יהוה - ḥai-YHWH): A profound oath, common among the Israelites, invoking the very existence and life of the covenant God of Israel, Yahweh. For a Philistine king to use this precise Israelite oath (rather than an oath by Dagon or other pagan deities) is highly significant. It might indicate that YHWH's reputation had spread, that Achish genuinely respected David's God, or that he adopted the idiom due to his familiarity with David and Israel. Theologically, it showcases the sovereignty of YHWH, whose reality can be acknowledged even by a pagan ruler, orchestrating events to protect David and ensure God's plan.
• thou hast been upright (יָשָׁר - yashar): Signifies integrity, moral straightforwardness, and blamelessness. Achish genuinely perceives David's character as honest, free from deceit or ill-will in all his dealings. This speaks to David's masterful, divinely-guided, execution of his deception toward Achish.
• and thy going out and thy coming in (צֵאתְךָ וּבֹאֲךָ - tzē't-ḵā u-vo'ăḵā): This is a widely used Hebrew idiom for a person’s complete activities, conduct, and leadership in all spheres of life, including military operations. It encompasses all David’s actions and interactions while residing and serving under Achish, both within the Philistine camp and during various military engagements.
• with me in the host (עִמִּי בַּמַּחֲנֶה - ‘immi ba-maḥaneh): Specifies the context of David's perceived blamelessness – it was observed within the military framework, within the encampment and during campaigns led alongside Achish. This clarifies that the king's affirmation is about David's performance as a warrior and a loyal subordinate.
• is good in my sight (טוֹב בְּעֵינַי - ṭōv bə-ʿēnāy): Indicates that David's conduct met with Achish's approval, was pleasing to him, and was considered commendable. It suggests a high level of satisfaction and confidence in David’s abilities and character from Achish's perspective.
• for I have not found evil in thee (לֹא מָצָאתִי בְךָ רָע - lō' matsa'tī bəḵā ra'āʿ): This reinforces and specifies the earlier assertion of David's uprightness. Achish states that, after diligent observation, he has found no treachery, malice, harmful intent, or disloyalty in David. This speaks to the remarkable success of David’s strategic concealment of his true loyalty to Israel.
• since the day of thy coming unto me unto this day: This phrase emphasizes the comprehensiveness and sustained nature of Achish’s positive assessment. It spans the entire period of their association, signifying a consistent and prolonged observation of David’s seemingly faultless behavior. This underscores Achish’s profound, long-standing trust in David.

1 Samuel 29 6 Bonus section

• Divine Irony: Achish's emphatic statement of David's loyalty is fraught with divine irony. While David was loyal to Achish in terms of carrying out tasks assigned (like protecting Ziklag) and enriching Achish (with the spoils of "enemies"), his ultimate loyalty was not to Achish or the Philistines, but to YHWH and the nation of Israel. Yet, this "mistaken" trust by Achish served God's purpose to extract David from an impossible situation.
• God's Protection Through Paradox: This scenario exemplifies God protecting David by using the Philistine lords' lack of trust to nullify Achish's trust, effectively removing David from fighting against his own people without David directly disobeying Achish or appearing rebellious. It highlights that God can work through both faith and skepticism among unbelievers to accomplish His will.
• David's Moral Compromise and God's Mercy: While David's deception of Achish (1 Sam 27:8-12) might be seen as morally questionable, the text emphasizes God's sovereign control over the outcome. This specific narrative point is critical for understanding how David, as God's anointed, navigated a deeply compromised position without directly shedding the blood of Israel, thereby protecting his divine calling. God's wisdom transcends human ethical frameworks, allowing complex situations to serve a greater purpose.

1 Samuel 29 6 Commentary

1 Samuel 29:6 serves as a powerful testament to the perceived integrity of David by a foreign ruler. Achish’s use of the Israelite oath, "Surely as the LORD liveth," is highly significant, inadvertently validating YHWH's power and David's God-protected path even in pagan territory. Despite David's deceptive strategy with Achish (pretending to raid Judah while targeting others), Achish genuinely believes in David's unreserved loyalty and blameless character. This ironic trust, while based on a facade, highlights divine providence at work. God uses Achish's firm belief in David's loyalty and the Philistine lords' distrust (even though they are technically correct that David might turn) to maneuver David away from a morally devastating direct conflict with Israel. David is thus preserved from shedding the blood of his own people and committing a great sin against God's calling. The verse underscores that God’s plans are enacted through various means, sometimes even through the mistaken judgments of unbelievers, ensuring His anointed leader remains undefiled for the coming kingdom.