1 Samuel 29 7

1 Samuel 29:7 kjv

Wherefore now return, and go in peace, that thou displease not the lords of the Philistines.

1 Samuel 29:7 nkjv

Therefore return now, and go in peace, that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines."

1 Samuel 29:7 niv

Now turn back and go in peace; do nothing to displease the Philistine rulers."

1 Samuel 29:7 esv

So go back now; and go peaceably, that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines."

1 Samuel 29:7 nlt

Please don't upset them, but go back quietly."

1 Samuel 29 verses

1 Samuel 29 7 Meaning

King Achish of Gath here commands David to withdraw from the Philistine encampment and return to his base at Ziklag. This instruction, given as a gesture of peace and dismissal, is explicitly motivated by the other Philistine rulers' distrust of David, ensuring David's continued presence does not create animosity or opposition from them.

1 Samuel 29 7 Context

1 Samuel 29 describes a pivotal moment in David's life while he was taking refuge among the Philistines. For sixteen months, David and his men had lived in Ziklag under the patronage of Achish, the King of Gath, after fleeing from Saul (1 Sam 27). During this time, David deceived Achish into believing he was raiding Israelite and Judean towns, while in fact he was attacking enemies of Israel (1 Sam 27:8-12).

As the Philistines gathered their forces to attack Israel at Jezreel, Achish, trusting David's loyalty and viewing him as his personal bodyguard (1 Sam 28:1-2), fully expected David and his men to join the Philistine army. This put David in an impossible position: if he fought alongside the Philistines, he would be fighting against God's anointed people and his own kinsmen; if he betrayed the Philistines, he would lose his refuge and risk Achish's wrath.

However, the other Philistine "lords" or commanders were highly suspicious of David. They vehemently argued to Achish that David could not be trusted in battle, fearing he would switch allegiance mid-fight to reconcile with Saul (1 Sam 29:3-5). They demanded David's dismissal, highlighting his fame for killing Philistines, specifically Goliath (1 Sam 29:5). Achish, while personally still trusting David and expressing regret (1 Sam 29:6), bowed to the collective pressure of his co-rulers. Verse 7 is Achish relaying this decision to David, commanding his peaceful return to Ziklag to appease his suspicious allies, thereby unknowingly fulfilling God's protective and providential plan for David.

1 Samuel 29 7 Word analysis

• Return (שׁוּב - shuv):

  • Meaning: To turn back, to go back, to restore.
  • Significance: Implies a definitive reversal of direction from the military march, marking an end to David's participation. It signifies not merely a casual departure but a deliberate withdrawal.

• go (הָלַךְ - halakh):

  • Meaning: To walk, to go, to proceed.
  • Significance: In combination with "peace," it denotes a journey that is blessed and unimpeded, a wish for a safe and trouble-free departure.

• peace (שָׁלוֹם - shalom):

  • Meaning: More than absence of conflict; it signifies wholeness, well-being, prosperity, completeness, and a state of security and right relationship.
  • Significance: Achish’s use of "shalom" is a common farewell blessing in the ancient Near East, here offered despite David's forced removal, signifying Achish's genuine good will towards David despite the circumstances. It's a wish for David's untroubled and successful journey.

• displease (לֹא־תִהְיֶה רַע בְּעֵינֵי - lo'-tihyeh ra' b'eyney):

  • Meaning: Literally "that you not be evil in the eyes of," meaning "that you may not be a source of trouble," "be unwelcome," or "appear displeasing/unacceptable."
  • Significance: This phrase succinctly reveals the political pressure on Achish. The concern is about public perception and inter-Philistine political harmony. David's presence was viewed as ra (evil/bad) by the other rulers, creating dissent and mistrust.

• lords (סַרְנֵי - sarney):

  • Meaning: This is a distinct Philistine term (only used for Philistine rulers) meaning "lords" or "princes" of the Philistine city-states (e.g., Ashkelon, Gaza, Ashdod, Ekron, Gath).
  • Significance: Highlights the decentralized nature of the Philistine pentapolis where major decisions, especially military ones, required consensus or approval from the confederacy's independent rulers, even over one another's personal alliances. Achish, despite his personal trust, was subservient to their collective judgment in this context.

• Philistines (פְלִשְׁתִּים - Pelishtim):

  • Meaning: The indigenous people and perennial enemies of Israel during this period.
  • Significance: Irony abounds: the very enemies of Israel unintentionally serve God’s purpose by preventing David from fighting his own people. They become instruments of divine providence.

• Words-group: "Return then, and go in peace":

  • This is a command ("return") combined with a traditional blessing/dismissal ("go in peace"). While it signifies expulsion, Achish frames it courteously, conveying that the decision is not out of his personal animosity but necessity. For David, it was an answer to a prayer, though he might not have overtly expressed one about this specific dilemma. It offers him an honorable way out of an impossible situation.

• Words-group: "that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines":

  • This phrase unequivocally states the reason for David's dismissal. It reveals the true power dynamics and suspicions within the Philistine alliance. Achish's hands were tied, and the concern was primarily political and military expediency – avoiding internal Philistine disunity by removing the controversial element, David. This ultimately served to keep David from shedding the blood of his countrymen.

1 Samuel 29 7 Bonus section

• Divine Intervention in Unforeseen Ways: This verse showcases a unique instance where divine protection for David doesn't come through direct miraculous intervention or a prophetic word, but through the mundane, politically motivated decisions of pagan rulers. God works through the mistrust and human strategizing of the Philistine lords to prevent David from committing a grave sin, freeing him from an ethical quagmire.
• Achish's Ambivalent Position: The verse also reveals Achish's good will towards David ("I have found no fault in you," v. 6) contrasting with his practical limitations as a single Philistine lord bound by the collective opinion of his peers. He valued David's loyalty and capabilities but had to concede to the alliance's fears, unwittingly becoming an agent of God's will.
• The "Good" Out of "Bad" Circumstances: David's removal, which could have been perceived as a diplomatic setback or personal insult, proved to be an unexpected blessing. It liberated him just in time for him to rescue his own people and possessions from the Amalekites back in Ziklag (1 Sam 30), a situation that further solidified his leadership and divine favor before ascending to the throne. This underscores that what appears to be a setback can be God's loving hand guiding us away from potential harm.

1 Samuel 29 7 Commentary

1 Samuel 29:7 marks a crucial turning point orchestrated by divine providence. David had placed himself in an morally compromising position by allying with the Philistines, putting him on the verge of fighting against Israel. While David's faith might have been faltering in seeking refuge with Achish (1 Sam 27:1), God's faithfulness to His promises for David did not. Through the Philistine lords' suspicions—not Achish's personal desire—God delivered David from a direct confrontation with his own people. This dismissal, outwardly an inconvenience, was an profound act of grace, preventing God's anointed future king from staining his hands with the blood of Israelite kinsmen or defying God's people in battle. It highlights God's sovereign hand working through human actions, even those of His enemies, to protect His chosen one and ensure His larger purposes for the kingdom. It is a subtle but powerful demonstration that God uses both adverse circumstances and the choices of unbelievers to further His redemptive plan.