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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1708)
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>F I R S T S A M U E L</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>CHAP. XXIX.</FONT>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
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<P>
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How Saul, who was forsaken of God, when he was in a strait was more and
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more perplexed and embarrassed with his own counsels, we read in the
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foregoing chapter. In this chapter we find how David, who kept close to
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God, when he was in a strait was extricated and brought off by the
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providence of God, without any contrivance of his own. We have him,
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I. Marching with the Philistines,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+29:1,2">ver. 1, 2</A>.
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II. Excepted against by the lords of the Philistines,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+29:3-5">ver. 3-5</A>.
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III. Happily dismissed by Achish from that service which did so ill
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become him, and which yet he knew not how to decline,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+29:6-11">ver. 6-11</A>.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="1Sa29_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Sa29_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Sa29_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Sa29_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Sa29_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>David with the Philistines.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1055.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to
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Aphek: and the Israelites pitched by a fountain which <I>is</I> in
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Jezreel.
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2 And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and
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by thousands: but David and his men passed on in the rereward
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with Achish.
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3 Then said the princes of the Philistines, What <I>do</I> these
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Hebrews <I>here?</I> And Achish said unto the princes of the
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Philistines, <I>Is</I> not this David, the servant of Saul the king of
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Israel, which hath been with me these days, or these years, and I
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have found no fault in him since he fell <I>unto me</I> unto this day?
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4 And the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him; and
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the princes of the Philistines said unto him, Make this fellow
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return, that he may go again to his place which thou hast
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appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in
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the battle he be an adversary to us: for wherewith should he
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reconcile himself unto his master? <I>should it</I> not <I>be</I> with the
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heads of these men?
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5 <I>Is</I> not this David, of whom they sang one to another in
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dances, saying, Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten
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thousands?
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Here is,
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I. The great strait that David was in, which we may suppose he himself
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was aware of, though we read not of his asking advice from God, nor of
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any project of his own to get clear of it. The two armies of the
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Philistines and the Israelites were encamped and ready to engage,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+29:1"><I>v.</I> 1</A>.
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Achish, who had been kind to David, had obliged him to come himself and
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bring the forces he had into his service. David came accordingly, and,
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upon a review of the army, was found with Achish, in the post assigned
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him in the rear,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+29:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>.
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Now,
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1. If, when the armies engaged, he should retire, and quit his post, he
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would fall under the indelible reproach, not only of cowardice and
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treachery, but of base ingratitude to Achish, who had been his
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protector and benefactor and had reposed a confidence in him, and from
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whom he had received a very honourable commission. Such an
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unprincipled thing as this he could by no means persuade himself to do.
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2. If he should, as was expected from him, fight for the Philistines
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against Israel, he would incur the imputation of being an enemy to the
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Israel of God and a traitor to his country, would make his own people
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hate him, and unanimously oppose his coming to the crown, as unworthy
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the name of an Israelite, much more the honour and trust of a king of
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Israel, when he had fought against them under the banner of the
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uncircumcised. If Saul should be killed (as it proved he was) in this
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engagement, the fault would be laid at David's door, as if he had
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killed him. So that on each side there seemed to be both sin and
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scandal. This was the strait he was in; and a great strait it was to a
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good man, greater to see sin before him than to see trouble. Into this
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strait he brought himself by his own unadvisedness, in quitting the
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land of Judah, and going among the uncircumcised. It is strange if
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those that associate themselves with wicked people, and grow intimate
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with them, come off without guilt, or grief, or both. What he himself
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proposed to do does not appear. Perhaps he designed to act only as
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keeper to the king's head, the post assigned him
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+28:2"><I>ch.</I> xxviii. 2</A>)
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and not to do any thing offensively against Israel. But it would have
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been very hard to come so near the brink of sin and not to fall in.
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Therefore, though God might justly have left him in this difficulty, to
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chastise him for his folly, yet, because his heart was upright with
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him, he would <I>not suffer him to be tempted above what he was able,
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but with the temptation made a way for him to escape,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Co+10:13">1 Cor. x. 13</A>.</P>
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<P>
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II. A door opened for his deliverance out of this strait. God inclined
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the hearts of the princes of the Philistines to oppose his being
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employed in the battle, and to insist upon his being dismissed. Thus
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their enmity befriended him, when no friend he had was capable of doing
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him such a kindness.
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1. It was a proper question which they asked, upon the mustering of the
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forces, "<I>What do these Hebrews here?</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+29:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>.
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What confidence can we put in them, or what service can we expect from
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them?" A <I>Hebrew is out of his place,</I> and, if he has the spirit
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of a <I>Hebrew, is out of his element,</I> when he is in the camp of
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the Philistines, and deserves to be made uneasy there. David used to
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<I>hate the congregation of evil doers,</I> however he came now to be
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among them,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+26:5">Ps. xxvi. 5</A>.
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It was an honourable testimony which Achish, on this occasion, gave to
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David. He looked upon him as a refugee, that fled from a wrongful
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prosecution in his own country, and had put himself under his
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protection, whom therefore he was obliged, in justice, to take care of,
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and thought he might in prudence employ; "for (says he) he has been
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with me <I>these days,</I> or <I>these years,</I>" that is, a
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considerable time, many days at his court and a year or two in his
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country, and he never found any fault in him, nor saw any cause to
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distrust his fidelity, or to think any other than that he had heartily
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come over to him. By this it appears that David had conducted himself
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with a great deal of caution, and had prudently concealed the affection
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he still retained for his own people. We have need to <I>walk in wisdom
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towards those that are without, to keep our mouth when the wicked is
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before us,</I> and to be upon the reserve.
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3. Yet the princes are peremptory in it, that he must be sent home;
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and they give good reasons for their insisting on it.
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(1.) Because he had been an old enemy to the Philistines; witness what
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was sung in honour of his triumphs over them: <I>Saul slew his
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thousands, and David his ten thousands,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+29:5"><I>v.</I> 5</A>.
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"It will be a reproach to us to harbour and trust so noted a destroyer
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of our people; nor can it be thought that he will now act heartily
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against Saul who then acted so vigorously with him and for him." Who
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would be fond of popular praise or applause when, even that may,
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another time, be turned against a man to his reproach?
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(2.) Because he might be a most dangerous enemy to them, and do them
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more mischief then all Saul's army could
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+29:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>):
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"He may <I>in the battle be an adversary to us,</I> and surprise us
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with an attack in the rear, while their army charges us in the front;
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and we have reason to think he will do so, that, by betraying us, he
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may reconcile himself to his master. Who can trust a man who, besides
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his affection to his country, will think it his interest to be false to
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us?" It is dangerous to put confidence in a reconciled enemy.</P>
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<A NAME="1Sa29_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Sa29_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Sa29_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Sa29_9"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Sa29_10"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Sa29_11"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec2"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>David Leaves the Philistines.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1055.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>6 Then Achish called David, and said unto him, Surely, <I>as</I> the
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L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> liveth, thou hast been upright, and thy going out and thy
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coming in with me in the host <I>is</I> good in my sight: for I have
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not found evil in thee since the day of thy coming unto me unto
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this day: nevertheless the lords favour thee not.
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7 Wherefore now return, and go in peace, that thou displease
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not the lords of the Philistines.
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8 And David said unto Achish, But what have I done? and what
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hast thou found in thy servant so long as I have been with thee
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unto this day, that I may not go fight against the enemies of my
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lord the king?
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9 And Achish answered and said to David, I know that thou <I>art</I>
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good in my sight, as an angel of God: notwithstanding the princes
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of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us to the
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battle.
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10 Wherefore now rise up early in the morning with thy master's
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servants that are come with thee: and as soon as ye be up early
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in the morning, and have light, depart.
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11 So David and his men rose up early to depart in the morning,
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to return into the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines
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went up to Jezreel.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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If the reasons Achish had to trust David were stronger than the reasons
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which the princes offered why they should distrust him (as I do not see
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that, in policy, they were, for the princes were certainly in the
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right), yet Achish was but one of five, though the chief, and the only
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one that had the title of king; accordingly, in a council of war held
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on this occasion, he was over-voted, and obliged to dismiss David,
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though he was extremely fond of him. Kings cannot always do as they
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would, nor have such as they would about them.</P>
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<P>
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I. The discharge Achish gives him is very honourable, and not a final
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discharge, but only from the present service.
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1. He signifies the great pleasure and satisfaction he had taken in him
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and in his conversation: <I>Thou art good in my sight as an angel of
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God,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+29:9"><I>v.</I> 9</A>.
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Wise and good men will gain respect, wherever they go, from all that
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know how to make a right estimate of persons and things, though of
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different professions in religion. What Achish says of David, God, by
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the prophet, says <I>of the house of David</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Zec+12:8">Zech. xii. 8</A>),
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that it shall be <I>as the angel of the Lord.</I> But the former is a
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court-compliment; the latter is a divine promise.
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2. He gives him a testimonial of his good behaviour,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+29:6"><I>v.</I> 6</A>.
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It is very full and in obliging terms: "<I>Thou hast been upright,</I>
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and thy whole conduct has been <I>good in my sight,</I> and <I>I have
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not found evil in thee.</I>" Saul would not have given him such a
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testimonial, though he had done far more service to him than Achish.
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God's people should behave themselves always so inoffensively as if
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possible to get the good word of all they have dealings with; and it is
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a debt we owe to those who have acquitted themselves well to give them
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the praise of it.
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3. He lays all the blame of his dismission upon the princes, who would
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by no means suffer him to continue in the camp. "The king loves thee
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entirely, and would venture his life in thy hand; <I>but the lords
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favour thee not,</I> and we must not disoblige them, nor can we oppose
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them; therefore <I>return and go in peace.</I>" He had better part with
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his favourite than occasion a disgust among his generals and a mutiny
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in his army. Achish intimates a reason why they were uneasy. It was not
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so much for David's own sake as for the sake of his soldiers that
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attended him, whom he calls <I>his master's servants</I> (namely,
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Saul's),
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+29:10"><I>v.</I> 10</A>.
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They could trust him, but not them.
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(4.) He orders him to be gone early, as soon as it was light
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+29:10"><I>v.</I> 10</A>),
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to prevent their further resentments, and the jealousies they would
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have been apt to conceive if he had lingered.</P>
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<P>
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II. His reception of this discourse is very complimental; but, I fear,
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not without some degree of dissimulation. "What?" says David, "must I
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leave <I>my lord the king,</I> whom I am bound by office to protect,
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just now when he is going to expose himself in the field? Why may not I
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go and <I>fight against the enemies of my lord the king?</I>"
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+29:8"><I>v.</I> 8</A>.
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He seemed anxious to serve him when he was at this juncture really
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anxious to leave him, but he was not willing that Achish should know
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that he was. No one knows how strong the temptation is to compliment
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and dissemble which those are in that attend great men, and how hard it
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is to avoid it.</P>
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<P>
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III. God's providence ordered it wisely and graciously for him. For,
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besides that the snare was broken and he was delivered out of the
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dilemma to which he was first reduced, it proved a happy hastening of
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him to the relief of his own city, which sorely wanted him, though he
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did not know it. Thus the disgrace which the lords of the Philistines
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put upon him prove, in more ways than one, an advantage to him. <I>The
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steps of a good man ore ordered by the Lord, and he delighteth in his
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way.</I> What he does with us we know not now, but we shall know
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hereafter, and shall see it was all for good.</P>
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