1 Samuel 29 · Verse 3

1 Samuel 29:3

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?
1 Samuel 29:3, King James Version

1 Samuel 29:3 in other translations

BSBThen 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.”
WEBThen 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.”
ASVThen 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?
YLTAnd the heads of the Philistines say, ‘What are these Hebrews?' and Achish saith unto the heads of the Philistines, ‘Is not this David servant of Saul king of Israel, who hath been with me these days or these years, and I have not found in him anything wrong from the day of his falling away till this day.'
DARBYAnd 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?
BBEThen the rulers of the Philistines said, What are these Hebrews doing here? And Achish said to the rulers of the Philistines, Is this not David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who has been with me for a year or two, and I have never seen any wrong in him from the time when he came to me till now?
WebsterThen said the princes of the Philistines, What do these Hebrews here? And Achish said to 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 these years, and I have found no fault in him since he fell to me to this day?

What does 1 Samuel 29:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
3. these days, or these years--He had now been with the Philistines a full year and four months (1Sa 27:7), and also some years before. It has been thought that David kept up a private correspondence with this Philistine prince, either on account of his native generosity, or in the anticipation that an asylum in his territories would sooner or later be needed.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 These days, or these years - I suppose these words to mark no definite time, and may be understood thus: "Is not this David, who has been with me for a considerable time?"

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 29:1-5

David waited with a secret hope that the Lord would help him out of his difficulty. But he seems to have been influenced too much by the fear of man, in consenting to attend Achish. It is hard to come near to the brink of sin, and not to fall in. God inclined the princes of the Philistines to oppose David's being employed in the battle. Thus their dislike befriended him, when no friend could do him such a kindness.

Read the full comment on 1 Samuel 29:1-5 →

1 Samuel 29:3 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙vai.yo.me.Ruand they saidH559
שָׂרֵ֣יsa.Rei[the] commanders ofH8269
פְלִשְׁתִּ֔יםfe.lish.Tim[the] PhilistinesH6430
מָ֖הmahwhat?H4100
הָעִבְרִ֣יםha.'iv.Rim[are] the HebrewsH5680
הָאֵ֑לֶּהha.'E.leh<the> theseH428
וַיֹּ֨אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
אָכִ֜ישׁ'a.KhishAchishH397
אֶל\־'el-toH413
שָׂרֵ֣יsa.Rei[the] commanders ofH8269
פְלִשְׁתִּ֗יםfe.lish.Tim[the] PhilistinesH6430
הֲלֽוֹא\־ha.lo'-¿ notH3808
זֶ֨הzeh[is] thisH2088
דָוִ֜דda.VidDavidH1732
עֶ֣בֶד\׀'E.ved[the] servant ofH5650
שָׁא֣וּלsha.'UlSaulH7586
מֶֽלֶךְ\־Me.lekh-[the] king ofH4428
יִשְׂרָאֵ֗לYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
אֲשֶׁ֨ר'a.SherwhoH834
הָיָ֤הha.Yahhe has beenH1961
אִתִּי֙'i.Tiwith meH854
זֶ֤הzehthisH2088
יָמִים֙ya.MimdaysH3117
אוֹ\־'ov-orH176
זֶ֣הzehthisH2088
שָׁנִ֔יםsha.NimyearsH8141
וְלֹֽא\־ve.lo'-and notH3808
מָצָ֤אתִיma.Tza.tiI have foundH4672
בוֹ֙voin <the> him
מְא֔וּמָהme.'U.mahanythingH3972
מִיּ֥וֹםmi.Yomfrom [the] dayH3117
נָפְל֖וֹna.fe.Lofell heH5307
עַד\־'ad-untilH5704
הַיּ֥וֹםhai.Yomthe dayH3117
הַזֶּֽה\׃\ \פha.Zeh<the> thisH2088

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Samuel 29:3

  • 1 Samuel 27:7

    And the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months.

  • Daniel 6:5

    Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.

  • 1 Samuel 25:28

    I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid: for the Lord will certainly make my lord a sure house; because my lord fighteth the battles of the Lord, and evil hath not been found in thee all thy days.

  • John 19:6

    When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him.

  • 1 Peter 3:16

    Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.

  • Romans 12:17

    Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Is not this David.These words seem to mark no definite time; and may be understood thus: "Is not this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who has been with me for a considerable time?"
these days.
27:7
found.
25:28; Da 6:5; Joh 19:6; Ro 12:17; 1Pe 3:16

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Samuel 29:2

    And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands: but David and his men passed on in the rereward with Achish.

  • 1 Samuel 29:3

    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?

  • 1 Samuel 29:4

    And the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him; and the princes of the Philistines said unto him, Make this fellow return, that he may go again to his place which thou hast appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he be an adversary to us: for wherewith should he reconcile himself unto his master? should it not be with the heads of these men?

Read all of 1 Samuel 29

1 Samuel 29:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y dijeron los príncipes de los Filisteos: ¿Qué hacen aquí estos Hebreos? Y Achîs respondió á los príncipes de los Filisteos: ¿No es éste David, el siervo de Saúl rey de Israel, que ha estado conmigo algunos días ó algunos años, y no he hallado cosa en él desde el día que se pasó á mí hasta hoy?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et les chefs des Philistins dirent: Que sont ces Hébreux? Et Akish dit aux chefs des Philistins: N’est-ce pas David, serviteur de Saül, roi d’Israël, qui a été avec moi tant de jours déjà, ou tant d’années? et je n’ai rien trouvé en lui, depuis le jour où il est tombé chez moi jusqu’à ce jour.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Da sprachen die Fürsten der Philister: Was sollen diese Hebräer? Und Achis sprach zu den Fürsten der Philister: Ist das nicht David, der Knecht Sauls, des Königs von Israel, der schon seit Jahr und Tag bei mir gewesen ist? und ich habe gar nichts an ihm gefunden von dem Tage an, da er abgefallen ist, bis auf diesen Tag.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Dixeruntque principes Philisthiim ad Achis: Quid sibi volunt Hebræi isti? Et ait Achis ad principes Philisthiim: Num ignoratis David, qui fuit servus Saul regis Israël, et est apud me multis diebus, vel annis, et non inveni in eo quidquam ex die qua transfugit ad me usque ad diem hanc?