1 Samuel 29 · Verse 9

1 Samuel 29:9

And Achish answered and said to David, I know that thou art good in my sight, as an angel of God: notwithstanding the princes of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle.
1 Samuel 29:9, King James Version

1 Samuel 29:9 in other translations

BSBAchish replied, “I know that you are as pleasing in my sight as an angel of God. But the commanders of the Philistines have said, ‘He must not go into battle with us.’
WEBAchish answered David, “I know that you are good in my sight, as an angel of God. Notwithstanding, the princes of the Philistines have said, ‘He shall not go up with us to the battle.’
ASVAnd Achish answered and said to David, I know that thou art good in my sight, as an angel of God: notwithstanding the princes of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle.
YLTAnd Achish answereth and saith unto David, ‘I have known that thou art good in mine eyes as a messenger of God; only, the princes of the Philistines have said, He doth not go up with us into battle;
DARBYAnd Achish answered and said to David, I know that thou art acceptable to me, as an angel of God; nevertheless the princes of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle.
BBEAnd Achish in answer said, It is true that in my eyes you are good, like an angel of God: but still, the rulers of the Philistines have said, He is not to go up with us to the fight.
WebsterAnd Achish answered and said to David, I know that thou art good in my sight, as an angel of God: notwithstanding, the princes of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle.

What does 1 Samuel 29:9 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
9. notwithstanding the princes of the Philistines have said--The Philistine government had constitutional checks--or at least the king was not an absolute sovereign; but his authority was limited--his proceedings liable to be controlled by "the powerful barons of that rude and early period--much as the kings of Europe in the Middle Ages were by the proud and lawless aristocracy which surrounded them" [Chalmers].

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 9 As an angel of God - There is some reason to think that Achish had actually embraced or was favourably disposed towards the Jewish religion. He speaks here of the angels of God, as a Jew might be expected to speak; and in 1Sam 29:6 he appeals to, and swears by Jehovah; which, perhaps, no Philistine ever did. It is possible that he might have learned many important truths from David, during the time he sojourned with him.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 29:6-11

David scarcely ever had a greater deliverance than when dismissed from such insnaring service. God's people should always behave themselves so, as, if possible, to get the good word of all they have dealings with: and it is due to those who have acted well, to speak well of them.

Read the full comment on 1 Samuel 29:6-11 →

1 Samuel 29:9 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.

וַיַּ֣עַןvai.Ya.'anand he answeredH6030
אָכִישׁ֮'a.KhishAchishH397
וַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
אֶל\־'el-toH413
דָּוִד֒da.VidDavidH1732
יָדַ֕עְתִּיya.Da'.tiI knowH3045
כִּ֣יkithatH3588
ט֥וֹבTov[are] goodH2896
אַתָּ֛ה'a.TahyouH859
בְּעֵינַ֖יbe.'ei.Naiin view myH5869
כְּמַלְאַ֣ךְke.mal.'Akhlike an angel ofH4397
אֱלֹהִ֑ים'E.lo.HimGodH430
אַ֣ךְ'akhneverthelessH389
שָׂרֵ֤יsa.Rei[the] commanders ofH8269
פְלִשְׁתִּים֙fe.lish.Tim[the] PhilistinesH6430
אָֽמְר֔וּ'a.me.Ruthey have saidH559
לֹֽא\־lo'-notH3808
יַעֲלֶ֥הya.'a.Lehhe will go upH5927
עִמָּ֖נוּ'i.Ma.nuwith usH5973
בַּמִּלְחָמָֽה\׃ba.mil.cha.Mahin <the> battleH4421

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

Cross references for 1 Samuel 29:9

  • 2 Samuel 19:27

    And he hath slandered thy servant unto my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God: do therefore what is good in thine eyes.

  • 2 Samuel 14:20

    To fetch about this form of speech hath thy servant Joab done this thing: and my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all things that are in the earth.

  • 2 Samuel 14:17

    Then thine handmaid said, The word of my lord the king shall now be comfortable: for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad: therefore the Lord thy God will be with thee.

  • Galatians 4:14

    And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

  • 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?

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
as an angel.
2Sa 14:17,20; 19:27; Ga 4:14
the princes.
4

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

Context

  • 1 Samuel 29:8

    And David said unto Achish, But what have I done? and what hast thou found in thy servant so long as I have been with thee unto this day, that I may not go fight against the enemies of my lord the king?

  • 1 Samuel 29:9

    And Achish answered and said to David, I know that thou art good in my sight, as an angel of God: notwithstanding the princes of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle.

  • 1 Samuel 29:10

    Wherefore now rise up early in the morning with thy master’s servants that are come with thee: and as soon as ye be up early in the morning, and have light, depart.

Read all of 1 Samuel 29

1 Samuel 29:9 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y Achîs respondió á David, y dijo: Yo sé que tú eres bueno en mis ojos, como un ángel de Dios; mas los príncipes de los Filisteos han dicho: No venga con nosotros á la batalla.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Akish répondit et dit à David: Je sais que tu es agréable à mes yeux comme un ange de Dieu; seulement les chefs des Philistins ont dit: Il ne montera point avec nous à la bataille.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Achis antwortete und sprach zu David: Ich weiß es, denn du bist wohlgefällig in meinen Augen wie ein Engel Gottes; doch die Fürsten der Philister haben gesagt: Er soll nicht mit uns in den Streit hinaufziehen!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Respondens autem Achis, locutus est ad David: Scio quia bonus es tu in oculis meis, sicut angelus Dei: sed principes Philisthinorum dixerunt: Non ascendet nobiscum in prælium.