1 Samuel 29:2
 1 Samuel 29:2 
New International Version (©2011)
As the Philistine rulers marched with their units of hundreds and thousands, David and his men were marching at the rear with Achish.

New Living Translation (©2007)
As the Philistine rulers were leading out their troops in groups of hundreds and thousands, David and his men marched at the rear with King Achish.

English Standard Version (©2001)
As the lords of the Philistines were passing on by hundreds and by thousands, and David and his men were passing on in the rear with Achish,

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
And the lords of the Philistines were proceeding on by hundreds and by thousands, and David and his men were proceeding on in the rear with Achish.

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
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.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
As the Philistine leaders were passing in review with their units of hundreds and thousands, David and his men were passing in review behind them with Achish.

International Standard Version (©2012)
The Philistine leaders were passing in review among the military units, and David and his men were among them in the rear with Achish.

NET Bible (©2006)
When the leaders of the Philistines were passing in review at the head of their units of hundreds and thousands, David and his men were passing in review in the rear with Achish.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
The Philistine leaders were marching by with their companies and regiments. David and his men were marching in the rear with Achish.

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands: but David and his men passed on in the rear with Achish.

American King James Version
And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands: but David and his men passed on in the rear guard with Achish.

American Standard Version
And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands; and David and his men passed on in the rearward with Achish.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the lords of the Philistines marched with their hundreds and their thousands: but David and his men were in the rear with Achis.

Darby Bible Translation
And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds and by thousands; and David and his men passed on in the rearward with Achish.

English Revised Version
And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands: and David and his men passed on in the rearward with Achish.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands: but David and his men passed on in the rear with Achish.

World English Bible
The lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands; and David and his men passed on in the rear with Achish.

Young's Literal Translation
and the princes of the Philistines are passing on by hundreds, and by thousands, and David and his men are passing on in the rear with Achish.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

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.


Pulpit Commentary

Verses 2, 3. - The lords of the Philistines passed on. Evidently they were on their march northward, with their troops arranged in divisions, when David's presence in the rearward with the contingent of Achish was noticed. The princes - not the strict word for the Philistine lords (see on 1 Samuel 5:8), but a loose, general term used again in ver. 4 - on having it reported to them in the course of a day or two that there was a body of strange troops in the army of Gath, asked, What do these Hebrews here? Hebrew, "What these Hebrews?" i.e. What mean these Hebrews? using of them the ordinary Philistine term of contempt. Achish answers that these men were the followers of David, who, having deserted from Saul, had been with him these days or these years, i.e. an indefinitely long time, during which he had conducted himself with the utmost fidelity to his new master.


Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands,.... Not that there were so many lords, for there were but five of them; but these marched, some at the head of hundreds with them, and others at the head of thousands:

but David and his men passed on in the rereward with Achish; who being the generalissimo brought up the rear, and David, whom he had appointed captain of his bodyguards, attended him with his men, which in point of gratitude he could not refuse; and yet was in the greatest strait and difficulty how to act, it being both against his conscience and his interest to fight against Israel, and was waiting and hoping for some appearance of Providence to deliver him out of this dilemma, and which was quickly seen; but Abarbinel thinks David had no other notion in going to the battle, but of being the bodyguard of Achish, and accompanying him, and that he should not fight against Israel, nor for the Philistines: neither harm the one, nor help the other.


Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

2. David and his men passed on in the rereward with Achish—as the commander of the lifeguards of Achish, who was general of this invading army of the Philistines.


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The Philistines Reject David
1Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek: and the Israelites pitched by a fountain which is in Jezreel. 2And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands: but David and his men passed on in the rear guard with Achish. 3Then 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, which has been with me these days, or these years, and I have found no fault in him since he fell to me to this day? …

Numbers 10:25 Finally, as the rear guard for all the units, the divisions of the camp of Dan set out under their standard. Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai was in command.
1 Samuel 28:1 In those days the Philistines gathered their forces to fight against Israel. Achish said to David, "You must understand that you and your men will accompany me in the army."
1 Samuel 28:2 David said, "Then you will see for yourself what your servant can do." Achish replied, "Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life."
1 Chronicles 12:19 Some of the tribe of Manasseh defected to David when he went with the Philistines to fight against Saul. (He and his men did not help the Philistines because, after consultation, their rulers sent him away. They said, "It will cost us our heads if he deserts to his master Saul.")