Then Achish called David, and said unto him, Surely, as the LORD liveth, thou hast been upright, and thy going out and thy coming in with me in the host is good in my sight: for I have not found evil in thee since the day of thy coming unto me unto this day: nevertheless the lords favour thee not.

1 SAMUEL 29:6KJV
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1 Samuel 29:6 (KJV)

What does 1 Samuel 29:6 mean?

1 Samuel 29:6 describes how Achish, a Philistine ruler, tells David that he has found David to be honest and trustworthy during his time with the Philistine army, but that the other Philistine leaders do not trust David and do not want him to join them in battle. Achish swears by the LORD that he personally sees nothing wrong in David, yet acknowledges that the other lords do not favor him.

Achish is speaking directly to David in this verse, during a tense moment when the Philistines are preparing to fight Israel. Achish’s words show that he believes David has behaved uprightly (“upright” comes from the Hebrew יָשָׁר, yashar, meaning straight or right), but the other Philistine leaders are suspicious of David’s loyalty. This verse highlights the tension between Achish’s personal trust in David and the collective distrust of the Philistine commanders.

The Hebrew behind 1 Samuel 29:6

  • יָשָׁר (yashar, “upright”): Achish calls David upright, meaning straight, honest, or morally right. This word emphasizes that Achish truly believes David has acted with integrity.
  • טוֹב (tov, “good”): Achish says David’s conduct is “good” in his sight. This word often means pleasant, agreeable, or morally good, showing Achish’s positive view of David’s actions.
  • רָע (ra, “evil”): Achish says he has not found “evil” in David. This word means bad, harmful, or wicked, underlining that Achish has seen no wrongdoing in David during his stay.

Why 1 Samuel 29:6 matters

  • This verse clears up that Achish, despite being a Philistine, genuinely trusts David and even swears by the LORD (the God of Israel), which is unusual and shows the depth of his trust.
  • The verse explains why David is sent away: not because of anything he has done, but because of the suspicion of the other Philistine lords, which sets up the events that follow.
  • It highlights the complicated position David is in—trusted by a foreign king but still seen as an outsider by the rest of the Philistines, which is key to understanding David’s journey and God’s protection over him.

Where else these words appear

“Achish” Hebrew H397 · used in 20 verses

  • 1 Samuel 21:10 And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.
  • 1 Samuel 27:5 And David said unto Achish, If I have now found grace in thine eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there: for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee?
  • 1 Samuel 28:2 And David said to Achish, Surely thou shalt know what thy servant can do. And Achish said to David, Therefore will I make thee keeper of mine head for ever.

“lords” Hebrew H5633 · used in 20 verses

  • Joshua 13:3 From Sihor, which is before Egypt, even unto the borders of Ekron northward, which is counted to the Canaanite: five lords of the Philistines; the Gazathites, and the Ashdothites, the Eshkalonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avites:
  • Judges 16:27 Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines were there; and there were upon the roof about three thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made sport.
  • 1 Samuel 6:16 And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.

“upright” Hebrew H3477 · used in 119 verses

  • Exodus 15:26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.
  • 2 Chronicles 29:2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done.
  • Proverbs 2:7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.