and the Israelites Gelboah to the valley of Jezreel, sometime one is named and sometime another.
David comming with his men with Achish in the rereward, the Lords of the Philistims were offended, and would not suffer the Hebrewes to goe with them to battle, although Achish pleaded for David and justified him against their jealousies, saying, that he had beene with him many dayes, &c. where∣upon they that hold David to have beene onely foure months in the Philistims country, say that Achish spake of a longer time, then he had beene there, to pacifie the other Princes the more. It was not without a singular providence, that the Princes had David and his men in such suspition, for by this meanes, he was kept both from fighting against his country, and returned opportune∣ly to rescue Ziklag in his absence invaded by the Amalekites, and got much prey, wherewith he made him many friends for the better obtaining of the kingdome of Israel after Sauls death. And thus also he destroyed the rest of the Amalekites, who had before escaped Sauls hands.
Achish being overcome by the importunity of the other Princes, saith unto David, as the Lord liveth thou hast beene upright, &c. He being sorry, that they had David in suspition, which he thought would be grievous to him to heare of, lenifyed the matter as well as he could, by professing that he thought ex∣ceedingly well of him, but the Princes favoured him not, and therefore he willed him to returne to his place. Thus saith Martyr, even Kings are forced oft times to doe otherwise then they would by their Subjects, as David after∣wards to tolerate Joab, Darius to deliver Daniel to be cast into the Lions den, Zedechiah touching Ieremiah said to his Princes, that he could deny nothing unto them; and Sylla, Caesar, and Marius, yeilded to many things against their wills at the importunity of their Souldiers: whereby he seemeth to have taken Achish to be King over all the other Princes, but they were indeed all reguli, or petty Kings, being sometime therefore called Lords, 1 Sam. 6. 4. 17. and Gath, of which Achish is said here to be King, is not named first, as the principall, but in the fourth place. But whereas Achish saith, as the Lord liveth, it may be demanded, how he being an Idolater, knew the Lord to sweare by [Qu.] him, and specially to speake of him by the name Jehovah? Answ. This was no singular thing in him, for ch. 6. 2. the Philistims doe generally thus speak of God, and Peter Martyr thinketh, that they had the knowledge of this name ever since the time of Abraham, Isaack, and Jacob, who lived in that country, of whom they could not but heare him often spoken of. But although they had not the knowledge of this name so long agoe, they might learne it of the Israelites, and take up this phrase, when they would speake seriously of God after their manner, seeing they lived so neare unto them. Whereas Achish is said here to have remitted David to Ziklag, Josephus saith, that he sent him to defend his borders from the incursions of enemies in the time of his absence. But herein he was mistaken, for he went but to his place, v. 4. that is, Ziklag, the place by King Achish assigned unto him.
David hearing this seemed to take it heavily that hee might not be trusted to goe with the King to fight against his enemies, wherein some justifie him, as if he spake as he thought, having it still in his minde, that he would doe, when hee came to the battaile, as God should direct him, either by not fighting or fighting: some, that he spake thus out of flattery to hold Achish his favour still, but justifying him, because he was now in such a case, that he was necessarily enforced to dissemble: Lastly some hold, that he sinned in thus dissembling for a worldly advantage. For my part, I dare not hold with them, that tax David as sinning in this, but rather with those that justifie him, for he sub∣mitted himselfe wholly to Gods guidance and direction, as before when they first set out, ch. 28. It was not necessary for him to discover the inward thoughts of his heart to Achish, that he had some hope all this while, that if it were dis∣pleasing to God, that he should goe to fight against his brethren, he would provide by some meanes to hinder his progresse, this he might without sin∣ning keepe to himselfe, and now that he was hindered, how glad he was of