1 Samuel 29:7 Meaning and Explanation
“Wherefore now return, and go in peace, that thou displease not the lords of the Philistines.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Achish urges David to return home peacefully so as not to offend the Philistine lords.
What Does 1 Samuel 29:7 Mean?
Achish brings his words to a gentle conclusion: go back, and go in peace, so that you do not displease the Philistine rulers. He frames David's dismissal as a kindness, sparing him the friction with the commanders. The phrase 'go in peace' was a common parting blessing, and here it carries no anger, only the king's wish that David depart without trouble.
Unknown to Achish, 'go in peace' is exactly what God is granting David, peace from a battle he should never have joined and peace from the guilt he would have borne either way. The Lord's deliverance often arrives quietly, wrapped in ordinary words, sending us away from danger before we even grasp the danger we were in. What the world calls a dismissal, God can use as a doorway to safety.
1 Samuel 29:7 in the Original Language
peace -- shalom (שָׁלוֹם) means more than the absence of conflict; it is wholeness and well-being, the very thing God was securing for David.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Samuel 29:7
What does 1 Samuel 29:7 mean?
Achish urges David to return home peacefully so as not to offend the Philistine lords.