John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 1. Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek , etc.] Not the city in the tribe of Judah of that name, ( Joshua 15:53); where the Philistines had a camp in the time of Samuel, ( 1 Samuel 4:1); but rather that in the tribe of Asher, ( Joshua 19:30); unless there was one of this name in the tribe of Issachar, not mentioned, since it seems to have been near Jezreel and Shunem, which were both in that tribe, ( Joshua 19:18); and the Israelites pitched by a fountain which is in Jezreel ; in the valley of Jezreel; of which (see Gill on “ Joshua 19:18”) and (see Gill on “ Hosea 1:5”).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 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 fea 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.
Original Hebrew ויקבצו6908 פלשׁתים6430 את853 כל3605 מחניהם4264 אפקה663 וישׂראל3478 חנים2583 בעין5869 אשׁר834 ביזרעאל׃3157
