שמואל א, פרק כ״ט, פסוק ג׳

The presence of David and his men within the Philistine army camp creates immediate tension and opposition. The Philistine commanders notice this distinct, foreign group and demand to know why they are participating in the military campaign. They refer to the Israelites as Hebrews, a title rooted in their ancestors' origins across the river [מצודת ציון]. The commanders' concern is not merely David's personal closeness to King Achish, but his active participation in the war, as they simply do not trust him [מלבי״ם]. Another perspective suggests their objection is highly practical, questioning what connection the Philistines could possibly have with Hebrews to begin with [אברבנאל].

In response, King Achish attempts to calm his officers by offering two primary reasons for his confidence in David. First, he points out that David is a former servant of Saul. By highlighting this, Achish argues that David is a rebel who fled his master and will certainly seize the opportunity of this war to take revenge, making him a reliable ally [מלבי״ם].

Second, Achish emphasizes the duration of David's stay, describing it as days or years. Since David had only been with the Philistines for a brief period of roughly four months, this timeline draws various explanations. It may simply indicate a generally significant amount of time [ביאור שטיינזלץ], or perhaps Achish's positive relationship with David made those few days feel like long, reliable years [רד״ק]. Others maintain that the timeframe literally spans years [אברבנאל], calculated from the very first time David fled to Achish and was marked as a rebel [מלבי״ם]. Alternatively, the days might refer to the period David spent directly with Achish in the city of Gath, while the years describe his time living in the surrounding country towns [מצודת דוד]. Ultimately, Achish stresses this extended timeline to prove that David has fully settled in Philistine territory and should no longer be viewed as a Hebrew [אברבנאל].

To conclude his defense, Achish testifies to David's flawless conduct from the day he arrived. He describes this arrival as the day David fell to him, referring to his camping, settling, or falling into Achish's territory [רש״י, מצודת ציון, רד״ק, אברבנאל]. Achish declares that since that moment, he has found absolutely no fault or flaw in David's character. Relying on this thoroughly positive experience, the king feels entirely confident bringing him into battle [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ, אברבנאל].