The lords - See Judges 3:3 note, as distinguished from ordinary "princes" 1 Samuel 29:3. The military divisions of the Philistine army were by hundreds and by thousands, like those of the Israelites 1 Samuel 8:12. David and his men formed a body-guard to Achish 1 Samuel 28:2.

By hundreds, and by thousands - They were probably divided, as the Jewish armies, by fifties, hundreds, and thousands; each having its proper officer or captain.

And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands,.... Not that there were so many lords, for there were but five of them; but these marched, some at the head of hundreds with them, and others at the head of thousands:

but David and his men passed on in the rereward with Achish; who being the generalissimo brought up the rear, and David, whom he had appointed captain of his bodyguards, attended him with his men, which in point of gratitude he could not refuse; and yet was in the greatest strait and difficulty how to act, it being both against his conscience and his interest to fight against Israel, and was waiting and hoping for some appearance of Providence to deliver him out of this dilemma, and which was quickly seen; but Abarbinel thinks David had no other notion in going to the battle, but of being the bodyguard of Achish, and accompanying him, and that he should not fight against Israel, nor for the Philistines: neither harm the one, nor help the other.

When the princes of the Philistines (sarne, as in Joshua 13:3) advanced by hundreds and thousands (i.e., arranged in companies of hundreds and thousands), and David and his men came behind with Achish (i.e., forming the rear-guard), the (other) princes pronounced against their allowing David and his men to go with them. The did not occur at the time of their setting out, but on the road, when they had already gone some distance (compare 1 Samuel 29:11 with 1 Samuel 30:1), probably when the five princes (Joshua 13:3) of the Philistines had effected a junction. To the inquiry, "What are these Hebrews doing?" Achish replied, "Is not this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who has been with me days already, or years already? and I have found nothing in him since his coming over unto this day." מאוּמה, anything at all that could render his suspicious, or his fidelity doubtful. נפל, to fall away and go over to a person; generally construed with אל (Jeremiah 37:13; Jeremiah 38:19, etc.) or על (Jeremiah 21:9; Jeremiah 37:14; 1 Chronicles 12:19-20), but here absolutely, as the more precise meaning can be gathered from the context.

And the lords of the Philistines passed on by {a} hundreds, and by thousands: but David and his men passed on in the rereward with Achish.

(a) According to their bands, or ensigns.

29:2 With Achish - As the life - guard of Achish. Achish being, as it seems, the general of the army.

2. David and his men passed on in the rereward with Achish-as the commander of the lifeguards of Achish, who was general of this invading army of the Philistines.

29:1-5 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 fear 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.