1 Samuel 29:1

“Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek, etc.] Not the city in the tribe of Judah of that name, (<061553>Joshua 15:53); where the Philistines had a camp in the time of Samuel, (<090401>1 Samuel 4:1); but rather that in the tribe of Asher, (<061930>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, (<061918>Joshua 19:18); and the Israelites pitched by a fountain which is in Jezreel; in the valley of Jezreel; of which (see Gill on “<061918>Joshua 19:18”) and (see Gill on “<280105>Hosea 1:5”).”

“DAVID MARCHING WITH THE PHILISTINES TO FIGHT WITH ISRAEL. (Sa1 29:1-5) Aphek-- (Jos 12:8), in the tribe of Issachar, and in the plain of Esdraelon. A person who compares the Bible account of Saul's last battle with the Philistines, with the region around Gilboa, has the same sort of evidence that the account relates what is true, that a person would have that such a battle as Waterloo really took place. Gilboa, Jezreel, Shunem, En-dor, are all found, still bearing the same names. They lie within sight of each other. Aphek is the only one of the cluster not yet identified. Jezreel on the northern slope of Gilboa, and at the distance of twenty minutes to the east, is a large fountain, and a…”

“A fountain - Probably, the fine spring Ain-Jalud. It is impossible to say what the special circumstances were which led to the struggle between Israel and the Philistines taking place so far north as the plain of Jezreel. Possibly it was connected with some movements of the Aramaic tribes to the north of Palestine. See 2 Samuel 8:0. return to 'Top of Page'”

“29:1-11 David was spared by divine providence from actually fighting against his own people. 29:1 Aphek was the site of an earlier confrontation between Israel and the Philistines (4:1). • Jezreel was about forty miles northeast of Aphek.”

“the Philistines: Sa1 28:1, Sa1 28:2 Aphek: Sa1 4:1; Jos 19:30; Kg1 20:30 Jezreel: Sa1 28:4; Jos 19:18; Jdg 6:33; Kg1 18:45, Kg1 18:46, Kg1 21:1, Kg1 21:23; Kg2 9:36; Hos 1:4-11 1 Kings (1 Samuel) 29:2”

“Whilst Saul derived no comfort from his visit to the witch at Endor, but simply heard from the mouth of Samuel the confirmation of his rejection on the part of God, and an announcement of his approaching fate, David was delivered, through the interposition of God, from the danger of having to fight against his own people. Sa1 29:1 The account of this is introduced by a fuller description of the position of the hostile army. "The Philistines gathered all their armies together towards Aphek, but Israel encamped at the fountain in (at) Jezreel." This fountain is the present Ain Jald (or Ain Jalt, i.e., Goliath's fountain, probably so called because it was regarded as the scene of the defeat of…”