As the Philistine leaders marched out with their units of hundreds and thousands, David and his men marched behind them with Achish.
Here is, I. The great strait that David was in, which we may suppose he himself was aware of, though we read not of his asking advice from God, nor of any project of his own to get clear of it. The two armies of the Philistines and the Israelites were encamped and ready to engage, Sa1 29:1.
Commenting on 1 Samuel 29:1-5
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...
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.