Now the Philistines had gathered all their forces at Aphek. And the Israelites were encamped by the spring that is in Jezreel.
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
Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek,.... Not the city in the tribe of Judah of that name, Jos 15:53; where the Philistines had a camp in the time of Samuel, Sa1 4:1; but rather that in the tribe of Asher, Jos 19:30; unless there was one of this name in the tribe of Issachar, not mentioned, since it seems to have...
To Aphek - This was a place in the valley of Jezreel, between Mounts Tabor and Gilboa. Pitched by a fountain - To be near a fountain, or copious spring of water, was a point of great importance to an army in countries such as these, where water was so very scarce.