1 Chronicles 12:17 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

David went out to meet them, and answered That is, spake, for that word is often used in the Scriptures, even of him that speaks first. My heart shall be knit unto you I shall ever esteem and love you, and show this by my actions to you hereafter. But if ye be come to betray me, &c. Which your number, and quality, and near relation to Saul, give me some cause to suspect. Seeing there is no wrong in my hands I have done no injury to Saul nor to you; but have spared him and you when it was in my power to have destroyed you. The God of our fathers look thereon, and rebuke it Namely, by his power, manifested for me, and against you, for your perfidiousness. In saying, the God of our fathers, meaning both his fathers and theirs, he suggests a reason why they should not deal ill with him: namely, because they were both descendants from the same patriarchs, and servants of the same God. And thus he encourages himself to believe, that God would right him if he were injured. For he was the God of his fathers, therefore a blessing was entailed upon him: and a God to all Israel in particular, as well as a Judge to all the earth.