Bede

The entire weight of the battle turned upon Saul, etc. The gentiles were exerting all their strength to destroy the kingdom of Judea. And men most adept in the arts of deception drew near to him, and the leaders of that kingdom were severely seduced and corrupted by them, who, by seizing the simplicity of the truth from their hearts, inflicted a multi-faceted wound of fraud and cunning. …

Commentary on Samuel ↗