1 Samuel 29

1 Now the Philistines brought all their forces together at Aphek, while Israel camped by the spring in Jezreel.

Now the Philistines gathered together all their army at Aphek; the Israelites camped by the spring that is in Jezreel.

2 As the Philistine leaders marched out their units of hundreds and thousands, David and his men marched behind them with Achish.

The princes of the Philistines passed on by hundreds and by thousands; David and his men passed on in the rear guard with Achish.

3 Then the commanders of the Philistines asked, “What about these Hebrews?” Achish replied, “Is this not David, the servant of King Saul of Israel? He has been with me all these days, even years, and from the day he defected until today I have found no fault in him.”

Then the princes of the Philistines said, “What are these Hebrews doing here?” Achish said to the other princes of the Philistines, “Is not this David, the servant of Saul, the king of Israel, who has been with me these days, or rather these years, and I have found no fault with him since he came away to me to this day?”

4 But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with Achish and told him, “Send that man back and let him return to the place you assigned him. He must not go down with us into battle only to become our adversary during the war. What better way for him to regain the favor of his master than with the heads of our men?

But the princes of the Philistines were angry with him and said, “Send the man back, that he may return to the place you assigned him. He will not go down with us into battle, for he will turn against us during the fighting. For how else could he make himself acceptable to his master than by taking the heads of our own men?

5 Is this not the David about whom they sing in their dances: ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands’?”

Is this not David of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, 'Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands'?”

6 So Achish summoned David and told him, “As surely as the LORD lives, you have been upright in my sight, and it seems right that you should march in and out with me in the army, because I have found no fault in you from the day you came to me until this day. But you have no favor in the sight of the leaders.

Then Achish called David and said to him, “As Yahweh lives, you have been good, and your going out and your coming in with me in the army is good in my view; for I have found nothing wrong with you since the day of your coming to me to this very day. Nevertheless, the princes are not favorable to you.

7 Therefore turn back now and go in peace, so that you will not do anything to displease the leaders of the Philistines.”

So now return and go in peace, so that you do not displease the princes of the Philistines.”

8 “But what have I done?” David replied. “What have you found against your servant, from the day I came to you until today, to keep me from going along to fight against the enemies of my lord the king?”

David said to Achish, “But what have I done? What have you found in your servant as long as I have been before you to this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my master the king?”

9 Achish replied, “I know that you are as pleasing in my sight as an angel of God. But the commanders of the Philistines have said, ‘He must not go into battle with us.’

Achish answered and said to David, “I know that you are as blameless in my sight as an angel of God; nevertheless, the princes of the Philistines have said, 'He must not go up with us to the battle.'

10 Now then, get up early in the morning, along with your master’s servants who came with you, and go as soon as it is light.”

So now rise up early in the morning with the servants of your master who have come with you; as soon as you are up early in the morning and have light, go away.”

11 So David and his men got up early in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.

So David rose up early, he and his men, to leave in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines. But the Philistines went up to Jezreel.