Kings I 29

1 And the Philistines gather all their armies to Aphec, and Israel encamped in Aendor, which is in Jezrael.

Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek; and the Israelites encamped by the spring which is in Jezreel.

2 And the lords of the Philistines went on by hundreds and thousands, and David and his men went on in the rear with Anchus.

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

3 And the lords of the Philistines said, Who [are] these that pass by? And Anchus said to the captains of the Philistines, [Is] not this David the servant of Saul king of Israel? He has been with us some time, even this second year, and I have not found any fault in him from the day that he attached himself to me even until this day.

Then the princes of the Philistines said, “What about these Hebrews?” Achish said to the princes of the Philistines, “Isn’t this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who has been with me these days, or rather these years? I have found no fault in him since he fell away until today.”

4 And the captains of the Philistines were displeased at him, and they say to him, Send the man away, and let him return to his place, where you did set him; and let him not come with us to the war, and let him not be a traitor in the camp: and wherewith will he be reconciled to his master? Will it not be with the heads of those men?

But the princes of the Philistines were angry with him; and the princes of the Philistines said to him, “Make the man return, that he may go back to his place where you have appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us. For with what should this fellow reconcile himself to his lord? Should it not be with the heads of these men?

5 [Is] not this David whom they celebrated in dances, saying, Saul has struck his thousands, and David his ten thousands?

Isn’t this David, of whom people sang to one another in dances, saying, ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands’?”

6 And Anchus called David, and said to him, [As] the Lord lives, you [are] right and approved in my eyes, and [so is] your going out and your coming in with me in the army, and I have not found [any] evil to charge against you from the day that you came to me until this day: but you are not approved in the eyes of the lords.

Then Achish called David and said to him, “As the LORD lives, you have been upright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the army is good in my sight; for I have not found evil in you since the day of your coming to me to this day. Nevertheless, the lords don’t favour you.

7 Now then return and go in peace, thus you shall not do evil in the sight of the lords of the Philistines.

Therefore now return, and go in peace, that you not displease the lords of the Philistines.”

8 And David said to Anchus, What have I done to you? and what have you found in your servant from the [first] day that I was before you even until this day, that I should not come and war against the enemies of the lord my king?

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

9 And Anchus answered David, I know that you [are] good in my eyes, but the lords of the Philistines say, He shall not come with us to the war.

Achish answered David, “I know that you are good in my sight, as an angel of God. Notwithstanding, the princes of the Philistines have said, ‘He shall not go up with us to the battle.’

10 Now then rise up early in the morning, you and the servants of your lord that are come with you, and go to the place where I appointed you, and entertain no evil thought in your heart, for you [are] good in my sight: and rise early for your journey when it is light, and depart.

Therefore now rise up early in the morning with the servants of your lord who have come with you; and as soon as you are up early in the morning and have light, depart.”

11 So David arose early, he and his men, to depart and guard the land of the Philistines: and the Philistines went up to Jezrael to battle.

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