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 pitched by a fountain 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.

And the rulers of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands: but David and his men passed on in the rereward 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 said the princes of the Philistines, What do these Hebrews here? And Achish said unto the princes of the Philistines, Is not this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, which hath been with me these days, or these years, and I have found no fault in him since he fell unto me unto this day?

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?

And the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him; and the princes of the Philistines said unto him, Make this fellow return, that he may go again to his place which thou hast appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he be an adversary to us: for wherewith should he reconcile himself unto his master? 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?

Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Saul slew 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 unto him, Surely, as YHWH liveth, thou hast been upright, and thy going out and thy coming in with me in the host is good in my sight: for I have not found evil in thee since the day of thy coming unto me unto this day: nevertheless the rulers favour thee not.

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

Wherefore now return, and go in peace, that thou displease not the rulers 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?

And David said unto Achish, But what have I done? and what hast thou found in thy servant so long as I have been with thee unto this day, that I may not go fight against the enemies of mymaster 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.

And Achish answered and said to David, I know that thou art good in my sight, as an angel of Elohim: 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.

Wherefore now rise up early in the morning with thy master's servants that are come with thee: and as soon as ye be 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 and his men rose up early to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.