1 Samuel 29

1 Now the Philistines gathered together all their hosts, towards Aphek, —and, the Israelites, were encamping by the fountain, that is in Jezreel.

The Philistines gathered all their armies at Aphek, and the Israelites set up camp by the spring in Jezreel.

2 And, the lords of the Philistines, were passing on by hundreds, and by thousands, —but, David and his men, were passing on in the rear, with Achish.

The Philistine rulers were marching out in their divisions of hundreds and thousands with David and his men at the rear with King Achish.

3 Then said the princes of the Philistines, What are these Hebrews [doing]? And Achish said unto the princes of the Philistines—Is not this David, servant of Saul king of Israel, who hath been with me this year, or two, and I have found in him nothing, from the day of his coming over unto me unto this day?

But the Philistine commanders asked, “What are these Hebrews doing here?” Achish replied to the Philistine commanders, “That's David, an officer of King Saul of Israel. He's been with me for a long time, years even, and I haven't found any fault in him since the day he came over to our side up till now.”

4 But the princes of the Philistines raged against him, and the princes of the Philistines said unto him—Let the man go back, that he may return unto the place which thou didst appoint him, and let him not go down with us, into battle, so shall he not become to us a traitor, in the battle, —for, wherewith, should this fellow gain favour with his lord? Would it not be with the heads of those men?

But the Philistine commanders got angry with Achish, and told him, “Send him back to the place he came from, to the town you assigned to him. He can't go with us into battle. What if he turns on us during the fighting? What a great way for him to please his master—by handing over the heads of our men!

5 Is not this David, of whom they made responses in the dances, saying, —Saul, hath smitten, his thousands, But, David, his, tens of thousands?

Isn't this the David they sing about in their dances: ‘Saul has killed his thousands, and David his tens of thousands’?”

6 So Achish called for David, and said unto him—By the life of Yahweh, surely, upright, thou art, and, pleasing in mine eyes, have been thy going out and thy coming in with me, in the host, for I have found in thee no wrong, from the day of thy coming in unto me, until this day, —but, in the eyes of the lords, displeasing, thou art.

So Achish called David over and told him, “As the Lord lives, you are honest and you've done what's right as far as I can see. As far as I'm concerned you should march with me into battle because I haven't found any fault in you from the day you arrived until now. But the other leaders don't approve of you.

7 Now, therefore, return, and go in peace, —so shalt thou not do wrong in the eyes of the lords of the Philistines.

So go back home in peace, and that way you won't do anything to upset the Philistine leaders.”

8 Then said David unto Achish—But what have I done? and what hast thou found in thy servant, from the day that I came before thee, unto this day, —that I may not go in and fight, with the enemies of my lord the king.

“But what have I done?” David asked. “What fault have you found in me, your servant, from the day I came to you until now, that would prevent me from going to fight the enemies of my lord the king?”

9 Then answered Achish, and said unto David, I acknowledge that, pleasing, thou art in mine eyes, as a messenger of God, —notwithstanding, the princes of the Philistines, have said, He shall not go up with us, into the battle.

“As far as I'm concerned, you're as good as an angel of God,” Achish replied. “But the Philistine commanders have stated, ‘He can't go into battle with us.’

10 Now, therefore, rise up early in the morning, thou and the servants of thy lord who have come with thee, —yea, as soon as ye have risen early in the morning, and have light, then depart.

So get up early tomorrow morning and leave with your men as soon as it's light.”

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

David and his men got up early in the morning and went back to the country of the Philistines. But the Philistines advanced on Jezreel.