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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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 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.

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, 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 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 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.

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.