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 assembled together all their camps at Aphek: and the Israelites encamped by the spring which is by Yizre'el.

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

And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands; but David and his men passed on at the last 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 said the princes of the Philistines, What are these Hebrews to do? And Achish said unto the princes of the Philistines, Behold, this is David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who hath been with me already a year, or even years, and I have not found the least in him [to blame] from the day of his joining [me] until 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?

And the princes of the Philistines were angry with him; and the princes of the Philistines said unto him, Cause this man to go back, that he may return to his place whither thou hast assigned him; but he shall not go down with us to the battle, that he may not become an adversary to us in the battle; for wherewith could this person reconcile himself unto his master? is it not by means of the heads of these 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 not this David, of whom they sang one to another in the dances, saying, Saul hath 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 did Achish call David, and say unto him, As the Lord liveth, [I declare] that thou art upright, and that thy going out and thy coming in with me in the camp is good in my eyes; for I have not found in thee any evil from the day of thy coming unto me until this day; nevertheless in the eyes of the lords thou art not good.

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

And now return, and go in peace, that thou mayest not do any evil in the eyes of the lords 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?”

And David said unto Achish, But what have I done? and what hast thou found in thy servant from the day that I have been before thee, until this day, that I shall not go to fight against the enemies of my Lord 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.’

And Achish answered and said to David, I know that thou art good in my eyes, as an angel of God; nevertheless, the princes of the Philistines have said, He shall 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.”

And now rise up early in the morning with the servants of thy master that are come with thee: and rise then up early in the morning, and when ye 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.

And David and his men rose up early to go away in the morning, to return unto the land of the Philistines; but the Philistines went up to Yizre'el.