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

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, were passing on by hundreds, and by thousands, —but, David and his men, were passing on in the rear, 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 [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?

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?

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?

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 made responses in the dances, saying, —Saul, hath smitten, his thousands, But, David, his, tens of 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.

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.

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

Now, therefore, return, and go in peace, —so shalt thou not do wrong 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?”

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.

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.’

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.

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.”

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.

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.

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.