1 Samuel 29

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

And the Philistines gather all their armies to Aphec, and Israel encamped in Aendor, which is in Jezrael.

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

And the lords of the Philistines went on by hundreds and thousands, and David and his men went on in the rear with Anchus.

3 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.”

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.

4 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!

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 thou didst 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?

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

[Is] not this David whom they celebrated in dances, saying, Saul has smitten his thousands, and David his ten thousands?

6 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.

And Anchus called David, and said to him, [As] the Lord lives, thou [art] right and approved in my eyes, and [so is] thy going out and thy coming in with me in the army, and I have not found [any] evil to charge against thee from the day that thou camest to me until this day: but thou art not approved in the eyes of the lords.

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

Now then return and go in peace, thus thou shalt not do evil in the sight of the lords of the Philistines.

8 “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?”

And David said to Anchus, What have I done to thee? and what hast thou found in thy servant from the [first] day that I was before thee even until this day, that I should not come and war against the enemies of the lord my king?

9 “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.’

And Anchus answered David, I know that thou [art] good in my eyes, but the lords of the Philistines say, He shall not come with us to the war.

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

Now then rise up early in the morning, thou and the servants of thy lord that are come with thee, and go to the place where I appointed you, and entertain no evil thought in thy heart, for thou [art] good in my sight: and rise early for your journey when it is light, and depart.

11 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.

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.