Kings I 29

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

Now all the troops of the Philistines were gathered together to Aphec: and Israel also camped by the fountain which is in Jezrahel.

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

And the lords of the Philistines marched with their hundreds and their thousands: but David and his men were in the rear with Achis.

3 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.

And the princes of the Philistines said to Achis: What mean these Hebrews? And Achis said to the princes of the Philistines: Do you not know David, who was the servant of Saul the king of Israel, and hath been with me many days, or years, and I have found no fault in him, since the day that he fled over to me until this day?

4 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 you did 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?

But the princes of the Philistines were angry with him, and they said to him: Let this man return, and abide in his place, which thou hast appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest he be an adversary to us, when we shall begin to fight: for how can he otherwise appease his master, but with our heads?

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

Is not this David, to whom they sung in their dances, saying: Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands?

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

Then Achis called David, and said to him: As the Lord liveth, thou art upright and good in my sight: and so is thy going out, and thy coming in with me in the army: and I have not found my evil in thee, since the day that thou camest to me unto this day: but thou pleasest not the lords.

7 Now then return and go in peace, thus you shall not do evil in the sight of the lords of the Philistines.

Return therefore, and go in peace, and offend not the eyes of the princes of the Philistines.

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

And David said to Achis: But what have I done, and what hast thou found in me thy servant, from the day that I have been in thy sight until this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?

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

And Achis answering said to David: I know that thou art good in my sight, as an angel of God: but the princes of the Philistines have said: He shall not go up with us to the battle.

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

Therefore arise in the morning, thou, and the servants of thy lord, who came with thee: and when you are up before day, and it shall begin to be light, go on your way.

11 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.

So David and his men arose in the night, that they might set forward in the morning, and returned to the land of the Philistines: and the Philistines went up to Jezrahel.