< 1 Samuel 29 >
1 Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek: and the Israelites camped by the spring which is in Jezreel.
And the Philistines gather all their armies to Aphec, and Israel encamped in Aendor, which is in Jezrael.
2 The lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands; and David and his men passed on in the rear with 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 Then the leaders of the Philistines said, "What about these Hebrews?" And Achish said to the leaders of the Philistines, "Isn't 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 in him since he defected to me until this day?"
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 leaders of the Philistines were angry with him, and said to him, "Send that man back to the place where you have assigned him, and he must not go down with us to battle, or in the battle he may become an adversary. For how could this fellow reconcile himself to his lord? Should it not be with the heads of these 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 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?
5 Is not this David about whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, 'Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?'"
[Is] not this David whom they celebrated in dances, saying, Saul has struck his thousands, and David his ten thousands?
6 Then Achish called David, and said to him, "As YHWH lives, you have been upright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the army is good in my sight; for I have not found evil in you since the day of your coming to me to this day. Nevertheless, the lords do not favor you.
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.
7 Therefore now return, and go in peace, that you not displease the lords of the Philistines."
Now then return and go in peace, thus you shall not do evil in the sight of the lords of the Philistines.
8 David said to Achish, "But what have I done? What have you found in your servant so long as I have been before you to this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?"
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?
9 Then Achish answered David, "I know that you are good in my sight. However, the leaders of the Philistines have said, 'He must not go up with us to the battle.'
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.
10 So get up early in the morning, you and the servants of your lord who have come with you, and go to the place which I allotted to you. As for evil remarks, take none to heart; for you are good in my sight. And as soon as you are up early in the morning, and have light, depart."
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.
11 So David and his men got up early to return to the land of the Philistines. But the Philistines went up to 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.