1 Samuel 29

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

The Philistia army gathered at Aphek [Valley, which is near Shunem]. The Israelis set up their tents at Jezreel [city, which was in the same valley].

2 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.

The kings of Philistia divided their men into groups; some groups had 100 soldiers and some groups had 1,000 soldiers. David and his men were marching behind, with King Achish.

3 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?

But the Philistia commanders asked, “What are these Hebrews [doing here, marching with us to battle]?” Achish replied, “[Their leader is] David. [He] previously worked for King Saul of Israel, but now he has been living near me for more than a year. During all the time since he left Saul, I have not seen/found that he has any faults.”

4 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?

But the Philistia army commanders were angry with Achish [for allowing David’s army to be going with them]. They said to him, “Send David [and his men] back to the city that you gave to him! We do not want him to go with us into the battle. [If he goes with us, ] we will have an enemy in our own midst! He would please King Saul by killing our own soldiers [RHQ]!

5 Is not this David, of whom they made responses in the dances, saying, —Saul, hath smitten, his thousands, But, David, his, tens of thousands?

[Have you forgotten that] David is the one about whom the Israelis dance and sing, saying, ‘Saul has killed 1000 of our enemies, but David has killed 10,000 of them!’?”

6 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.

So Achish summoned David, and said to him, “Just as surely as Yahweh lives, you have been loyal to me. I would like very much for you to fight along with my army. Since the day that you came to me, I have not found/seen that you have any faults. But the other Philistia rulers do not trust you.

7 Now, therefore, return, and go in peace, —so shalt thou not do wrong in the eyes of the lords of the Philistines.

So all of you go back home, and I hope/desire that things will go well for you. I do not want you(sg) to do anything that the other rulers of Philistia will not be pleased with.”

8 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.

David replied, “What wrong have I done? Since the day that I first came to you until today, have I done anything that you think is evil? Your majesty, why will you not allow me to go and fight against your enemies?”

9 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.

Achish replied, “I know that you are as just as good as an angel from God. But the commanders of my army have said, ‘We will not allow David [and his men] to go with us into the battle.’

10 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.

So early tomorrow morning you and your men must leave. Get up as soon as it is light and leave.”

11 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.

So David and his men got up early the following morning and returned to the area where the Philistia people lived. And the Philistia army went up to Jezreel.