1 Samuel 29

1 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].

Now the Philistines got all their army together at Aphek: and the Israelites put their forces in position by the fountain in Jezreel.

2 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.

And the lords of the Philistines went on with their hundreds and their thousands, and David and his men came after with Achish.

3 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.”

Then the rulers of the Philistines said, What are these Hebrews doing here? And Achish said to the rulers of the Philistines, Is this not David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who has been with me for a year or two, and I have never seen any wrong in him from the time when he came to me till now?

4 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]!

But the rulers of the Philistines were angry with him, and said to him, Make the man go back to the place you have given him; do not let him go down with us to the fight, or he may be turned against us and be false to us: for how will this man make peace with his lord? will it not be with the heads of these men?

5 [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!’?”

Is this not David, who was named in their songs, when in the dance they said to one another, Saul has put to death thousands, and David tens of thousands?

6 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.

Then Achish sent for David and said to him, By the living Lord, you are upright, and everything you have done with me in the army has been pleasing to me: I have seen no evil in you from the day when you came to me till now: but still, the lords are not pleased with you.

7 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.”

So now go back, and go in peace, so that you do not make the lords of the Philistines angry.

8 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?”

And David said to Achish, But what have I done? what have you seen in your servant while I have been with you till this day, that I may not go and take up arms against those who are now making war on my lord the king?

9 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.’

And Achish in answer said, It is true that in my eyes you are good, like an angel of God: but still, the rulers of the Philistines have said, He is not to go up with us to the fight.

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

So get up early in the morning, with the servants of your lord who are with you, and go to the place I have given you, and have no evil design in your heart, for you are good in my eyes; but when there is light enough in the morning, go away.

11 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.

So David and his men got up early in the morning to go back to the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.