< 1 Samuel 29 >

1 And the Philistines gather all their camps to Aphek, and the Israelites are encamping at a fountain which [is] in Jezreel,
Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek: and the Israelites camped by the spring which is in Jezreel.
2 and the princes of the Philistines are passing on by hundreds, and by thousands, and David and his men are passing on in the rear with Achish.
The lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands; and David and his men passed on in the rear with Achish.
3 And the heads of the Philistines say, 'What [are] these Hebrews?' and Achish saith unto the heads of the Philistines, 'Is not this David servant of Saul king of Israel, who hath been with me these days or these years, and I have not found in him anything [wrong] from the day of his falling away till this day.'
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?"
4 And the heads of the Philistines are wroth against him, and the heads of the Philistines say to him, 'Send back the man, and he doth turn back unto his place whither thou hast appointed him, and doth not go down with us into battle, and is not to us for an adversary in battle; and wherewith doth this one reconcile himself unto his lord — is it not with the heads of those men?'
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?
5 Is not this David, of whom they answer in choruses, saying, Saul hath smitten among his thousands, and David among his myriads?'
Is not this David about whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, 'Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?'"
6 And Achish calleth unto David, and saith unto him, 'Jehovah liveth, surely thou [art] upright, and good in mine eyes is thy going out, and thy coming in, with me in the camp, for I have not found in thee evil from the day of thy coming in unto me till this day; and in the eyes of the princes thou art not good;
Then Achish called David, and said to him, "As the LORD 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.
7 and now, turn back, and go in peace, and thou dost do no evil in the eyes of the princes of the Philistines.'
Therefore now return, and go in peace, that you not displease the lords of the Philistines."
8 And David saith unto Achish, 'But what have I done? and what hast thou found in thy servant from the day that I have been before thee till this day — that I go not in and have fought against the enemies of my lord the king?'
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?"
9 And Achish answereth and saith unto David, 'I have known that thou [art] good in mine eyes as a messenger of God; only, the princes of the Philistines have said, He doth not go up with us into battle;
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.'
10 and now, rise thou early in the morning, and the servants of thy lord who have come with thee, when ye have risen early in the morning, and have light, then go ye.'
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."
11 And David riseth early, he and his men, to go in the morning, to turn back unto the land of the Philistines, and the Philistines have gone up to Jezreel.
So David and his men got up early to return to the land of the Philistines. But the Philistines went up to Jezreel.

< 1 Samuel 29 >