29 The Philistine army put up their tents at Aphek. The Israelites made their camp near the spring of water at Jezreel. 2 The Philistine rulers marched out with their groups of soldiers. They were in groups of 100 soldiers and 1,000 soldiers. David and his men were marching with King Achish at the back of the army. 3 The Philistine leaders asked, ‘Why are these Hebrew people here?’
Achish said to them, ‘This is David. He was the servant of Israel's King Saul. But he came to me more than a year ago. Since he turned against King Saul and came to me, he has always been faithful to me.’
4 But the Philistine leaders were angry with Achish. They said to him, ‘Send David back to the town that you gave to him. He must not go with us to fight the battle. He might turn against us and become our enemy. Then he would start to kill our own soldiers. That would make his master, Saul, very happy! 5 Remember who this man David is! The Israelites sing this about him when they dance:
“Saul has killed thousands of his enemies.
And David has killed tens of thousands of his enemies.” ’
6 So Achish called David to come to him. He said, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, I know that I can trust you. I would like you to go with me to fight the battle. Since the first day that you came to me, I have never found anything wrong with you. But the other leaders do not trust you. 7 So return to your home and have peace in your mind. Do not do anything that will make the other Philistine leaders angry.’
8 David said to King Achish, ‘What have I done that is wrong? You say that you have found nothing wrong with me all the time that I have been with you. You are my master and king. So why should I not go with you to fight your enemies?’
9 Achish replied, ‘I believe that you are as good as an angel from God. But the Philistine leaders have said, “David must not go with us to fight the battle.” 10 So you must all get up early tomorrow morning. As soon as there is light at dawn, you must leave with the men who came with you.’
11 So David and his men got up early in the morning. They returned along the road back to Ziklag. The Philistine army went to Jezreel.
29 Meanwhile, the Philistines had gathered all of their army camps at Aphek. The Israelites were camped by the spring near Jezreel. 2 The Philistine rulers were marching in divisions of 100 and 1000 men. David and his men were at the back with Achish.
3 The Philistine captains asked, “What are these Hebrews doing here?”
Achish told the Philistine captains, “This is David. He was one of Saul’s officers, but he has been with me for a long time. I found nothing wrong in David since the time he left Saul and came to me.”
4 But the Philistine captains were angry with Achish. They said, “Send him back. Let him go back to the city you gave him, but he can’t go into battle with us. As long as he is here, we have an enemy in our own camp. He would make his king happy by killing our men. 5 Isn’t David the one the Israelites sing about? They dance and sing this song:
‘Saul has killed thousands of enemies,
but David has killed tens of thousands.’”
6 So Achish called David and said, “As surely as the Lord lives, you are loyal to me. I would be pleased to have you serve in my army. I haven’t found anything wrong with you since the day you came to me. The Philistine rulers also think you are a good man. [ a ] 7 Go back in peace. Don’t do anything against the Philistine rulers.”
8 David asked, “What have I done wrong? Have you found anything wrong with me since the day I came to you? So why won’t you let me go to fight the enemies of my lord the king?”
9 Achish answered, “I believe that you are a good man. You are like an angel from God. But the Philistine captains still say, ‘David can’t go with us into battle.’ 10 Early in the morning, you and your men should go back to the city I gave you. Don’t pay attention to the bad things the captains say about you. You are a good man, but you must leave as soon as there is enough light in the morning.”
11 So David and his men got up early in the morning and went back to the country of the Philistines, and the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
29 Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek: and the Israelites pitched by a fountain which is in Jezreel.
2 And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands: but David and his men passed on in the rereward with Achish.
3 Then said the princes of the Philistines, What do these Hebrews here? And Achish said unto the princes of the Philistines, Is not this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, which hath been with me these days, or these years, and I have found no fault in him since he fell unto me unto this day?
4 And the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him; and the princes of the Philistines said unto him, Make this fellow return, that he may go again to his place which thou hast appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he be an adversary to us: for wherewith should he reconcile himself unto his master? should it not be with the heads of these men?
5 Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands?
6 Then Achish called David, and said unto him, Surely, as the Lord liveth, thou hast been upright, and thy going out and thy coming in with me in the host is good in my sight: for I have not found evil in thee since the day of thy coming unto me unto this day: nevertheless the lords favour thee not.
7 Wherefore now return, and go in peace, that thou displease not the lords of the Philistines.
8 And David said unto Achish, But what have I done? and what hast thou found in thy servant so long as I have been with thee unto this day, that I may not go fight against the enemies of my lord the king?
9 And Achish answered and said to David, I know that thou art good in my sight, as an angel of God: notwithstanding the princes of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle.
10 Wherefore now rise up early in the morning with thy master's servants that are come with thee: and as soon as ye be up early in the morning, and have light, depart.
11 So David and his men rose up early to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
29 Now ( A ) the Philistines gathered together all their armies to ( B ) Aphek, while the Israelites were camping by the spring which is in ( C ) Jezreel. 2 And the governors of the Philistines were proceeding on, leading hundreds and thousands, and ( D ) David and his men were proceeding in the back with Achish. 3 Then the commanders of the Philistines said, “What are these Hebrews doing here ?” And Achish said to the commanders of the Philistines, “Is this not David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, ( E ) who has been with me these days, or rather these years, and ( F ) I have found nothing at all suspicious in him since the day he [ a ] deserted to me to this day?” 4 But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with him, and the commanders of the Philistines said to him, “Make the man go back, so that he will return ( G ) to his place where you have assigned him, and do not let him go down to battle with us, ( H ) or in the battle he may become an adversary to us. For how could this man find favor with his lord? Would it not be with the heads of [ b ] these men? 5 Is this not David, ( I ) of whom they sing in the dances, saying,
‘Saul has slain his thousands,
And David his ten thousands’?”
6 Then Achish called David and said to him, “ As the Lord lives, you have indeed been honest, and ( J ) your [ c ] going out and your coming in with me in the army are pleasing in my sight; ( K ) for I have not found evil in you since the day of your coming to me to this day. Nevertheless, you are not pleasing in the sight of the governors. 7 Now then, return and go in peace, so that you will not do anything wrong in the sight of the governors of the Philistines.” 8 However, David said to Achish, “ ( L ) But what have I done? And what have you found in your servant since the day that I came before you, to this day, that I cannot go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?” 9 But Achish replied to David, “I know that you are pleasing in my sight, ( M ) like an angel of God; nevertheless ( N ) the commanders of the Philistines have said, ‘He must not go up with us into the battle.’ 10 Now then, rise early in the morning ( O ) with the servants of your lord who have come with you, and as soon as you have risen early in the morning and have light, leave.” 11 So David got up early, he and his men, to leave in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
29 The Philistines gathered ( A ) all their forces at Aphek, ( B ) and Israel camped by the spring in Jezreel. ( C ) 2 As the Philistine rulers marched with their units of hundreds and thousands, David and his men were marching at the rear ( D ) with Achish. 3 The commanders of the Philistines asked, “What about these Hebrews?”
Achish replied, “Is this not David, ( E ) who was an officer of Saul king of Israel? He has already been with me for over a year, ( F ) and from the day he left Saul until now, I have found no fault in him.”
4 But the Philistine commanders were angry with Achish and said, “Send ( G ) the man back, that he may return to the place you assigned him. He must not go with us into battle, or he will turn ( H ) against us during the fighting. How better could he regain his master’s favor than by taking the heads of our own men? 5 Isn’t this the David they sang about in their dances:
“‘Saul has slain his thousands,
and David his tens of thousands’?” ( I )
6 So Achish called David and said to him, “As surely as the Lord lives, you have been reliable, and I would be pleased to have you serve with me in the army. From the day ( J ) you came to me until today, I have found no fault in you, but the rulers ( K ) don’t approve of you. 7 Now turn back and go in peace; do nothing to displease the Philistine rulers.”
8 “But what have I done?” asked David. “What have you found against your servant from the day I came to you until now? Why can’t I go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?”
9 Achish answered, “I know that you have been as pleasing in my eyes as an angel ( L ) of God; nevertheless, the Philistine commanders ( M ) have said, ‘He must not go up with us into battle.’ 10 Now get up early, along with your master’s servants who have come with you, and leave ( N ) in the morning as soon as it is light.”
11 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.
