29:1 The Philistines gathered all their forces at Aphek, and Israel camped by the spring in Jezreel.
29:2 As the Philistine rulers marched with their units of hundreds and thousands, David and his men were marching at the rear with Achish.
29:3 The commanders of the Philistines asked, “What about these Hebrews?” Achish replied, “Is this not David, who was an officer of Saul king of Israel? He has already been with me for over a year, and from the day he left Saul until now, I have found no fault in him.”
29:4 But the Philistine commanders were angry with him and said, “Send 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 against us during the fighting. How better could he regain his master’s favor than by taking the heads of our own men?
29:5 Isn’t this the David they sang about in their dances: “‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands’?”
29:6 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 you came to me until now, I have found no fault in you, but the rulers don’t approve of you.
29:7 Turn back and go in peace; do nothing to displease the Philistine rulers.”
29:8 “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?”
29:9 Achish answered, “I know that you have been as pleasing in my eyes as an angel of God; nevertheless, the Philistine commanders have said, ‘He must not go up with us into battle.’
29:10 Now get up early, along with your master’s servants who have come with you, and leave in the morning as soon as it is light.”
29:11 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.
29:1 And the Philistines gathered all their camps together at Aphek; and Israel encamped by the spring that is in Jezreel.
29:2 And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds and by thousands; and David and his men passed on at the rear with Achish.
29:3 And the princes of the Philistines said, What are these Hebrews doing here? And Achish said to the princes of the Philistines, Is this not David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who has been with me these days, or even these years? And I have found nothing wrong in him since the day he deserted to me to this day.
29:4 But the princes of the Philistines were angry with him. And the princes of the Philistines said to him, Make the man go back, that he may return to his place that you have assigned him, so that he does not go down with us into the battle and does not become our adversary in the battle. For with what might this man reconcile himself to his master? Will it not be with the heads of these men?
29:5 Is this not David, of whom they sang to one another in dances, saying,
Saul as struck down his thousands; / But David, his ten thousands?
29:6 And Achish called David and said to him, As Jehovah lives, you are upright, and it is acceptable in my sight that you go forth and come in with me in the camp; for I have not found evil in you since the day you came to me to this day. But you are not acceptable to the lords.
29:7 Now therefore return and go in peace, so that you do not do anything displeasing to the lords of the Philistines.
29:8 And David said to Achish, But what have I done? And what wrong have you found in your servant since the day I began to be with you to this day, that I should not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?
29:9 And Achish answered and said to David, I know that you are as acceptable to me as an angel of God; nevertheless the princes of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us into the battle.
29:10 Now therefore rise up early in the morning with your master s servants who came with you; indeed rise up early in the morning, and when you have daylight, go.
29:11 So David rose up early, he and his men, to go in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.