1 Samuel 29

The Philistines Reject David

1 Then the Philistines gathered together all their armies at Aphek, and the Israelites encamped by a fountain which is in Jezreel.2 And the lords of the Philistines passed in review by hundreds and by thousands, but David and his men passed in review at the rear with Achish.3 Then 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 king of Israel, who has been with me these days, or these years? And to this day I have found no fault in him since he defected to me. 4 But the princes of the Philistines were angry with him; so the princes of the Philistines said to him, Make this fellow return, that he may go back to the place which you have appointed for him, and do not let him go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become our adversary. For with what could he reconcile himself to his master, if not with the heads of these men?5 Is this not David, of whom they sang to one another in dances, saying: Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands?6 Then Achish called David and said to him, Surely, 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 to this day I have not found evil in you since the day of your coming to me. Nevertheless the lords do not favor you.7 Therefore return now, and go in peace, that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines.8 So David said to Achish, But what have I done? And to this day what have you found in your servant as long as I have been with you, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?9 Then Achish answered and said to David, I know that you are as good in my sight as an angel of God; nevertheless the princes of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle.10 Now therefore, rise early in the morning with your masters servants who have come with you. And as soon as you are up early in the morning and have light, depart.11 So David and his men rose early to depart in the morning, to return to the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.

1 Samuel 29

David Is Rejected by the Philistine Leaders

1 The Philistines assembled all their troopst at Aphek, while Israel camped at the spring that is in Jezreel.

2 When the leaders of the Philistines were passing in review at the head of their units of hundreds and thousands,t David and his men were passing in review in the rear with Achish.

3 The leaders of the Philistines asked, “What about these Hebrews?” Achish said to the leaders of the Philistines, “Isn’t this David, the servant of King Saul of Israel, who has been with me for quite some time?t I have found no fault with him from the day of his defection until the present time!”t
4 But the leaders of the Philistines became angry with him and saidt to him, “Send the man back! Let him return to the place that you assigned him! Don’t let him go down with us into the battle, for he might becomet our adversary in the battle. What better way to please his lord than with the heads of these men?t

5 Isn’t this David, of whom they sang as they danced,t
‘Saul has struck down his thousands,
but David his tens of thousands’?”
6 So Achish summoned David and said to him, “As surely as the Lord lives, you are an honest man, and I am glad to have yout servingt with me in the army.t I have found no fault with you from the day that you first came to me until the present time. But in the opiniont of the leaders, you are not reliable.t

7 So turn and leavet in peace. You must not do anything that the leaders of the Philistines consider improper!”t
8 But David said to Achish, “What have I done? What have you found in your servant from the day that I first came into your presence until the present time, that I shouldn’t go and fight the enemies of my lord the king?”9 Achish replied to David, “I am convinced that you are as reliablet as the angel of God! However, the leaders of the Philistines have said, ‘He must not go up with us in the battle.’

10 So get up early in the morning along with the servants of your lord who have come with you.s When you get up early in the morning, as soon as it is light enough to see, leave.”t

11 So David and his men got up early in the morning to returns to the land of the Philistines, but the Philistines went up to Jezreel.