² As ^(A)the lords of the Philistines were passing on by hundreds and by thousands, and David and his men were passing on in the rear ^(B)with Achish,

Saul and the Medium of En-dor

28 In those days ^(A)the Philistines gathered their forces for war, to fight against Israel. And Achish said to David, “Understand that you and your men are to go out with me in the army.” ² David said to Achish, “Very well, you shall know what your servant can do.” And Achish said to David, “Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life.”

⁶ Then Achish called David and said to him, ^(A)“As the Lord lives, you have been honest, and to me it seems right that ^(B)you should march out and in with me in the campaign. For I have found nothing wrong in you from the day of your coming to me to this day. Nevertheless, the lords do not approve of you. ⁷ So go back now; and go peaceably, that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines.”

³ (from the ^(A)Shihor, which is east of Egypt, northward to the boundary of Ekron, it is counted as Canaanite; ^(B)there are five rulers of the Philistines, those of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron), and those of ^(C)the Avvim,

⁴ And they said, “What is the guilt offering that we shall return to him?” They answered, “Five golden ^(A)tumors and five golden mice, ^(B)according to the number of the lords of the Philistines, for the same plague was on all of you and on your lords.

⁸ So they sent and gathered together all ^(A)the lords of the Philistines and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” They answered, “Let the ark of the God of Israel be brought around to Gath.” So they brought the ark of the God of Israel there. ⁹ But after they had brought it around, ^(B)the hand of the Lord was against the city, causing a very great panic, and he afflicted the men of the city, both young and old, so that ^(C)tumors broke out on them. ¹⁰ So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. But as soon as the ark of God came to Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, “They have brought around to us the ark of the God of Israel to kill us and our people.” ^11 (D)They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its own place, that it may not kill us and our people.” For there was a deathly panic throughout the whole city. ^(E)The hand of God was very heavy there.