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?”

¹⁸ And Hushai said to Absalom, “No, but whom the Lord and this people and all the men of Israel choose, his I will be, and with him I will remain. ¹⁹ Furthermore, ^(A)whom should I serve? Should I not serve in the presence of his son? As I have served in your father’s presence, so will I be in your presence.”

² So David said to Achish, “Surely you know what your servant can do.”

And Achish said to David, “Therefore I will make you one of my chief guardians forever.”

¹⁸ And he said, ^(A)“Why does my lord thus pursue his servant? For what have I done, or what evil is in my hand?

⁸ Therefore you shall ^(A)deal kindly with your servant, for ^(B)you have brought your servant into a covenant of the Lord with you. Nevertheless, ^(C)if there is iniquity in me, kill me yourself, for why should you bring me to your father?”

²⁹ And David said, “What have I done now? ^(A)Is^[a] there not a cause?”

³ Here I am. Witness against me before the Lord and before ^(A)His anointed: ^(B)Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed, or from whose hand have I received any ^(C)bribe with which to ^(D)blind my eyes? I will restore it to you.”