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29 Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek; and the Israelites encamped by the spring which is in Jezreel. The lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds and by thousands; and David and his men passed on in the rear with Achish.

Then the princes of the Philistines said, “What about these Hebrews?”

Achish said to the princes of the Philistines, “Isn’t this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who has been with me these days, or rather these years? I have found no fault in him since he fell away until today.”

But the princes of the Philistines were angry with him; and the princes of the Philistines said to him, “Make the man return, that he may go back to his place where you have appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us. For with what should this fellow reconcile himself to his lord? Should it not be with the heads of these men? Isn’t this David, of whom people sang to one another in dances, saying,

‘Saul has slain his thousands,
    and David his ten thousands?’”

Then Achish called David, and said to him, “As Yahweh lives, you have been upright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the army is good in my sight; for I have not found evil in you since the day of your coming to me to this day. Nevertheless, the lords don’t favor you. Therefore now return, and go in peace, that you not displease the lords of the Philistines.”

David said to Achish, “But what have I done? What have you found in your servant so long as I have been before you to this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?”

Achish answered David, “I know that you are 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 Therefore now rise up early in the morning with the servants of your lord who have come with you; and as soon as you are up early in the morning, and have light, depart.”

11 So David rose up early, he and his men, to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines, and the Philistines went up to Jezreel.

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The Philistines Mistrust David

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. 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. 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?” 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? Is this not David, (I)of whom they sing in the dances, saying,

‘Saul has slain his thousands,
And David his ten thousands’?”

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. Now then, return and go in peace, so that you will not do anything wrong in the sight of the governors of the Philistines.” 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?” 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.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 29:3 Lit fell
  2. 1 Samuel 29:4 Lit those
  3. 1 Samuel 29:6 I.e., performance of duties