CHAPTER 29
Now the Philistines
brought all
their forces
together
at Aphek,
while Israel
camped
by the spring
in Jezreel.
As the Philistine
leaders
marched out
their units of hundreds
and thousands,
David
and his men
marched
behind them
with
Achish.
The commanders
of the Philistines
asked,
“What about
these
Hebrews?”
Achish
replied,
“Is this
not
David,
the servant
of King
Saul
of Israel?
He
has been
with me
all these
days,
even
years,
and from
the day
he defected
until today
I have found
no fault
in him.”
But the commanders
of the Philistines
were angry
with Achish
and told him,
“Send that man
back
and let him return
to
the place
you assigned him.
He must not
go down
with
us into battle
only
to become
our adversary
during the war.
What better way
for him to regain the favor
of his master
than
with the heads
of our men?
Is this
not
the David
about whom
they sing
in their dances:
‘Saul
has slain
his thousands,
and David
his tens of thousands’?”
So Achish
summoned
David
and told him,
“As surely as the LORD
lives,
you
have been upright
in my sight,
and it seems right
that you should march in and out
with me
in the army,
because
I have found
no
fault
in you
from the day
you came
to me
until
this
day.
But you
have no
favor
in the sight
of the leaders.
Therefore now
turn back
and go
in peace,
and you will not
be doing anything
to displease
the leaders
of the Philistines.”
“But
what
have I done?”
David
replied.
“What
have you found
against your servant,
from the day
I came
to you
until today,
to
keep me from
going along
to fight
against the enemies
of my lord
the king?”
Achish
replied,
“I know
that
you are
as pleasing
in my sight
as an angel
of God.
But
the commanders
of the Philistines
have said,
‘He must not
go
into battle
with us.’
Now then,
get up early
in the morning,
along with your masters’
servants
who
came
with you,
and go
as soon as
it is light.”
So David
and his men
got up early
in the morning
to return
to
the land
of the Philistines.
And the Philistines
went up
to Jezreel.