1 Samuel 29
1 The Philistines gathered all their troops at Aphek, while Israel was camped by the spring near Jezreel.
2 The Philistine leaders were marching by hundreds and by thousands, and David and his men were marching in the rear with Achish.
3 The Philistine commanders asked, “What are these Hebrews doing here?” Achish answered the Philistine commanders, “Isn’t this David, the servant of Saul, king of Israel, who has been with me for days, or years? I have found nothing against him from the day he came over to my side until today.”
4 The Philistine commanders were angry with him and said, “Send this man back, so he can return to the place you assigned him. He must not go down with us into battle, or he may turn against us in the battle. How could this man win back his master’s favor? Wouldn’t it be with the heads of these men?
5 Isn’t this the David they sang about in their dances: ‘Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his tens of thousands’?”
6 Achish called David and said to him, “As surely as the LORD lives, you are honorable, and I am pleased for you to go out and come in with me in the camp. I have found no fault in you from the day you came to me until today. But you are not welcome in the eyes of the commanders.
7 Now go back and leave in peace, so you do nothing displeasing in the eyes of the Philistine commanders.”
8 David said to Achish, “But what have I done? What have you found against your servant from the day I stood before you until today, that I should not go and fight the enemies of my lord the king?”
9 Achish answered David, “I know you are good in my eyes, like an angel of God. But the Philistine commanders said, ‘He must not go up with us into battle.’
10 Now get up early, along with your master’s servants who came with you. Get up at dawn, and leave as soon as it is light.”
11 David and his men got up early in the morning to leave and return to the land of the Philistines, while the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
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