1 Samuel 29

Modern

Literal

The Philistines Reject David

¹Now the Philistines brought all their forces together at Aphek, while Israel camped by the spring in Jezreel.

¹And the Philistines gathered together all their camps to Aphek, and Israel encamped by the fountain that is in Jezreel.

²As the Philistine leaders marched out with their units of hundreds and thousands, David and his men marched behind them with Achish.

²And the princes of the Philistines were passing over by hundreds and by thousands, and David and his men were passing over at the rear with Achish.

³Then 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.”

³And the princes of the Philistines said, “What are these Hebrews?” And Achish said to the princes of the Philistines, “Is this not David, the servant of Saul king of Israel, who has been with me these days, even these years? And I have not found in him anything from the day of his falling up to this day.”

⁴But 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?

⁴And the princes of the Philistines were angry with him. And the princes of the Philistines said to him, “Make this fellow return, that he may go back to the place that you assigned him there, and do not let him go down with us to the battle, that he become not our adversary in the battle. For by what shall this one make himself acceptable to his master, if not by the heads of those men?

⁵Is this not the David about whom they sing in their dances:

‘Saul has slain his thousands,

and David his tens of thousands’?”

⁵Is not this David, whom they sang of him in the dances, saying, ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his myriads’?”

⁶So Achish summoned David and told him, “As surely as the LORD lives, you have been upright, and it seems right in my sight 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 are not good in the sight of the leaders.

⁶and Achish called to David and said to him, “As YHWH lives, surely you have been upright, and good in my eyes is your going out and your coming in with me in the camp. For I have not found in you evil since the day of your coming to me until this day. And in the eyes of the princes is no favor of you.

⁷Therefore turn back now and go in peace, so that you will not do anything to displease the leaders of the Philistines.”

⁷And now, return and go in peace, that you do not do evil in the eyes of the princes of the Philistines.”

⁸“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?”

⁸And David said to Achish, “But what have I done? And what have you found in your servant as long as I have been with you to this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?”

⁹Achish 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.’

⁹And Achish answered and said to David, “I know that you are as pleasing in my sight as an angel of God. Nevertheless, the princes of the Philistines have said, ‘He shall not go up with us to the battle.’

¹⁰Now then, get up early in the morning, along with your master’s servants who came with you, and go as soon as it is light.”

¹⁰And now rise early in the morning with the servants of your master who have come with you, and when you have risen early in the morning, and have light for it, then depart.”

¹¹So 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.

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