The First Book of Samuel (WEB)
29: 1Now the Philistines gathered together all their hosts to Aphek: and the Israelites encamped
by the spring which is in Jezreel. 29:2The lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by
thousands; and David and his men passed on in the rearward with Achish. 29:3Then said the princes
of the Philistines, What do these Hebrews here? 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, and I have found no fault in him since he fell away to me to this day? 29:4But he 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? 29:5Is not this David, of
whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Saul has slain his thousands, David his ten
thousands? 29:6Then 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 host 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. 29:7Therefore now return, and go in peace, that you not displease the lords of the
Philistines. 29:8David said to Achish, But what have I done? and 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? 29:9Achish 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. 29:10Therefore 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. 29:11So
David rose up early, he and his men, to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the
Philistines. The Philistines went up to Jezreel.
World English Bible