1 Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to
Aphek: and the Israelites pitched by a fountain which is in
Jezreel.
2 And
the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands: but David
and his men passed on in the rereward with Achish.
3 Then
said the princes of the Philistines, What do these Hebrews here? And Achish said unto the princes of the Philistines, Is not
this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, which hath been with me
these days, or these years, and I have found no fault in him since he fell unto me unto
this day?
4 And
the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him; and the princes of the
Philistines said unto him, Make this fellow return, that he may go again to his
place which thou hast appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle,
lest in the battle he be an adversary to us: for wherewith should he reconcile
himself unto his master? should it not be with the heads of these men?
5 Is not this David, of whom they sang one
to another in dances, saying, Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten
thousands?
6 Then
Achish called David, and said unto him, Surely, as the LORD
liveth, thou hast been upright, and thy going out and thy coming in with me in
the host is good
in my sight: for I have not found evil in thee since the day of thy coming unto
me unto this day: nevertheless the lords favour thee not.
7 Wherefore
now return, and go in peace, that thou displease not the lords of the
Philistines.
8 And
David said unto Achish, But what have I done? and what hast thou found in thy
servant so long as I have been with thee unto this day, that I may not go fight
against the enemies of my lord the king?
9 And
Achish answered and said to David, I know that thou art 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 Wherefore
now rise up early in the morning with thy master's servants that are come with
thee: and as soon as ye be up early in the morning, and have light, depart.
11 So
David and his men rose up early to depart in the morning, to return into the
land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
