1 Samuel 29

Now the Philistines had gathered all of their camp {at} Aphek, and Israel was camping at the spring that {is} in Jezreel.

Now the lords of the Philistines were passing over by hundreds and by thousands, and David and his men were passing over in the rear with Achish.

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

But the lords of the Philistines were angry with him. And the lords of the Philistines said to him, “Make the man return, that he may return to his place that you assigned him there. For he shall not go down with us into the battle, so he does not become an adversary for us in the battle. For by what shall this {one} make himself acceptable to his master? {Is it} not by the heads of these men?

{Is} this not David, of whom they sing in the dances, saying, ‘Saul has struck his thousands, and David his myriads’?” \*

So Achish called to David and said to him, “The life of God, that you {are} upright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the camp {is} good in my eyes, for I have not found evil in you from the day of your coming to me to this day. But in the eyes of the lords you {are} not good.

And now, return and go in peace, so you do not do evil in the eyes of the lords of the Philistines.” \*

And David said to Achish, “But what have I done? And what have you found in your servant from the day when I was to your face to this day, that I may not come and fight with the enemies of my lord the king?”

And Achish answered and said to David, “I know that you {are} good in my eyes like an angel of God. Nevertheless, the lords of the Philistines have said, ‘He shall not go up with us into the battle.’ \*

And now, arise early in the morning with the servants of your master who came with you. And you shall arise early in the morning, when light {is} to you, and go.”

So David arose early, he and his men, to go in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up {to} Jezreel. \*