1 Samuel 29

The Philistine Rulers Reject David

1The Philistines gathered all their camps at Aphek, while Israel camped by the spring that is in Jezreel. 2The rulers of the Philistines were passing by according to hundreds and thousands, and David and his men were passing at the rear with Achish. 3Then the commanders of the Philistines said, “What are these Hebrews?” Achish said to the commanders of the Philistines, “Is this not David, servant of Saul king of Israel, who has been with me these days or these years? I have found nothing against him from the day he fell away to me until this day.” 4But the commanders of the Philistines became angry with him. The commanders of the Philistines said to him, “Send the man back, and let him return to his place where you assigned him. Let him not go down with us into battle, lest he become an adversary to us in the battle. For with what could this one reconcile himself to his lord? Would it not be with the heads of these men? 5Is this not David, concerning whom they answered in dances, saying:

‘Saul has struck his thousands,
and David his ten thousands’?”

Achish Sends David Away

6Then Achish called David and said to him, “As the LORD lives, you have been upright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the camp are good in my eyes. I have not found evil in you from the day of your coming to me until this day. Nevertheless, in the eyes of the rulers you are not good. 7And now return and go in peace, so that you do not do what is evil in the eyes of the rulers of the Philistines.” 8David said to Achish, “But what have I done? And what have you found in your servant from the day that I have been before you until this day, that I should not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?” 9Achish answered and said to David, “I know that you are good in my eyes like a messenger of God. Nevertheless, the commanders of the Philistines have said, ‘He shall not go up with us into the battle.’ 10And now rise early in the morning, you and the servants of your lord who came with you. Rise early in the morning, and when you have light, go.” 11So 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.