[1] Now the Philistines gathered all their forces at Aphek; and the
Israelites were encamped by the fountain which is in Jezreel. [2] As the
lords of the Philistines were passing on by hundreds and by thousands, and
David and his men were passing on in the rear with A'chish, [3] the
commanders of the Philistines said, "What are these Hebrews doing here?"
And A'chish said to the commanders of the Philistines, "Is not this David,
the servant of Saul, king of Israel, who has been with me now for days and
years, and since he deserted to me I have found no fault in him to this
day." [4] But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with him; and
the commanders of the Philistines said to him, "Send the man back, that he
may return to the place to which you have assigned him; he shall not go
down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us.
For how could this fellow reconcile himself to his lord? Would it not be
with the heads of the men here? [5] Is not this David, of whom they sing to
one another in dances, `Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten
thousands'?" [6] Then A'chish called David and said to him, "As the LORD
lives, you have been honest, and to me it seems right that you should march
out and in with me in the campaign; for I have found nothing wrong in you
from the day of your coming to me to this day. Nevertheless the lords do
not approve of you. [7] So go back now; and go peaceably, that you may not
displease the lords of the Philistines." [8] And David said to A'chish,
"But what have I done? What have you found in your servant from the day I
entered your service until now, that I may not go and fight against the
enemies of my lord the king?" [9] And A'chish made answer to David, "I know
that you are as blameless in my sight as an angel of God; nevertheless the
commanders of the Philistines have said, `He shall not go up with us to the
battle.' [10] Now then rise early in the morning with the servants of your
lord who came with you; and start early in the morning, and depart as soon
as you have light." [11] So David set out with his men early in the
morning, to return to the land of the Philistines. But the Philistines went
up to Jezreel.
