1 And the Philistines gathered all their armies to Aphek. And the Israelites pitched by a fountain 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 rear with Achish.
3 And the rulers of the Philistines said, What [are] these Hebrews [doing]? And Achish said to the rulers 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 [evil] in him from the day he fell away until today?
4 And the rulers of the Philistines were angry with him. And the Philistine rulers said to him, Send the man back, and he shall return to his place where you have appointed him. And he shall not go down with us to battle, and shall not become an enemy to us in battle. For with what should he reconcile himself to his master? [Should it] not [be] with the heads of these men?
5 [Is] not this David, of whom they sang to one another in dances, saying, Saul killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands?
6 And Achish called David and said to him, Surely, [as] the LORD lives, you have been upright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the army is good in my sight. For I have not found evil in you since the day of your coming to me until today. But you are not good in the eyes of the lords.
7 And return now, and go in peace so that you do not displease the lords of the Philistines.
8 And David said to Achish, But what have I done? And what have you found in your servant so long as I have been with you to 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 you [are] good in my sight, like an angel of God. But the princes of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle.
10 And now, rise up early in the morning with your master's servants who have come with you. And as soon as you have light, depart.
11 And David and his men rose up early to leave in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up [to] Jezreel.