1 Samuel 29:1-11
Achish Sends David Back to Ziklag
1 The Philistines gathered all their forces at Aphek, and Israel camped by the spring in Jezreel. 2 As the Philistine rulers marched with their units of hundreds and thousands, David and his men were marching at the rear with Achish. 3 The commanders of the Philistines asked, “What about these Hebrews?”
Achish replied, “Is this not David, who was an officer of Saul king of Israel? He has already been with me for over a year, and from the day he left Saul until now, I have found no fault in him.”
4 But the Philistine commanders were angry with Achish and said, “Send the man back, that he may return to the place you assigned him. He must not go with us into battle, or he will turn against us during the fighting. How better could he regain his master’s favor than by taking the heads of our own men? 5 Isn’t this the David they sang about in their dances:
“‘Saul has slain his thousands,
and David his tens of thousands’?”
6 So Achish called David and said to him, “As surely as the Lord lives, you have been reliable, and I would be pleased to have you serve with me in the army. From the day you came to me until today, I have found no fault in you, but the rulers don’t approve of you. 7 Now turn back and go in peace; do nothing to displease the Philistine rulers.”
8 “But what have I done?” asked David. “What have you found against your servant from the day I came to you until now? Why can’t I go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?”
9 Achish answered, “I know that you have been as pleasing in my eyes as an angel of God; nevertheless, the Philistine commanders have said, ‘He must not go up with us into battle.’ 10 Now get up early, along with your master’s servants who have come with you, and leave in the morning as soon as it is light.”
11 So David and his men got up early in the morning to go back to the land of the Philistines, and the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
Meanwhile, the Philistines had gathered all of their army camps at Aphek...The Israelites were camped by the spring near Jezreel...The Philistine rulers were marching in divisions of 100 and 1,000 men...David and his men were at the back with Achish...The Philistine captains asked, “What are these Hebrews doing here?”...Achish told the Philistine captains, “This is David...He was one of Saul’s officers, but he has been with me for a long time...I found nothing wrong in David since the time he left Saul and came to me.”...But the Philistine captains were angry with Achish...They said, “Send him back...Let him go back to the city you gave him, but he can’t go into battle with us...As long as he is here, we have an enemy in our own camp...He would make his king happy by killing our men...Isn’t David the one the Israelites sing about?...They dance and sing this song: ‘Saul has killed thousands of enemies, but David has killed tens of thousands.’”...
So Achish called David and said, “As surely as the LORD lives, you are loyal to me...I would be pleased to have you serve in my army...I haven’t found anything wrong with you since the day you came to me...The Philistine rulers also think you are a good man...Go back in peace...Don’t do anything against the Philistine rulers.”...David asked, “What have I done wrong?...Have you found anything wrong with me since the day I came to you?...So why won’t you let me go to fight the enemies of my lord the king?”...Achish answered, “I believe that you are a good man...You are like an angel from God...But the Philistine captains still say, ‘David can’t go with us into battle.’...Early in the morning, you and your men should go back to the city I gave you...Don’t pay attention to the bad things the captains say about you...You are a good man, but you must leave as soon as there is enough light in the morning.”...So David and his men got up early in the morning and went back to the country of the Philistines, and the Philistines went up to Jezreel....