Chapter 29

Now the Philistines gathered together⁴ all their armies to Aphek: and the Israelites pitched⁶ by a fountain which [is] in Jezreel.

And the lords of the Philistines passed on⁶ by hundreds, and by thousands: but David and his men passed on⁶ in the rereward with Achish.

Then said⁴ the princes of the Philistines, What [do] these Hebrews [here]? And Achish said⁴ unto the princes of the Philistines, [Is] not this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, which hath been with me these days, or these years, and I have found¹ no fault in him since he fell² [unto me] unto this day?

And the princes of the Philistines were wroth⁴ with him; and the princes of the Philistines said⁴ unto him, Make this fellow return,⁵⁴ that he may go again⁴ to his place which thou hast appointed⁵² him, and let him not go down⁴ with us to battle, lest in the battle he be an adversary to us: for wherewith should he reconcile¹⁰¹ himself unto his master? [should it] not [be] with the heads of these men?

[Is] not this David, of whom they sang⁴ one to another in dances, saying,² Saul slew⁵² his thousands, and David his ten thousands?

Then Achish called⁴ David, and said⁴ unto him, Surely, [as] the LORD liveth, thou hast been upright, and thy going out² and thy coming in² with me in the host [is] good in my sight: for I have not found¹ evil in thee since the day of thy coming² unto me unto this day: nevertheless the lords favour thee not.

Wherefore now return,³ and go³ in peace, that thou displease^{4 7451 5869} not the lords of the Philistines.

And David said⁴ unto Achish, But what have I done?¹ and what hast thou found¹ in thy servant so long as I have been with thee unto this day, that I may not go⁴ fight⁸ against the enemies⁶ of my lord the king?

And Achish answered⁴ and said⁴ to David, I know¹ that thou [art] good in my sight, as an angel of God: notwithstanding the princes of the Philistines have said,¹ He shall not go up⁴ with us to the battle.

Wherefore now rise up early⁵⁴ in the morning with thy master's servants that are come¹ with thee: and as soon as ye be up early⁵² in the morning, and have light,¹ depart.³

So David and his men rose up early⁵⁵ to depart² in the morning, to return² into the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up¹ to Jezreel.