1 Samuel 29

29 ¹ Now the Philistines gathered all their forces at Aphek, while Israel camped by the spring in Jezreel. ² As the Philistine rulers marched out by hundreds and by thousands, David and his men marched in the rear with Achish.

³ Then the Philistine commanders asked, "What are these Hebrews doing here?" Achish answered them, "This is David, the servant of Saul king of Israel, who has been with me now for days, even years, and from the day he deserted to me until today I have found no fault in him."

⁴ But the Philistine commanders were angry with him and said, "Send the man back, that he may return to the place you assigned him. He must not go down with us into battle, or he may turn against us during the fighting. How better could he regain his master's favor than with the heads of our own men?" ⁵ Is this not the David they sang about in their dances: 'Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his tens of thousands'?

⁶ So Achish called David and said to him, "As the LORD lives, you have been honest, and I would be glad to have you march in and out with me in the camp, for I have found no fault in you from the day you came to me until today. But the rulers do not approve of you." ⁷ Now turn back and go in peace, so that you do nothing to displease the Philistine rulers.

⁸ "But what have I done?" David protested. "What have you found against your servant from the day I came to you until now, that I should not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?"

⁹ Achish replied to David, "I know that you are as good in my sight as an angel of God. Even so, the Philistine commanders have said, 'He must not go up with us into battle.'" ¹⁰ So rise early in the morning, you and your master's servants who came with you; rise early, and as soon as it is light, leave.

¹¹ So David and his men rose early to set out in the morning and return to the land of the Philistines, while the Philistines went up to Jezreel.