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 thousands, David and his men marched at the rear with Achish.

³ The Philistine commanders asked, "What are these Hebrews doing here?" Achish told them, "This is David, servant of Saul king of Israel. He's been with me these days—no, these years—and from the day he deserted to me until now I've found no fault in him."

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

⁶ So Achish called David and said, "As the LORD lives, you are honest, and I'd be glad to have you march out and in with me in the camp. I've found no fault in you since the day you came to me until now. But the rulers don't 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 since I came to you until now, that I should not go fight the enemies of my lord the king?"

⁹ Achish told David, "To me you're as good as an angel of God. Still, the Philistine commanders have said, 'He must not go up with us into battle.'" ¹⁰ So get up early in the morning, you and your master's servants who came with you; get up early and leave when it's light.

¹¹ So David and his men rose early to head back to Philistia at daybreak, while the Philistines went up to Jezreel.