1 Now the Philistines mustered all their forces at Aphek; the Israe lites were encamped beside the spring in Jezreel.
2 While the Philistine rulers went ahead of their groups of thousands and hundreds, David and his men were marching at the rear with Achish.
3 The Philistine chiefs asked, “Who are these Hebrews?” Achish replied to the Philistine chiefs, “This is David, servant of Saul, king of Israel. He has been with me for over a year and since he fled to me up to the present day I have found no fault in him.”
4 But the Philistine chiefs were angered at this and said to him, “Send that man back! Let him return to the place where you assigned him. He must not go down into battle with us lest during the battle he turn against us. How better could this fellow regain his master’s favor than by bringing him the heads of our men?
5 Is this not the David for whom they danced and sang: Saul has slain his thousands, but David his tens of thousands?”
6 So Achish called David and said to him, “As Yahweh lives, you are honest and I would like you to be with me in the camp for I have found nothing wrong in you since you came to me up to the present day. But you displease the lords.
7 So it is better for you to leave and go back quietly and do nothing to displease the Philistine lords.”
8 David asked Achish, “But what have I done? Have I done anything since I entered your service until the present time that would bar me from joining the fight against the enemies of my lord the king?”
9 Achish replied to David, “I myself hold nothing against you, but the Philistine chiefs are determined not to allow you to join us in battle.
10 Now, therefore, get up early tomorrow morning and leave with the soldiers who came with you.”
11 So David and his men left early in the morning and returned to the land of the Philistines. The Philistines, in the meantime, went on to Jezreel.