The First Book of Samuel

1Sa 29:1 Now the Phi-lis´-tines gathered together all their armies to A´phek: and the Israelites pitched by a fountain which is in Jez´-re-el.

1Sa 29:2 And the lords of the Phi-lis´-tines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands: but David and his men passed on in the rereward with A´-chish.

1Sa 29:3 Then said the princes of the Philis´-tines, What do these Hebrews here? And A´-chish said unto the princes of the Phi-lis´-tines, 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 found no fault in him since he fell unto me unto this day?

1Sa 29:4 And the princes of the Phi-lis´tines were wroth with him; and the princes of the Phi-lis´-tines said unto him, Make this fellow return, that he may go again to his place which thou hast appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he be an adversary to us: for wherewith should he reconcile himself unto his master? should it not be with the heads of these men?

1Sa 29:5 Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands?

1Sa 29:6 Then A´-chish called David, and said unto him, Surely, as the Lord liveth, thou hast been upright, and thy going out and thy coming in with me in the host is good in my sight: for I have not found evil in thee since the day of thy coming unto me unto this day: nevertheless the lords favour thee not.

1Sa 29:7 Wherefore now return, and go in peace, that thou displease not the lords of the Phi-lis´-tines.

1Sa 29:8 And David said unto A´-chish, But what have I done? and what hast thou found in thy servant so long as I have been with thee unto this day, that I may not go fight against the enemies of my lord the king?

1Sa 29:9 And A´-chish answered and said to David, I know that thou art good in my sight, as an angel of God: notwithstanding the princes of the Philis´-tines have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle.

1Sa 29:10 Wherefore now rise up early in the morning with thy master’s servants that are come with thee: and as soon as ye be up early in the morning, and have light, depart.

1Sa 29:11 So David and his men rose up early to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the Phi-lis´tines. And the Phi-lis´-tines went up to Jez´-re-el.