The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Samuel 29
1 Now the Philistines gathered together
all their armies to Aphek; and the Israelites encamped by the spring which is
in Jezreel.
2 The lords of the Philistines passed on
by hundreds and by thousands; and David
and his men passed on in the rear with
Achish.
3 Then the princes of the Philistines said,
“What about these Hebrews?”
Achish said to the princes of the
Philistines, “Isn’t this David, the servant
of Saul the king of Israel, who has been
with me these days, or rather these years?
I have found no fault in him since he fell
away until today.”
4 But the princes of the Philistines were
angry with him; and the princes of the
Philistines said to him, “Make the man
return, that he may go back to his place
where you have appointed him, and let
him not go down with us to battle, lest in
the battle he become an adversary to us.
For with what should this fellow reconcile
himself to his lord? Should it not be with
the heads of these men?
5 Isn’tthis David, of whom people sang to
one another in dances, saying,
‘Saul has slain his thousands,
and David his ten thousands’?”
6 Then Achish called David and said to
him, “As Yahweh lives, you have been upright, and your going out and your coming
in with me in the army is good in my sight;
for I have not found evil in you since the
day of your coming to me to this day. Nevertheless, the lords don’t favor you.
7 Therefore now return, and go in peace,
that you not displease the lords of the
Philistines.”
8 David said to Achish, “But what have
I done? What have you found in your
servant so long as Ihavebeenbefore youto
this day, that I may not go and fight against
the enemies of my lord the king?”
9 Achish answered David, “I know that
you are good in my sight, as an angel of
God. Notwithstanding, the princes of the
Philistines have said, ‘He shall not go up
with us to the battle.’
10 Therefore now rise up early in the
morning with the servants of your lord
who have come with you; and as soon as
you are up early in the morning and have
light, depart.”
11 So David rose up early, he and his men,
to depart in the morning, to return into the
land of the Philistines; and the Philistines
went up to Jezreel.