1 Samuel 29
29
Achish Sends David Back to Ziklag
1The Philistines gathered their whole army together at Aphek. Israel’s army camped by the spring of water at Jezreel. 2The Philistine rulers marched out in groups of hundreds and thousands. David and his men were marching with Achish behind the others. 3The commanders of the Philistines asked, “Why are these Hebrews here?”
Achish replied, “That’s David, isn’t it? Wasn’t he an officer of Saul, the king of Israel? He has already been with me for more than a year. I haven’t found any fault in him. That’s been true from the day he left Saul until now.”
4But the Philistine commanders were angry with Achish. They said, “Send David back. Let him return to the town you gave him. He must not go with us into battle. If he does, he’ll turn against us during the fighting. In fact, he might even cut off the heads of our own men. What better way could he choose to win back his master’s favor? 5Isn’t David the one the Israelites sang about when they danced? They sang,
“ ‘Saul has killed thousands of men.
David has killed tens of thousands.’ ”
6So Achish called David over to him. He said, “You have been faithful to me. And that’s just as sure as the Lord is alive. I would be pleased to have you serve with me in the army. I haven’t found any fault in you. That’s been true from the day you came to me until today. But the Philistine rulers aren’t pleased to have you come along. 7So now go back home in peace. Don’t do anything that wouldn’t please the Philistine rulers.”
8“But what have I done?” asked David. “What have you found against me from the day I came to you until now? Why can’t I go and fight against your enemies? After all, you are my king and master.”
9Achish answered, “You have been as pleasing to me as an angel of God. But the Philistine commanders have said, ‘We don’t want David to go up with us into battle.’ 10So get up early in the morning. Take with you the men who used to serve Saul. Leave as soon as the sun begins to come up.”
11So David and his men got up early in the morning. They went back to the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
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1 Samuel 29: NIrV
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Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
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1 Samuel 29
29
1Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek; and the Israelites encamped by the spring which is in Jezreel. 2The lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds and by thousands; and David and his men passed on in the rear with Achish.
3Then 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.”
4But 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? 5Isn’t this David, of whom people sang to one another in dances, saying,
‘Saul has slain his thousands,
and David his ten thousands’?”
6Then 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. 7Therefore now return, and go in peace, that you not displease the lords of the Philistines.”
8David said to Achish, “But what have I done? What have you found in your servant so long as I have been before you to this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?”
9Achish 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.’ 10Therefore 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.”
11So 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.
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