1 The Philistines brought all their armies together at Aphek, while Israel was encamped by the spring in Jezreel.
2 The lords of the Philistines were marching past by hundreds and by thousands, and David and his men were marching past at the rear with Achish.
3 The Philistine commanders asked, "What are these Hebrews doing here?" Achish told the Philistine commanders, "This is David, the servant of Saul king of Israel, is it not? He has been with me for days now, years even, and I have found nothing against him from the day he went over to me until today."
4 But the Philistine commanders were angry with him, and the Philistine commanders told him, "Send the man back! Let him go back to the place you gave him. He is not to go down with us into battle, or in the battle he will turn against us. How better could this fellow win back his master's favor than with the heads of these men here?
5 Is this not the David they sang about to one another in the dances, 'Saul has killed his thousands, and David his tens of thousands'?"
6 Achish called David and told him, "As the LORD lives, you are an upright man, and I am glad to have you marching out and coming in with me in the army, for I have found nothing wrong in you from the day you came to me until today. But the lords do not approve of you.
7 So turn back now and go in peace, and do nothing to displease the lords of the Philistines."
8 David said to Achish, "But what have I done? What have you found against your servant from the day I came into your service until now, that I may not go and fight the enemies of my lord the king?"
9 Achish answered David, "I know that you are as good in my sight as an angel of God. It is the Philistine commanders who have said, 'He must not go up with us into battle.'
10 So get up early in the morning with your lord's servants who came with you; get up early, and leave as soon as it is light."
11 So David and his men got up early, leaving in the morning to go back to the land of the Philistines, and the Philistines went up to Jezreel.