1Now the Philistines gathered all their armies at Aphek, and the Israelites camped by the spring in Jezreel.
2The Philistine leaders marched by in groups of hundreds and thousands, and David and his men marched at the rear with Achish.
3Then the Philistine commanders asked, "What are these Hebrews doing here?" Achish replied to the Philistine commanders, "This is David, the servant of Saul, the king of Israel, who has been with me for days, even years. I haven't found any fault in him since he defected to me until today."
4But the Philistine commanders were angry with him. The Philistine commanders said to Achish, "Send this man back to the place you assigned him. He must not go down with us into battle, or he might turn against us during the fight. How else could he regain favor with his master? Wouldn't it be by presenting the heads of our men?
5Isn’t this the David they sang about in dances, saying, ‘Saul has killed his thousands, but David his tens of thousands’?”
6Then Achish called David and said to him, "As surely as Yahweh lives, you are an upright man. Your military service with me has been good in my sight, for I have found no evil in you from the day you came to me until today. Nevertheless, the leaders do not approve of you."
7Therefore, go back now, and leave in peace, so that you do not displease the Philistine leaders."
8David said to Achish, "But what have I done? What fault have you found in your servant from the time I've been with you until today, that I cannot go and fight against the enemies of my lord, the king?"
9Achish answered David, "I know that you are as good in my sight as an angel of God. However, the Philistine commanders have said, 'He must not go up with us to battle.'"
10So now, get up early in the morning with your master's servants who came with you. As soon as you are up and it's light, leave."
11So David and his men got up early in the morning to leave and return to the land of the Philistines. The Philistines then went up to Jezreel.