| New King James Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Then the Philistines gathered together all their armies at Aphek, and the Israelites encamped by a fountain which is in Jezreel. | 1The Philistines brought all their military units together at Aphek while Israel was camped by the spring in Jezreel. |
| 2And the lords of the Philistines passed in review by hundreds and by thousands, but David and his men passed in review at the rear with Achish. | 2As the Philistine leaders were passing in review with their units of hundreds and thousands, David and his men were passing in review behind them with Achish. |
| 3Then the princes of the Philistines said, “What are these Hebrews doing here?” And Achish said to the princes of the Philistines, “Is this not David, the servant of Saul king of Israel, who has been with me these days, or these years? And to this day I have found no fault in him since he defected to me.” | 3Then the Philistine commanders asked, "What are these Hebrews doing here?" Achish answered the Philistine commanders, "That is David, servant of King Saul of Israel. He has been with me a considerable period of time. From the day he defected until today, I've found no fault with him." |
| 4But the princes of the Philistines were angry with him; so the princes of the Philistines said to him, “Make this fellow return, that he may go back to the place which you have appointed for him, and do not let him go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become our adversary. For with what could he reconcile himself to his master, if not with the heads of these men? | 4The Philistine commanders, however, were enraged with Achish and told him, "Send that man back and let him return to the place you assigned him. He must not go down with us into battle only to become our adversary during the battle. What better way could he regain his master's favor than with the heads of our men? |
| 5Is this not David, of whom they sang to one another in dances, saying: ‘Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands’?” | 5Isn't this the David they sing about during their dances: Saul has killed his thousands, but David his tens of thousands?" |
| 6Then Achish called David and said to him, “Surely, as the LORD lives, you have been upright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the army is good in my sight. For to this day I have not found evil in you since the day of your coming to me. Nevertheless the lords do not favor you. | 6So Achish summoned David and told him, "As the LORD lives, you are an honorable man. I think it is good to have you working with me in the camp, because I have found no fault in you from the day you came to me until today. But the leaders don't think you are reliable. |
| 7Therefore return now, and go in peace, that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines.” | 7Now go back quietly and you won't be doing anything the Philistine leaders think is wrong." |
| 8So David said to Achish, “But what have I done? And to this day what have you found in your servant as long as I have been with you, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?” | 8"But what have I done?" David replied to Achish. "From the first day I was with you until today, what have you found against your servant to keep me from going along to fight against the enemies of my lord the king?" |
| 9Then Achish answered and said to David, “I know that you are as good in my sight as an angel of God; nevertheless the princes of the Philistines have said, ‘He shall not go up with us to the battle.’ | 9Achish answered David, "I'm convinced that you are as reliable as the Angel of God. But the Philistine commanders have said, 'He must not go into battle with us.' |
| 10Now therefore, rise early in the morning with your master’s servants who have come with you. And as soon as you are up early in the morning and have light, depart.” | 10So get up early in the morning, you and your masters' servants who came with you. When you've all gotten up early, go as soon as it's light." |
| 11So David and his men rose early to depart in the morning, to return to the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel. | 11So David and his men got up early in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel. |
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