The Philistines Reject David

1And the rovers will gather together all their camp to Aphek: and Israel encamping by a fountain which is in Jezreel. 2And the princes of the rovers passing over by hundreds and by thousands: and David and his men passing over at last with Achish. 3And the chiefs of the rovers will say, What these Hebrews? and Achish will say to the chiefs of the rovers, Is not this David, servant of Saul king of Israel, who was with me these days or these years, and I found nothing in him from the day of his falling till this day. 4And the chiefs of the rovers will be angry with him; and the chiefs of the rovers will say to him, Cause this man to turn back, and he shall turn back to his place which thou didst set him there, and he shall not go down with us in the war, and he shall not be to us for an adversary in the war: and with what shall this satisfy to his lord? is it not with the heads of these men?

5Is not this David which they will answer to him in dances, saying, Saul struck his thousands and David his ten thousands?

6And Achish will call for David and say to him, Jehovah lives, for thou wert straight and good in mine eyes, thy going out and thy coming in with me in the camp, for I found not evil in thee from the day of thy coming to me even to this day: and in the eyes of the princes thou art not good. 7And now turn back and go in peace, and thou wilt not do evil in the eyes of the princes of the rovers. 8And David will say to Achish, But what did I? and what didst thou find in thy servant from the day I was before thee, even to this day, that I shall not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king? 9And Achish will answer and say to David, I knew that thou art good in mine eyes as a messenger of God: but the chiefs of the rovers said, He shall not go up with us in the war. 10And now rise early in the morning and the servants of thy lord which came with thee: and ye rising early in the morning, and the light to you, and go. 11And David will rise early, he and his men, to go in the morning to turn back to the land of the rovers. And the rovers went up to Jezreel.