1 ¶ Now the Philistines gathered all their forces at Aphek: and the Israelites pitched camp by a fountain that is in Jezreel.

2 As the Philistine lords were marching along by hundreds, and by thousands: while David and his men marched in the rear with Achish.

3 The Philistine princes asked, What are these Hebrews doing here? And Achish said to the Philistine princes, This is David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who has been with me now for over a year, and I have found no fault in him from the time he defected to me to this day?

4 And the Philistine princes were angry with Achish; and said to him, Send that man back, and let him return to the place you have assigned him, do not let him go down with us to battle, lest he become our adversary during the battle: for how better could he reconcile himself to his master than with the heads of our men?

5 Is this not David, of whom they sang to one another in dances, saying, Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands?

6 ¶ Then Achish called David, and said to him, Surely, as the LORD lives, you have been honest, and it seems right to me that you should march in and out with me in the campaign: for I have found nothing wrong with you from the day of your coming to me to this day: nevertheless the lords do not approve of you.

7 So return now, and go in peace, so that you do not displease the lords of the Philistines.

8 And David said to Achish, But what have I done? and what have you found in your servant as long as I have been with you to this day, that I may not go fight against the enemies of my lord the king?

9 And Achish said to David, I know that you are blameless in my sight, as an angel of God: nevertheless the princes of the Philistines have said, He must not go up with us to the battle.

10 So now rise up 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.

11 So David and his men rose up early in the morning, to return to the land of the Philistines. But the Philistines went up to Jezreel.