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29 Now the Pelishtim gathered together all their machanot to Aphek; and Yisroel encamped by an ayin (spring) which is in Yizre’el.

And the rulers of the Pelishtim (Philistines) were passing by with me’ot, and with alafim; but Dovid and his anashim were passing at the rearguard with Achish.

Then said the sarim of the Pelishtim, What are these Ivrim doing here? And Achish said unto the sarim of the Pelishtim, Is not this Dovid, the eved of Sha’ul Melech Yisroel, which hath been with me these yamim, or these shanim, and unto this day I have found no fault in him since he defected?

And the sarim of the Pelishtim were angry with him; and the sarim of the Pelishtim said unto him, Send the ish back, that he may turn again to his makom (place, home) which thou hast assigned him, and let him not go down with us to milchamah, lest in the milchamah he be as satan (adversary, antagonist) to us; for wherewith should he make himself acceptable unto his adon? Is it not with the heads of these anashim?

Is not this Dovid, of whom they sang one to another in mecholot (dances), saying, Sha’ul slaughtered his alafim, and Dovid his revavot (myriads)?

Then Achish called Dovid, and said unto him, Surely, as Hashem liveth, thou hast been yashar (upright), and thy going out and thy coming in with me in the machaneh is tov in my sight; for I have not found ra’ah in thee since the day of thy coming unto me until this day; nevertheless, in the eyes of the rulers thou art not tov.

Wherefore now shuv (turn, turn back), and go in shalom, that thou displease not the rulers of the Pelishtim.

And Dovid said unto Achish, But what have I done? And what hast thou found in thy eved from the day that I am before thee until this day, that I may not go fight against the oyevei adoni HaMelech?

And Achish answered and said to Dovid, I know that thou art tov in my sight, as a malach Elohim; notwithstanding, the sarim of the Pelishtim have said, He shall not go up with us to the milchamah.

10 Wherefore now rise up early in the boker with the avadim of thy adon that are come with thee; and as soon as ye get up early in the boker, and have ohr, depart.

11 So Dovid and his anashim rose up early to depart in the boker, to return to Eretz Pelishtim. And the Pelishtim went up to Yizre’el.

Achish Sends David Back to Ziklag

29 The Philistines gathered(A) all their forces at Aphek,(B) and Israel camped by the spring in Jezreel.(C) As the Philistine rulers marched with their units of hundreds and thousands, David and his men were marching at the rear(D) with Achish. The commanders of the Philistines asked, “What about these Hebrews?”

Achish replied, “Is this not David,(E) who was an officer of Saul king of Israel? He has already been with me for over a year,(F) and from the day he left Saul until now, I have found no fault in him.”

But the Philistine commanders were angry with Achish and said, “Send(G) the man back, that he may return to the place you assigned him. He must not go with us into battle, or he will turn(H) against us during the fighting. How better could he regain his master’s favor than by taking the heads of our own men? Isn’t this the David they sang about in their dances:

“‘Saul has slain his thousands,
    and David his tens of thousands’?”(I)

So Achish called David and said to him, “As surely as the Lord lives, you have been reliable, and I would be pleased to have you serve with me in the army. From the day(J) you came to me until today, I have found no fault in you, but the rulers(K) don’t approve of you. Now turn back and go in peace; do nothing to displease the Philistine rulers.”

“But what have I done?” asked David. “What have you found against your servant from the day I came to you until now? Why can’t I go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?”

Achish answered, “I know that you have been as pleasing in my eyes as an angel(L) of God; nevertheless, the Philistine commanders(M) have said, ‘He must not go up with us into battle.’ 10 Now get up early, along with your master’s servants who have come with you, and leave(N) in the morning as soon as it is light.”

11 So David and his men got up early in the morning to go back to the land of the Philistines, and the Philistines went up to Jezreel.